Black Butte (Siskiyou County, California)

Last updated
Black Butte
Black Butte 8-4-2007.jpg
Black Butte, looking north from Interstate 5
Highest point
Elevation 6,334 ft (1,931 m)  NAVD 88 [1]
Coordinates 41°21′59″N122°20′53″W / 41.36634515°N 122.347982333°W / 41.36634515; -122.347982333 [1]
Geography
Relief map of California.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Black Butte
Parent range Cascades
Topo map USGS City of Mount Shasta
Geology
Age of rock Holocene [2]
Mountain type Lava dome [2]
Volcanic arc Cascade Volcanic Arc [3]
Last eruption About 9,500 years ago [2]
Climbing
Easiest route Trail [4]
Sunset over Black Butte Black Butte Sunset 8-3-2007.jpg
Sunset over Black Butte
Black Butte seen with I-5 near the city of Mount Shasta Black Butte seen from I-5 near Shasta City.jpg
Black Butte seen with I-5 near the city of Mount Shasta

Black Butte (formerly Wintoon Butte, Cone Mountain, Sugar Loaf and Muir's Peak [5] ) is a cluster of overlapping dacite lava domes in a butte, [2] a satellite cone of Mount Shasta. [6] It is located directly adjacent to the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 at milepost 742 between the cities of Mount Shasta and Weed, California. The I-5 freeway crosses a 3,912 ft (1,192 m) pass, Black Butte Summit, at the western base of the lava domes. The lava domes were extruded at the foot of the cone of Shastina following the period of its major eruptions about 9,000–10,000 years ago. [2]

Contents

Summit

A United States Forest Service fire lookout tower was built on the summit in the early 1930s, but destroyed during the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. A new lookout was built in 1963 and operated until 1973. The building was moved by helicopter to a new location in 1975 and only the concrete foundation remains today. A 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) trail leads to the summit from a trailhead accessible by gravel roads off the Everitt Memorial Highway. [7] The summit boasts an outstanding view of the southwest side of Shasta and Shastina, and on clear days Mount McLoughlin is easily visible 70 miles (113 km) to the north in Oregon. Lassen Peak is visible around 80 miles (129 km) to the south. [8]

Train station

From 1887 to 1911, Black Butte Summit was the name of a station on the Southern Pacific (SP) Siskiyou Line near Summit Lake, about a mile south of the present-day location of Black Butte. [9] In 1924-1926, the Natron Cutoff was built by SP as an alternative to the steep Siskiyou route and a small rail yard, wye, and train orders office were built at the present site of Black Butte on the rerouted line. [9] The station opened on September 1, 1926. [9] In the early 1940s, the station was moved to the opposite side of the tracks and the yard was expanded. [9] The station included a water tank, and housing for the railroad workers; the water tank still exists on the site. [9] SP workers and their families, including railway signal maintenance workers, lived at the station until the early 1970s. [9] The train orders office operated until 1966, when Centralized traffic control (CTC) replaced the train orders operator; the train orders office was destroyed by a derailing freight train on October 31, 1970. [9]

In 1992 the SP suspended operations over its Siskiyou line in favor of the Cascade Line. [10] The Siskiyou Line was leased to Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad (CORP) in 1995 (the line closed again in 2008). [10] The Southern Pacific was taken over by Union Pacific on September 11, 1996. [10]

The Coast Starlight derailed at Black Butte on December 7, 2000; one Amtrak engineer was injured. [11]

The Coast Starlight occasionally does crew changes at Black Butte instead the usual location of Klamath Falls. [11]

Railroad

The Black Butte Subdivision of the UP starts in Klamath Falls, Oregon and ends in Dunsmuir, California.

The Springfield Junction wye at MP 621.9 in Glenwood, Oregon is the point where the UP's Cascade Line and Siskiyou Line through Siskiyou Pass diverge. The lines do not rejoin again until Black Butte at MP 345.

Black Butte is the site of the Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Shasta</span> Stratovolcano in California, United States

Mount Shasta is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At an elevation of 14,179 ft (4,322 m), it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in the state. Mount Shasta has an estimated volume of 85 cubic miles, which makes it the most voluminous stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The mountain and surrounding area are part of the Shasta–Trinity National Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siskiyou County, California</span> County in California, United States

Siskiyou County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,076. Its county seat is Yreka and its highest point is Mount Shasta. It falls within the Cascadia bioregion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Bachelor</span> Dormant stratovolcano in Oregon, United States

Mount Bachelor, formerly named Bachelor Butte, is a dormant stratovolcano atop a shield volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range of central Oregon. Named Mount Bachelor because it stands apart from the nearby Three Sisters, it lies in the eastern segment of the central portion of the High Cascades, the eastern segment of the Cascade Range. The volcano lies at the northern end of the 15-mile (24 km) long Mount Bachelor Volcanic Chain, which underwent four major eruptive episodes during the Pleistocene and the Holocene. The United States Geological Survey considers Mount Bachelor a moderate threat, but Bachelor poses little threat of becoming an active volcano in the near future. It remains unclear whether the volcano is extinct or just inactive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Jefferson (Oregon)</span> Stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, Oregon, US

Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, part of the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. The second highest mountain in Oregon, it is situated within Linn County, Jefferson County, and Marion County and forms part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Due to the ruggedness of its surroundings, the mountain is one of the hardest volcanoes to reach in the Cascades. It is also a popular tourist destination despite its remoteness, with recreational activities including hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, and photography. Vegetation at Mount Jefferson is dominated by Douglas fir, silver fir, mountain hemlock, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and several cedar species. Carnivores, insectivores, bats, rodents, deer, birds, and various other species inhabit the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Thielsen</span> Extinct shield volcano in Oregon

Mount Thielsen, is an extinct shield volcano in the Oregon High Cascades, near Mount Bailey. Because eruptive activity ceased 250,000 years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano's structure, creating precipitous slopes and a horn-like peak. The spire-like shape of Thielsen attracts lightning strikes and creates fulgurite, an unusual mineral. The prominent horn forms a centerpiece for the Mount Thielsen Wilderness, a reserve for recreational activities such as skiing and hiking. Thielsen is one of Oregon's Matterhorns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shasta Cascade</span> Mountainous region of California

The Shasta Cascade region of California is located in the northeastern and north-central sections of the state bordering Oregon and Nevada, including far northern parts of the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Mazama</span> Complex volcano in the Cascade Range

Mount Mazama is a complex volcano in the western U.S. state of Oregon, in a segment of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and Cascade Range. A volcanic peak once existed, but it collapsed following a major eruption approximately 7,700 years ago, to be replaced by a caldera. The volcano is in Klamath County, in the southern Cascades, 60 miles (97 km) north of the Oregon–California border. Its collapse, due to the eruption of magma emptying the underlying magma chamber, formed a caldera that holds Crater Lake. Mount Mazama originally had an elevation of 12,000 feet (3,700 m), but following its climactic eruption this was reduced to 8,157 feet (2,486 m). Crater Lake is 1,943 feet (592 m) deep, the deepest freshwater body in the U.S. and the second deepest in North America after Great Slave Lake in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount McLoughlin</span> Stratovolcano in Oregon

Mount McLoughlin is a dormant steep-sided stratovolcano, or composite volcano, in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon and within the United States Sky Lakes Wilderness. It is one of the volcanic peaks in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, within the High Cascades sector. A prominent landmark for the Rogue River Valley, the mountain is north of Mount Shasta, and south-southeast of Crater Lake. It was named around 1838 after John McLoughlin, a Chief Factor for the Hudson's Bay Company. Mount McLouglin's prominence has made it a landmark to Native American populations for thousands of years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shasta River</span> River in California, United States

The Shasta River is a tributary of the Klamath River, approximately 58 miles (93 km) long, in northern California in the United States. It drains the Shasta Valley on the west and north sides of Mount Shasta in the Cascade Range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active volcano</span> Geological feature

An active volcano is a volcano that has erupted during the Holocene, is currently erupting, or has the potential to erupt in the future. A volcano that is not currently erupting but could erupt in the future is known as a dormant volcano. Volcanoes that will not erupt again are known as extinct volcanoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot Butte (Oregon)</span> Lava dome in Bend, Oregon

Pilot Butte is a lava dome that was created from an extinct volcano located in Bend, Oregon. It is a cinder cone butte which rises nearly 500 feet (150 m) above the surrounding plains. Bend is one of six cities in the United States to have a volcano within its boundaries. The other examples are Mount Tabor in Portland, Oregon, Jackson Volcano in Jackson, Mississippi, Diamond Head in Honolulu, Glassford Hill in Prescott Valley and Pilot Knob in Austin, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway</span> Highway in California and Oregon

The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway is a scenic byway and All-American Road in the U.S. states of California and Oregon. It is roughly 500 miles (800 km) long and travels north–south along the Cascade Range past numerous volcanoes. It is composed of two separate National Scenic Byways, the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway - Oregon and Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway - California. The former includes Rim Drive within Crater Lake National Park, while the latter wholly includes the Lassen Scenic Byway within Lassen Volcanic National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Butte (Oregon)</span> Extinct stratovolcano in US

Black Butte is an extinct stratovolcano in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Jefferson County, it is part of Deschutes National Forest. Black Butte forms part of the Cascade volcanic arc. The butte lies just south of the Metolius Springs, which merge to form the headwaters of the Metolius River. The Metolius River's basin sustains a wide array of plant life, large and small mammals, and more than 80 bird species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Shasta Ski Park</span> Ski area in California, United States

Mount Shasta Ski Park is a ski resort located in northern California which has winter and summer operations. Winter operations include skiing & snowboarding, tubing, a backcountry cabin program, lessons, rentals, and events. In the summer they offer Scenic Chairlift Rides, Mountain Biking, and Disc Golf. They are located east of Interstate 5 along SR 89 between the City of Mount Shasta and the town of McCloud. The ski area lies about 6 mi (9.7 km) south of the summit of 14,179 ft (4,322 m) Mount Shasta, the second highest volcano in the Cascade Range behind Mount Rainier. It straddles several small volcanic buttes on the lower southern flanks of the massive stratovolcano, with 3 triple chairlifts running to the top of Coyote Butte- 6,880 ft (2,100 m), Douglas Butte- 6,600 ft (2,000 m), and Marmot Ridge- 6,150 ft (1,870 m) and 1 Quad chairlift on Grey Butte- 7,536 ft (2,297 m) Along with 2 magic carpets, one for tubing and one for learning to ski and snowboard. With a total skiable area of 636 acres and 38 conventional trails. The total skiable vertical is 1,435 ft (437 m), with 20% of the terrain rated beginner, 55% intermediate, and 25% advanced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olallie Butte</span> Mountain in United States of America

Olallie Butte is a steep-sided shield volcano in the Cascade Range of the northern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the largest volcano and highest point in the 50-mile (80 km) distance between Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson. Located just outside the Olallie Scenic Area, it is surrounded by more than 200 lakes and ponds fed by runoff, precipitation, and underground seepage, which are popular spots for fishing, boating, and swimming. The butte forms a prominent feature in the Mount Jefferson region and is usually covered with snow during the winter and spring seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yamsay Mountain</span> Shield volcano mountain in Oregon, U.S.

Yamsay Mountain is a large shield volcano in the Cascade Range of south-central Oregon, located about 35 miles (56 km) east of Crater Lake on the border between Klamath County and Lake County. It is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc but is located in a mountain range 30 to 50 miles behind the main Cascade volcanic front. The best known members of this enigmatic arc are the massive shields of Newberry Volcano, about 55 miles (89 km) farther north in Oregon, and Medicine Lake Volcano, about 80 miles (130 km) south in Northern California. Yamsay is the second highest volcano in the eastern arc, almost 300 feet (90 m) higher than Newberry and Medicine Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hogg Rock</span> Mountain in the Cascade Range of northern Oregon

Hogg Rock is a tuya volcano and lava dome in the Cascade Range of northern Oregon, United States, located close to Santiam Pass. Produced by magma with an intermediate andesite composition, it has steep slopes and thick glassy margins. Hogg Rock exhibits normal magnetic polarity and is probably about 80,000 years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelican Butte</span> Mountain in United States of America

Pelican Butte is a steep-sided shield volcano in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon. It is located 28 miles (45 km) due south of Crater Lake and 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Mount McLoughlin. Ice age glaciers carved a large cirque into the northeast flank of the mountain. Several proposals have been made over the last few decades for ski area development on the northeast flanks of the volcano, but there are no current plans to develop a ski area on the mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shastina</span> Satellite cone of Mount Shasta, California, United States

Shastina is a satellite cone of Mount Shasta. It is the second youngest of four overlapping volcanic cones which together form the most voluminous stratovolcano in the Cascade Range. At 12,335 feet (3,760 m), Shastina is taller than Mount Adams and would rank as the third highest volcano in the Cascades behind Mount Rainier and Shasta were it not nestled on the western flank of its higher neighbor. Shastina has a topographic prominence of over 450 ft (137 m) above the saddle connecting it with Shasta and easily exceeds the typical mountaineering standard of 300 feet (91 m) for a peak to qualify as an independent summit, yet most lists of Cascade volcanoes omit it nonetheless. The name "Shastina" is a diminutive of Shasta.

<i>Shasta Daylight</i> Former Southern Pacific Railroad passenger train

The Shasta Daylight was a Southern Pacific Railroad passenger train between Oakland Pier in Oakland, California, and Portland, Oregon. It started on July 10, 1949, and was SP's third "Daylight" streamliner; it had a fast 15-hour-30-minute schedule in either direction for the 713-mile (1,147 km) trip through some of the most beautiful mountain scenery of any train in North America. The Shasta Daylight replaced heavyweight trains on the same route that had taken nearly a day and night to complete the run. The Shasta Daylight was the first diesel powered Daylight and the only Daylight to run beyond California. The scenic route of the Shasta Daylight passed its namesake Mount Shasta in daylight hours.

References

  1. 1 2 "Black Butte". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce . Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, C. Dan (1980). "Potential Hazards from Future Eruptions in the Vicinity of Mount Shasta Volcano, Northern California". USGS Bulletin 1503. United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on May 3, 2007. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  3. "Shasta". Global Volcanism Program . Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  4. Selters, Andy; Michael Zanger (2006). Mt. Shasta Book: Guide to Hiking, Climbing, Skiing & Exploring the Mountain & Surrounding Area (3rd ed.). Wilderness Press. p. 42. ISBN   978-0-89997-404-0.
  5. "Black Butte". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2009-12-14.
  6. Wood, Charles A.; Jürgen Kienle, eds. (1990). Volcanoes of North America. Cambridge University Press. pp. 214–216. ISBN   0-521-43811-X.
  7. "Black Butte (CA)". SummitPost.org. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
  8. A mojave rattlesnake was has been observed guarding the summit of Black Butte.[6] "Shasta-Trinity National Forest: Black Butte Trail". USDA Forest Service.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Black Butte Then and Now: Part 1 (1901-1987)". Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 "Black Butte Then and Now: Part 2 (1987-1999)". Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Black Butte Then and Now: Part 3 (2000-2015)". Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  12. "History - 800 Black Butte Road". Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture. Retrieved June 25, 2024.

Further reading