Portal:Oregon/Selected article/28

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Clear-cut area in the range

The Northern Oregon Coast Range is the northern section of the Oregon Coast Range located in the northwest portion of the state. This section of the mountain range, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, contains peaks as high as 3,661 feet (1,116 m) for Rogers Peak. Forests in these mountains are considered to be some of the most productive timber land in the world. The Central Oregon Coast Range is directly south of this section with the Southern Oregon Coast Range beyond the central range. Approximately 40 million years ago the mountain building processes began during the Eocene age. During this time sandstone and siltstone were formed and basalt flows invaded the area from what is now Eastern Oregon. These rock formations were then lifted as part of the fore-arc basin that runs along the Oregon Coast. Heavy precipitation in the range has further shaped the mountains through erosional forces. The moist and mild climate has helped to create a temperate forest with large stands of Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, western redcedar, and western hemlock.