April 2019 Weather Discussion in the PNW

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Slugs are in EVERY temperate rain forest. Roosevelt elk? Not so much.

 

#whydoyouhateslugs

 

Oregon ranks 5th in overall elk population. There are an estimated 125,000 elk in Oregon. 65,000 Rocky Mountain Elk and 60,000 Roosevelt Elk. 

[Jesse]

Oregon ranks 5th in overall elk population. There are an estimated 125,000 elk in Oregon. 65,000 Rocky Mountain Elk and 60,000 Roosevelt Elk.

Wow. Pretty even spread there.

 

I know the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon have one of the larger Rocky Mountain Elk populations in the lower 48.

[Front Ranger]

Oregon ranks 5th in overall elk population. There are an estimated 125,000 elk in Oregon. 65,000 Rocky Mountain Elk and 60,000 Roosevelt Elk. 

 

Interesting. Elk are magnificent creatures to be sure. Love going up to Rocky Mountain National Park during the rut in early fall and watching the bulls duke it out.

 

Here's a fun wildlife fact for you: there are more antelope than people in Wyoming.

 

I believe there's a decent antelope population in SE Oregon? 

[Jesse]

Gorgeous evening out there. A little clearing and a great sunset. Airmass feels cooler and crisper than the last few days too. 54 currently with a DP of 37.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Interesting. Elk are magnificent creatures to be sure. Love going up to Rocky Mountain National Park during the rut in early fall and watching the bulls duke it out.

 

Here's a fun wildlife fact for you: there are more antelope than people in Wyoming.

 

I believe there's a decent antelope population in SE Oregon? 

 

Yes, there is a decent population. Nothing like in Wyoming, but as of 2012 there were a little over 10,000 spread across Eastern Oregon with the highest concentrations in SE Oregon. I think Hart Mtn Antelope refuge has a herd that numbers around 2500 or so. I have seen them along I-84 in the Lower Columbia Basin and in the Grande Ronde Valley near La Grande too. 

 

I always enjoy seeing the Antelope when I drive through Wyoming. There are always large concentrations visible from I-80 going through the Laramie Valley and then on the east slopes of the Laramie Mountains.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Wow. Pretty even spread there.

 

I know the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon have one of the larger Rocky Mountain Elk populations in the lower 48.

 

There is little if any difference between the sub-species, though Roosevelt are slightly larger. ODFW categorizes Rocky Mountain elk as those living east of I-5 and Roosevelt as those living West of I-5. 

 

The ODFW website lists the overall elk population higher than the other source I saw with 74,000 Rocky Mtn Elk, and 59,000 Roosevelt. 

[Jesse]

There is little if any difference between the sub-species, though Roosevelt are slightly larger. ODFW categorizes Rocky Mountain elk as those living east of I-5 and Roosevelt as those living West of I-5.

 

The ODFW website lists the overall elk population higher than the other source I saw with 74,000 Rocky Mtn Elk, and 59,000 Roosevelt.

I always have known the Cascade crest to be the divide between sub-species.

[Guest CulverJosh]

The natural wildlife forums. Sweeeeetttt!!!!

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I always have known the Cascade crest to be the divide between sub-species.

 

You are probably right. I read an article some years back about a record Rocky Mtn elk which was taken near Mill City and remember it saying there was some controversy because many people believe the dividing line is the Cascade Crest. I wonder if there is much genetic difference or if the main difference in size is that West of the Cascades the climate is much milder and food more plentiful, which would seem to lend itself to larger animals...I am by no means an expert on the subject.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

The natural wildlife forums. Sweeeeetttt!!!!

This is way better than the status quo. 

[Anti Marine Layer]

The spring rains go on. My dad has a friend who he used to know from work that lives in Portland with his family. They don't like the rain, so they usually go to Tucson during the winters. They say it would usually rain on and off there until about the 4th of July and then the summer finally arrives.

 

We went there one summer on the train and it's amazingly beautiful in Portland and much less crowded than Southern California. They have a huge backyard. We took a hike part way up Mt. Hood and also saw Mt. St. Helen's. Later we went to places on the coast or our own. The ocean was freezing and it was very windy, but it was not foggy. Putting your feet in the water makes you get used to the cold wind as you adjust to the water temperature. On the way back, the train was over 8 hours late, so we stayed in Klamath Falls for an extra night and went to see Crater Lake the next day. That was the most beautiful part of the whole trip, and we had never originally planned to go there.

[Front Ranger]

Yes, there is a decent population. Nothing like in Wyoming, but as of 2012 there were a little over 10,000 spread across Eastern Oregon with the highest concentrations in SE Oregon. I think Hart Mtn Antelope refuge has a herd that numbers around 2500 or so. I have seen them along I-84 in the Lower Columbia Basin and in the Grande Ronde Valley near La Grande too. 

 

I always enjoy seeing the Antelope when I drive through Wyoming. There are always large concentrations visible from I-80 going through the Laramie Valley and then on the east slopes of the Laramie Mountains.

 

I believe the most recent estimates have the pronghorn population over 600k in WY. If you ever take the drive from Casper to Cheyenne, they're just everywhere. I think I counted over 30 different herds last time I made that drive.

 

What's weird is how there are hardly any antelope in CO until you get within maybe 30 mi of the border. But of course our elk population is the highest in the country with over 250k.

 

My dad grew up a hunter in OR and has killed several antelope there, mostly in the area just west of Burns from what I remember.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

The spring rains go on. My dad has a friend who he used to know from work that lives in Portland with his family. They don't like the rain, so they usually go to Tucson during the winters. They say it would usually rain on and off there until about the 4th of July and then the summer finally arrives.

 

We went there one summer on the train and it's amazingly beautiful in Portland and much less crowded than Southern California. They have a huge backyard. We also took a hike part way up Mt. Hood and saw Mt. St. Helen's. We also went to places on the coast. The ocean was freezing and it was very windy, but not foggy. On the way back, the train was over 8 hours late, so we stayed in Klamath Falls for an extra night and went to see Crater Lake the next day. That was the most beautiful part of the whole trip.

 

If you have spent your life in Socal, Oregon is like a wonderland. Oregon has about 1/2 the population as Washington and is quite a bit larger geographically so though we have grown quite a bit it still seems sparsely populated to the outsider. There is something unique about Oregon and Washington that is hard to define, but it is real to me. I have been to about 35 states and none match Oregon and Washington. 

[Front Ranger]

You are probably right. I read an article some years back about a record Rocky Mtn elk which was taken near Mill City and remember it saying there was some controversy because many people believe the dividing line is the Cascade Crest. I wonder if there is much genetic difference or if the main difference in size is that West of the Cascades the climate is much milder and food more plentiful, which would seem to lend itself to larger animals...I am by no means an expert on the subject.

 

Last summer I was visiting family in Fresno, and we made the drive out to the coast to Monterey. I was shocked by the number of elk we saw in the coastal foothills. The variety there is known as the Tule, easily the smallest elk in North America.

 

That area is fairly dry, but definitely more mild than mountainous areas further east and north, so hard to say if climate has had any effect on size.

[Front Ranger]

If you have spent your life in Socal, Oregon is like a wonderland. Oregon has about 1/2 the population as Washington and is quite a bit larger geographically so though we have grown quite a bit it still seems sparsely populated to the outsider. There is something unique about Oregon and Washington that is hard to define, but it is real to me. I have been to about 35 states and none match Oregon and Washington. 

 

The variety of terrain and climate, from coast, to rain forest, to alpine, to temperate lowlands, to semi-arid high plateaus, to desert, all within a few hundred miles is truly unique in the U.S., and highly unusual for the entire globe.

 

I love the PNW. 

[TacomaWaWx]

The variety of terrain and climate, from coast, rain forest, to alpine, to temperate lowlands, to semi-arid high plateaus, to desert, all within a few hundred miles is truly unique in the U.S., and highly unusual for the entire globe.

 

I love the PNW.

I’ve been to a few other places around the country I still wouldn’t want to live anywhere else but the PNW.

[Jesse]

Looks like many places in NW Oregon/SW Washington will set midnight lows today.

[Esquimalt]

You love inserting politics into things, don’t you Dome Buster?

Did you intend that pun?

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Looks like many places in NW Oregon/SW Washington will set midnight lows today.

 

Currently 46 which is my low for the day.

[Requiem]

Did you intend that pun?

 

That was completely unintended, promise 

[Jesse]

You are probably right. I read an article some years back about a record Rocky Mtn elk which was taken near Mill City and remember it saying there was some controversy because many people believe the dividing line is the Cascade Crest. I wonder if there is much genetic difference or if the main difference in size is that West of the Cascades the climate is much milder and food more plentiful, which would seem to lend itself to larger animals...I am by no means an expert on the subject.

They are sub-species of the same basic organism that have gradually become more adapted to their respective habitat types, but there is still a lot of movement between the gene pools. And wildlife don’t really care about arbitrary boundaries, so Rocky Mountain elk wandering to the west side and Roosevelts even to the east side occasionally wouldn’t surprise me.

[Omegaraptor]

The variety of terrain and climate, from coast, to rain forest, to alpine, to temperate lowlands, to semi-arid high plateaus, to desert, all within a few hundred miles is truly unique in the U.S., and highly unusual for the entire globe.

 

I love the PNW. 

 

Same here. My favorite parts of the PNW are northern Washington (from Olympic Peninsula to North Cascades to Okanogan Country to Kettle River Range) and far northern California (Mt Shasta area, Trinity Alps, Redwood Forest, Lava Beds, etc).

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Oregon is not what it once was, but what is? Everything changes, there will be boom/bust cycles. Portland is pretty much a slime pit, but you don't have to go far to experience real Oregon. 

 

I think ignoring the media and popular culture is a good place to start. I reconnected with an old buddy last weekend and it was so refreshing, just another average guy doing his best and raising his kids. Felt like for a few hours I had gone back to a different world. I've definitely gone back to my roots the past few years and my outlook has improved.

[Front Ranger]

Same here. My favorite parts of the PNW are northern Washington (from Olympic Peninsula to North Cascades to Okanogan Country to Kettle River Range) and far northern California (Mt Shasta area, Trinity Alps, Redwood Forest, Lava Beds, etc).

First time I've heard CA included as part of the PNW...

 

Far northern CA is very nice, though, I agree.

[Jesse]

First time I've heard CA included as part of the PNW...

Northern California is included sometimes.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

First time I've heard CA included as part of the PNW...

 

My wife is going to be buried at the foot of Mt. Shasta at her family plot someday. I suppose there is a chance I end up there too. 

[Front Ranger]

[Jesse]

My wife is going to be buried at the foot of Mt. Shasta at her family plot someday. I suppose there is a chance I end up there too.

Beware the Lemurians!

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Down to 44, cooling off quick.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Beware the Lemurians!

 

Yeah, she's a member of the Wintu Tribe so I've heard all about that. Though I don't know if that actually has anything to do with the tribe or just her love of conspiracy theories and the like...

[MossMan]

I had slugs all over the yard all summer long. This was taken on 8/12/18 during our massive drought.

[Jesse]

PDX is already two degrees below their morning low.

 

Their record warm MIN for today’s date is 48, which is the only record warm min in the 40s in the month of April. All the rest are 50+.

[Jesse]

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I had slugs all over the yard all summer long. This was taken on 8/12/18 during our massive drought.

 

Look at all those weeds.

[Guest CulverJosh]

You love inserting politics into things, don’t you Dome Buster?

I dont even know what that means. I know w7enk has spoke of this.

[Omegaraptor]

First time I've heard CA included as part of the PNW...

 

Far northern CA is very nice, though, I agree.

 

Far northern parts like Del Norte and Siskiyou counties are culturally and geographically similar to the rural PNW, I feel. The Cascades don't stop until Mt Lassen. Although the Oregon/California border is at 42ºN, the weather patterns associated with the PNW do not disappear until you drop below 40ºN or so.

 

As for Idaho, North Idaho is PNW IMO. Southern Idaho is more like Northern Nevada or the Intermountain West, but the Treasure Valley is debatable.

 

BC is included up to about 53ºN or so. Alaska feels like a different region, but I'm not too familiar with BC geography so I'm not totally sure as where to make the distinction there.

[MossMan]

Look at all those weeds.

Lots of weeds in that part of the yard.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I dont even know what that means. I know w7enk has spoke of this.

 

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

00z seems a lot drier next week. 

[Jesse]

00z seems a lot drier next week.

 

That’s too bad, considering it hasn’t even really been wet yet up here.