41. National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Mount Rainier National Park
Lakebed Mud
Top, Modern Lakebed Rainier C, 2300 BP
St. Helens Yn, 3400 RCYBP
Oldest Lakebed Mud (not
Tephra & mixed
shown), 7,200 RCYBP
organics
55. National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Mount Rainier National Park
• Mount Rainier glacier free with modern flora to 5,500 feet for ca. 10,000 years
• Mid to late Holocene replacement of open parkland habitats by more nearly
closed forest communities
• Earliest human use of upper elevation landscapes about 9,000 to 9,500 years
ago, consistent with early Holocene land-use onset
• Increased fire frequency after 3,500 years ago; best explained by human
ignition –arguably to retard forest cover in favor of more productive parklands