[AxxALS N. Y. Acad. Sci., Vol. XXVII, pp. 205-214. 31 January. 1917] 



PHYSIOGEAPHY OF THE SKYKOMISH BASIN, 

 WASHINGTON 1 



By Wakkex S. Smith AFK 1 ^ iw 



{Presented before the Academy 5 April, 1.915%^ j^ 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 205 



Character of uplift 205 



Glaciation 207 



Drainage 210 



Relation of topography and geology 212 



Summary 213 



IXTPiODUCTIOX 



The area whose phj-siography is considered in the present chapter is in 

 the Cascade Mountains of Washington, latitude 47° 40' N., longitude 

 121° 40' W., about 40 miles east of Seattle. The surface is extremely 

 rugged and is clothed with a dense, almost impenetrable growth of under- 

 brush or forest. But the difficulties of traversing the wooded valleys or 

 climbing the steep mountain sides are amply repaid by the everchaiigiiig 

 grandeurs of these alpine mountains. The valleys, too, have a wondrous 

 charm, with their swift dashing streams and lovely lakes of cliff-inclosed 

 water. Few trails, a single railroad and the recently constructed Cascade 

 HigliAvay furnish ingress to this little known part of the State. Three or 

 four small lumbering towns in the main valley give shelter to a small 

 population. But in summer there is an ever growing nmnber of recrea- 

 tion seekers who pass a care free week or two in this mountain wonder- 

 land. The writer's home is in one of the small towns and the facts for 

 this chapter have been accumulated during the summer months of the 

 past few years. 



ClIAKACTER OF THE UpLIFT 



standing on an}^ of tlie needles that rise to an altitude of 5500 feet or 

 more, one has an unobstructed view in every direction. Hundreds of - 



^ Manuscript received bj- the Editor 21 June. 1910. 



(205) 



