Point 174

Point 174
Name	Point 174
Elevation m	174
Prominence m	20
Location	Pacific Northwest, North America
Coordinates	48°45′00″N 123°00′00″W
Range	Olympic Mountains

Point 174 is a minor summit located in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The feature is situated within the Olympic Mountains near coastal inlets associated with the Salish Sea and is notable for its role in local topography, watershed dynamics, and recreational access. It has been discussed in regional planning, cartographic surveys, and natural history accounts that involve nearby features and institutions.

Description

Point 174 rises to an elevation of 174 meters above sea level on a ridge that trends toward the northeastern shore of an inlet connected to the Salish Sea. The topographic prominence is modest but sufficient to create distinct microhabitats and drainage divides feeding into estuaries tied to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. Cartographers and surveyors from institutions such as the United States Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and regional universities have mapped its contours alongside nearby summits, ridgelines, and coastal headlands. The feature appears on nautical charts used by the United States Coast Guard, the Canadian Coast Guard, and local ferry operators navigating channels near Victoria, Port Angeles, Anacortes, and other ports.

History

The area surrounding Point 174 has a history documented by Indigenous nations, colonial explorers, and later settlers. Traditional territories of peoples associated with the Coast Salish and other First Nations—often represented by bands affiliated with the Lummi Nation, Makah, and the S'Klallam peoples—include oral histories, place names, and land-use practices tied to ridges, estuaries, and harvesting sites near the feature. European and American exploration in the 18th and 19th centuries by figures and expeditions such as James Cook, George Vancouver, and members of the Hudson's Bay Company established charts and narratives that incorporated regional headlands, inlets, and passes. During the 20th century, mapping by the USGS, activities by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and projects led by the National Park Service, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, and local historical societies contributed archival maps and reports that reference the ridge complex containing Point 174.

Geography and Location

Point 174 is positioned within the rainshadow-influenced western flank of the Olympic Mountains, proximal to waterways that include tributaries leading to Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and adjacent bays near the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island. Nearby towns and cities that appear on regional maps include Seattle, Tacoma, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Bellingham, and Victoria. The point lies within jurisdictional boundaries that involve county governments such as Jefferson County and Clallam County, and falls under land-use planning influenced by agencies like the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Environmental Protection Agency regional office, and local planning commissions. Topographic neighbors include named peaks and ridges in the Olympic range, and the area is accessible via secondary roads and trails that connect to state routes and forestry service roads managed by the United States Forest Service.

Ecology and Environment

The vegetation mosaic on and around Point 174 reflects coastal temperate rainforest transitions and maritime-influenced plant communities found elsewhere in the Olympic Mountains and on Vancouver Island. Dominant tree species and understory assemblages commonly recorded by botanists at institutions such as the University of Washington, the Burke Museum, and regional herbaria include western hemlock, Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, red alder, salal, and sword fern, with epiphyte communities analogous to those documented in Olympic National Park and Pacific Northwest reserves. Faunal presence noted in regional wildlife surveys by organizations such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Audubon Society includes passerines, raptors, black-tailed deer, black bear in adjacent higher terrain, and intertidal species where streams reach estuaries—paralleling findings in studies from the Seattle Aquarium and research programs at Friday Harbor Laboratories. Seasonal fog, precipitation regimes influenced by Pacific cyclones, and proximity to marine environments create microclimates that support bryophyte and lichen diversity similar to sites preserved by The Nature Conservancy and state natural areas.

Human Use and Access

Human access to Point 174 is primarily recreational and utilitarian, with hikers, birdwatchers, and local anglers using trails and stream corridors maintained by county parks departments, volunteer trail crews, and conservation groups. Nearby recreational infrastructure includes trailheads connected to county road networks, interpretive signage often coordinated with museums and historical societies, and marine access points used by ferry services operated by Washington State Ferries and private charter operators. Land parcels around the point are a patchwork of public lands, private holdings, and conservation easements administered by entities such as the Washington Department of Natural Resources, land trusts, and municipal authorities. Activities in the area intersect with regional planning efforts by metropolitan planning organizations, the Port of Port Townsend, and local Chambers of Commerce promoting outdoor tourism connected to sites like Olympic National Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park, and state parks.

Conservation and Management

Conservation and management of the area involving Point 174 engage federal, state, tribal, and local stakeholders, including the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, tribal governments, county commissioners, and nongovernmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and local land trusts. Management priorities reflect watershed protection, habitat connectivity consistent with corridors identified by regional biodiversity assessments, invasive species control aligned with initiatives by the Washington Invasive Species Council, and reconciliation of access with stewardship promoted by volunteer groups and cooperative agreements. Planning documents produced by agencies such as the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, regional salmon recovery organizations, and county comprehensive plans guide zoning, trail maintenance, and restoration projects aimed at maintaining ecological functions while supporting compatible public use.

Category:Landforms of Washington (state)