Black Butte (Oregon)

Last updated

Black Butte
Black Butte, Oregon.jpg
Highest point
Elevation 6,436 ft (1,962 m)  NAVD 88 [1]
Prominence 3,076 ft (938 m) [2]
Coordinates 44°23′59″N121°38′08″W / 44.399724139°N 121.635477517°W / 44.399724139; -121.635477517 Coordinates: 44°23′59″N121°38′08″W / 44.399724139°N 121.635477517°W / 44.399724139; -121.635477517 [1]
Geography
USA Oregon relief location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Black Butte
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Black Butte
Black Butte (the United States)
Parent range Cascade Range
Topo map USGS Black Butte [3]
Geology
Age of rock Pleistocene
Mountain type Mafic volcano [4]
Volcanic arc Cascade Volcanic Arc
Last eruption About 1,430,000 years ago [5]
Climbing
Easiest route Hike

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.

Contents

Black Butte last erupted during the Pleistocene; geologists have estimated its age at 0.4, 0.5, and 1.43 ± 0.33 million years ago. The duration of the eruptions that built the volcano remains unclear, though the activity likely coincided with large-scale block faulting in the vicinity of the Metolius Springs. Black Butte has a prominent volcanic cone and is made up of mafic (rich in magnesium and iron) basaltic andesite lava. Despite having a well-preserved, symmetrical shape and an unexposed pyroclastic core, the butte has undergone moderate erosion, with shallow ravines, deep gullies on its sides, and rocks with weathering rinds. A number of cinder cones and a volcanic field also lie nearby the butte.

There was a fire lookout ground house on the butte, which was burned down by the United States Forest Service in 2016. A white cupola structure sits on the top of the butte as well as a more modern fire lookout tower. The resort community Black Butte Ranch lies nearby and offers recreational activities like horseback riding, biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding; during the winter, activities include Nordic skiing and snowshoeing.

Geography

The summit of the butte with Three Fingered Jack in the distance. The fire lookout ground house in the foreground was burned down by the United States Forest Service in 2016. Summit of Black Butte in Oregon.jpg
The summit of the butte with Three Fingered Jack in the distance. The fire lookout ground house in the foreground was burned down by the United States Forest Service in 2016.

Black Butte lies about 21 miles (34 km) to the southeast of Mount Jefferson and about 8.6 miles (13.8 km) northwest of the junction of U.S. Route 126 and U.S. Route 20, at the eastern edge of the city of Sisters. The butte is part of Jefferson County in the U.S. state of Oregon. [1] [3] Other volcanoes such as Three Fingered Jack and Mount Washington lie about 10 miles (16 km) to the west. [6]

According to the U.S. National Geodetic Survey and scientists from the United States Geological Survey, Black Butte has an elevation of 6,436 feet (1,962 m); [1] [7] the Geographic Names Information System database lists its elevation as 6,430 feet (1,960 m), [3] while Oregon Geographic Names lists its elevation at 6,415 feet (1,955 m). [8] [a] The butte has proximal and draping reliefs of 2,490 feet (760 m) and 3,150 feet (960 m), which are the "difference between summit elevation and that of highest exposure of older rocks overlain by the edifice" and the "difference between summit elevation and that of lowest distal lavas of the edifice (not including distal pyroclastic or debris flows)," respectively. [7] According to E. M. Taylor, Black Butte has a diameter of 4 miles (6.4 km). [9]

The U.S. National Geodetic Survey report describes Black Butte as a "very prominent" mountain; [1] it is an imposing feature and landmark in the Deschutes Valley because of its dark color and symmetry. [8] Part of the Cascade volcanic arc in the northwestern United States, it lies within a rain shadow [10] about 6.2 miles (10 km) to the east of the major mountain range. [11] In the High Cascades, the equilibrium line altitudes for valley glaciers follow a gradient of about 74 feet per mile (14 m/km), which is significantly steeper than the gradient for the Western Cascades. Moving east, precipitation decreases across the Cascade arc; the gradient is even steeper east of the major crest at Black Butte, where the gradient is more than 200 feet per mile (38 m/km). [11] W. E. Scott argues that the volcano displays no evidence of glaciation. [11]

Black Butte lies just south of the Metolius Springs, [6] which lie in the southwestern corner of Jefferson County. [12] Accessible by roads branching off U.S. Route 20, the springs are located about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of the cities of Bend and Redmond. [12] Black Butte rises above the surrounding Metolius Valley, which has a width of about 3 miles (4.8 km) and an elevation above sea level of 3,000 feet (910 m). [12] At the volcano's northern base lie two openings spaced about 200 yards (180 m) apart, which give rise to the Metolius Springs. Bubbling out at a temperature of 48 °F (9 °C), the springs merge to form the headwaters of the Metolius River, generating a total flow of 45,000 to 50,000 US gallons per minute (170,000 to 190,000 L/min) over the course of each year. [6] The river runs for 35 miles (56 km) to the north and east before reaching the Deschutes River, picking up 600,000 US gallons (2,300,000 L) along the way from other springs and tributaries along the eastern Cascade Range. [6] As glaciers advanced and retreated and snow fields formed over time, they caused erosion, which was carried by streams associated with the Metolius River to spread across the river valley's floor. [13]

The last of these glaciers existed until about 10,000 years ago, with their end points marked hummocks of debris. The glaciers formed glacial troughs, deposited moraines, and moved sand and gravel along with volcanic ash and cinders to cover the Metolius Valley floor. [14] Black Butte lies about 5 miles (8.0 km) east–southeast of Suttle Lake, [1] which occupies one of the local glacial troughs. [14]

Eruptions from Black Butte buried the ancestral Metolius River and left boulders of lava in the area, [15] and Black Butte's formation dammed drainages for the Metolius, dividing the Metolius Valley into the northern segment where the river now runs and a southern portion that includes Black Butte Swamp, Glaze Meadow, and Indian Ford Creek. Black Butte Swamp and Glaze Meadow were likely formerly shallow lakes, though they now serve as sumps for streams and drainages from the Cascades, [16] which are located to the southwest. [17] Black Butte Swamp is a particularly important sump for extensive drainage from the southwest, its basin water lapping against Black Butte's southern base. Because it is elevated about 300 feet (91 m) above the Metolius Springs, the swamp acts as a hydraulic head for the spring water keeping the flow of the springs constant, and ensuring that there is a net influx of water into the swamp. Any excess water exits through Indian Ford Creek to flow east then south past the city of Sisters. [18] In modern times, the Metolius Valley consists of glacial outwash, lava strata, and stream sediment, which together act as a sponge for snow and rain water percolating into the river basin. [14]

Ecology

Wildflowers on Black Butte Blooms on Black Butte - panoramio.jpg
Wildflowers on Black Butte

Black Butte lies east of the major crest of the Cascades, which is more arid compared to the Western Cascades. [19] Two forest populations at Black Butte were analyzed in a 1975 study conducted by D. B. Zobel of Oregon State University. These forest areas included ponderosa pine and tree species intermediate to grand and white firs. [19] The study found that trees at Black Butte did not experience significant moisture stress [20] and that photosynthesis rates during dry summer seasons were more reduced at tree sites in the Western Cascades compared to at Black Butte. [21] Black Butte was found to have a shorter growing season and less favorable winter temperatures for photosynthesis at its forest sites than study areas in the Western Cascade Province. [21] Along the trail that runs up Black Butte, the forest is diverse, with yellow-bellied ponderosa pines, mixed conifers, and subalpine vegetation. [22]

Black Butte is part of the Deschutes National Forest, [22] [23] which covers close to 1,600,000 acres (6,500 km2) in central Oregon. [24] It is also part of the Metolius Black Butte Scenic area within the Metolius Conservation Area, which encompasses about 10,600 acres (43 km2) [25] and includes suitable habitat for northern goshawks. [26] The Metolius River passes through old-growth [27] forests of ponderosa pine, [28] as well as forests of Douglas fir and western larch. [27] Every May native plants and wildflowers appear, including early blue violets, larkspur, serviceberry, Sitka valerian, and western buttercups. [28] During the summer season, river trails more prominently display plant species like arrowleaf balsamroot, American brooklime, bigleaf lupine, Douglas's spirea, Indian paintbrush, and monkeyflower plants. [28] On islands in the river, wildflowers occasionally grow after their seeds bloom after falling into the water and accumulating over time. The area is noted for a rare species of Penstemon known as Penstemon peckii, a wildflower that appears in 7 different colors, which is endemic to the Sisters area. [28] Other plants within the Metolius Preserve include incense cedar trees, nutka rose, ocean spray, snowberry, and vine maple trees. [27]

More than 80 species of bird inhabit the Metolius Preserve area such as the white-headed woodpecker. The area supports large mammals like American black bears, badgers, bobcats, beavers, deer, cougars, elk, and otters, as well as smaller mammals like northern flying squirrels, shrews, and voles. [27]

Geology

In the Oregon segment of the Cascade Volcanoes that runs for 210 miles (340 km) south of Mount Hood, there are at least 1,054 Quaternary volcanoes, which form a volcanic belt 16 to 31 miles (25 to 50 km) in width. [29] This volcanic belt extends up to 19 miles (30 km) to the north of the border with California, where Quaternary volcanic activity is interrupted by a 40-mile (64 km) gap up to the Quaternary volcanoes near Mount Shasta. [29] The Quaternary volcanoes within the Oregon Cascades are extremely dense, concentrated within an area of about 3,700 square miles (9,500 km2). [29] Rocks within the Metolius Springs area form part of the High Cascades province and include both volcanic and glaciofluvial deposits. [6]

Black Butte marks the edge of the Sisters fault zone, which includes about 50 known faults that extend southeast through the cities of Sisters and Bend. In total, the Sisters fault zone runs for 37 miles (60 km) in length, with its width varying between 3.1 to 9.3 miles (5 to 15 km). [30] Black Butte itself sits on a small fault that straddles the graben, and its lava deposits have been displaced slightly by a fault on the northwestern side of the volcano. [5] To the north lies the Green Ridge fault scarp, which trends to north and rises about 2,000 feet (610 m) above the Metolius Valley. [6] The fault's steep escarpment contains exposed, alternating layers of basaltic andesite, breccia, and agglomerate from shield volcanoes, which mark the oldest rocks in the area. They are of Pliocene age, overlying diatomite, pumice, and tuffaceous sandstone layers. [6]

Most of the volcanoes in the Oregon Cascades are either scoria cones, small shield volcanoes, or lava fields, though the segment contains a number of basaltic andesite stratovolcanoes such as Mount McLoughlin. [7] Black Butte is one such stratovolcano [10] (also known as a composite volcano), [9] with a mafic (rich in magnesium and iron) composition. [7] It is an extinct volcano. [31]

Also composed of basaltic andesite, [29] the cone rises 3,076 feet (938 m) over the surrounding plateau. Black Butte is a striking feature just north of US Highway 20, which descends from the east flank of the Cascades. It is nearly symmetrical [8] with a youthful profile, [9] though it is actually older than any other visible High Cascades volcano. Black Butte is well-preserved due to a lack of glaciation east of the major Cascade arc. [32] Black Butte has undergone mild erosion, [5] with shallow ravines on its slopes, [16] deep gullies on its sides, and rocks with weathering rinds. [9] Black Butte forms a steep-sided volcanic cone, [5] with an unexposed pyroclastic core [5] and no summit crater. [9] It is one of the larger mafic volcanic cones in the Oregon Cascades, [33] with a volume of 2.4 cubic miles (10 km3). [7] Black Butte's composition is characteristic for the High Cascades, consisting of light to dark gray basaltic andesite rock with a fine to medium grain. The flanks of the volcano display outcrops of the lava, which are blocky and mixed with zones of breccia, suggesting the flows were slow-moving and were erupted from a central vent. [13]

BlackButtePeakPanorama2012 2.jpg
View to the northwest from the peak of Black Butte; the Cascade Range mountains Three Fingered Jack can be seen to the left and Mount Jefferson to the right.

Nearby features

The Sixmile Butte lava field, of Pleistocene age, consists of ten cinder cones between Black Butte and Black Crater. These cones erupted basaltic andesite, which was deposited prior to the glacial advance at Suttle Lake. [34] The field encompasses about 25 square miles (65 km2). [35] Lava deposits from nearby Cache Mountain have a normal magnetic polarity, corresponding to a potassium–argon dating age of 0.9 ± 0.05 million years, suggesting they were produced during the Jaramillo normal polarity of the Matuyama period between 0.98 and 1.04 million years ago. [5] There is a chain of Pleistocene cinder cones east of the butte that trends from northwest to southeast, with other Pleistocene cinder cones located to the south. [10] There is also a mafic, well-preserved cinder cone above the Green Ridge fault zone, which produced a Pleistocene lava flow. [15]

Eruptive history

A study by Sherrod and his associates used potassium–argon dating to trace samples from Black Butte to 1.43 ± 0.33 million years ago, [5] during the Matuyama Polarity Zone of reversed magnetic polarity. [36] These dates superseded an earlier determination of 400,000 years, which was recognized as incorrect based on polarity magnetization of the lava; [5] according to Peterson and Groh, E. M. Taylor also communicated an age of about 500,000 years for Black Butte from K–Ar dating of its rock. [16]

Large-scale block faulting in the vicinity of the Metolius Springs could have coincided with the beginning of volcanic activity in the High Cascades, [6] which gradually progressed from building shield-shaped edifices to more violent eruptions. [13] Volcanism resumed after the Green Ridge fault scarp reached its maximum height and fault movement ceased, occurring along a fault within the graben in the Metolius Springs vicinity. These eruptions built up Black Butte, though their duration is not clear. [13] The magmas at Black Butte likely had to ascend through the Green Ridge fault. [15]

Sherrod and his associates described an ancient basaltic andesite deposit from the Pleistocene, which displays reverse polarity and is older than 0.78 million years. This deposit includes lava flows from Black Butte, which are slightly to moderately porphyritic in texture and exhibit 5–10 percent plagioclase phenocrysts, about 0.039 to 0.079 inches (1 to 2 mm) in length. [5] They also have 3–5 percent olivine phenocrysts, which are about 0.039 inches (1 mm) across. [5] Sherrod et al. also described two previously identified, reverse-polarized basaltic andesite lava deposits at Black Butte, with ages of 0.46 ± 0.30 and 0.48 ± 0.2 million years, respectively. [37] The volcano's last known eruption was during the Pleistocene. [10] However, some eruptive activity has continued in the High Cascades; there is one lava flow in the McKenzie Pass area to the west of Black Butte, which is only 1,500 years old. [38]

Human history

A hiker on Black Butte Black Butte Hiker (Jefferson County, Oregon scenic images) (jefDA0113).jpg
A hiker on Black Butte

Black Butte was a familiar landmark to the Native Americans. Ella E. Clark records a traditional story of the butte told to her by two Native Americans living on the Warm Springs Reservation, which had been told to them by their grandfathers. According to this tale, the mountains of Central Oregon were once people: Black Butte was the wife of nearby Green Ridge. Mount Hood and Mount Adams quarreled over a woman, and would regularly cross the Bridge of the Gods to fight. Coyote called the other mountains to come and help arbitrate the dispute. The mountains marched north, including Black Butte and Green Ridge. The trip tired Black Butte, and she stopped to rest at the head of the Metolius River; Green Mountain was annoyed that she had stopped, and laid down, pouting. Coyote decided he could wait no longer, and broke the Bridge of the Gods; this caused the mountains to remain where they had stopped. [39]

It is not known who gave Black Butte its modern name, though historical records show settlers calling the volcano by that name as early as 1855. Lieutenant H. L. Abbot, one of the engineers involved with the Pacific Railroad Surveys, referred to the volcano as Pivot Mountain in a diary entry published in the Oregon Historical Quarterly , [40] though he also used the name Black Butte in the Pacific Railroad Surveys Reports. [8] During his work for the surveys, Abbot scouted railroad routes in the area surrounding Black Butte, ultimately concluding that a railroad could not be built over the Cascade Range near Mount Jefferson. [41]

The butte had a fire lookout ground house, [42] [43] which was built in 1979 out of wood, [44] though the butte has been used for fire detection since 1910. [31] Fire lookout staff used the station to cook and sleep before it was condemned in 2014 and burned down in 2016 by the United States Forest Service, who released a statement that it "was ineligible for preservation as a historical structure both in time and because of improvements made." [44] Lookouts still work at Black Butte during the fire season but use a yurt (a type of portable tent) instead. [44] There has been a white cupola structure on the top of the butte since 1923 and a more modern fire lookout tower, 62-foot (19 m) tall, which was built in 1995; neither are accessible to visitors. [31]

Recreation

The land around Black Butte and the Metolius Springs is managed by the United States Forest Service, which has constructed a parking lot, trail, and viewpoint for the area. [12] There are a number of famous fishing resorts and a popular recreation area nearby. [12] Black Butte Ranch, which lies in Deschutes County [45] within Deschutes National Forest, [46] is a resort community that encompasses 1,800 acres (7.3 km2) and offers recreational activities including horseback riding, biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding; during the winter, the resort activities include Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. [47]

The Black Butte hiking trail runs for about 2 miles (3.2 km) from a trailhead up the butte. [22] Trees thin in the second mile of the hike. [22] The trailhead is particularly busy during the summer season with vehicles and hikers, though the hiking trail itself is for hikers only. [23] The hike is popular and not demanding, climbing about 1,600 feet (490 m) to the peak, where Three Sisters, Mount Washington, and Mount Jefferson can be seen. [31]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<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">Newberry Volcano</span> Shield volcano in Oregon, United States

Newberry Volcano is a large active shield-shaped stratovolcano located about 20 miles (32 km) south of Bend, Oregon, United States, 35 miles (56 km) east of the major crest of the Cascade Range, within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Its highest point is Paulina Peak. The largest volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, Newberry has an area of 1,200 square miles (3,100 km2) when its lava flows are taken into account. From north to south, the volcano has a length of 75 miles (121 km), with a width of 27 miles (43 km) and a total volume of approximately 120 cubic miles (500 km3). It was named for the geologist and surgeon John Strong Newberry, who explored central Oregon for the Pacific Railroad Surveys in 1855. The surrounding area has been inhabited by Native American populations for more than 10,000 years.

<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 Washington (Oregon)</span> Deeply eroded volcano in the Cascade Range of Oregon

Mount Washington is a deeply eroded volcano in the Cascade Range of Oregon. It lies within Deschutes and Linn counties and is surrounded by the Mount Washington Wilderness area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belknap Crater</span> Shield volcano in the U.S. state of Oregon

Belknap Crater is a shield volcano in the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Linn County, it is associated with lava fields and numerous subfeatures including the Little Belknap and South Belknap volcanic cones. It lies north of McKenzie Pass and forms part of the Mount Washington Wilderness. Belknap is not forested and most of its lava flows are not vegetated, though there is some wildlife in the area around the volcano, as well as a number of tree molds formed by its eruptive activity.

<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">Broken Top</span> Glacially eroded stratovolcano in the US State of Oregon

Broken Top is a glacially eroded complex stratovolcano. It lies in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, part of the extensive Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located southeast of the Three Sisters peaks, the volcano, residing within the Three Sisters Wilderness, is 20 miles (32 km) west of Bend, Oregon in Deschutes County. Eruptive activity stopped roughly 100,000 years ago, and currently, erosion by glaciers has reduced the volcano's cone to where its contents are exposed. There are two named glaciers on the peak, Bend and Crook Glacier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boring Lava Field</span> Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field in Oregon, United States

The Boring Lava Field is a Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field with cinder cones, small shield volcanoes, and lava flows in the northern Willamette Valley of the U.S. state of Oregon and adjacent southwest Washington. The field got its name from the town of Boring, Oregon, located 12 miles (20 km) southeast of downtown Portland. Boring lies southeast of the densest cluster of lava vents. The zone became volcanically active about 2.7 million years ago, with long periods of eruptive activity interspersed with quiescence. Its last eruptions took place about 57,000 years ago at the Beacon Rock cinder cone volcano; the individual volcanic vents of the field are considered extinct, but the field itself is not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Three Sisters (Oregon)</span> Three volcanic peaks in Oregon, U.S.

The Three Sisters are closely spaced volcanic peaks in the U.S. state of Oregon. They are part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Cascade Range in western North America extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. Each more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in elevation, they are the third-, fourth- and fifth-highest peaks in Oregon. Located in the Three Sisters Wilderness at the boundary of Lane and Deschutes counties and the Willamette and Deschutes national forests, they are about 10 miles (16 km) south of the nearest town, Sisters. Diverse species of flora and fauna inhabit the area, which is subject to frequent snowfall, occasional rain, and extreme temperature variation between seasons. The mountains, particularly South Sister, are popular destinations for climbing and scrambling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lava Butte</span> Cinder cone in central Oregon, United States

Lava Butte is a cinder cone in central Oregon, United States, just west of U.S. Route 97 between the towns of Bend, and Sunriver in Deschutes County. It is part of a system of small cinder cones on the northwest flank of Newberry Volcano, a massive shield volcano which rises to the southeast. The cinder cone is capped by a crater which extends about 60 feet (20 m) deep beneath its south rim, and 160 feet (50 m) deep from the 5,020-foot (1,530 m) summit on its north side. Lava Butte is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond Peak (Oregon)</span> Mountain in the United States

Diamond Peak is a volcano in Klamath and Lane counties of central Oregon in the United States. It is a shield volcano, though it might also be considered a modest stratocone. Diamond Peak forms part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Cascade Range in western North America extending from southern British Columbia through Oregon to Northern California. Reaching an elevation of 8,748 feet (2,666 m), the mountain is located near Willamette Pass in the Diamond Peak Wilderness within the Deschutes and Willamette national forests. Surrounded by coniferous forest and visible in the skyline from foothills near Eugene, Diamond Peak offers a few climbing routes and can be scrambled. Diamond Peak is one of Oregon's Matterhorns.

<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">Hoodoo Butte</span> Mountain in Oregon, United States

Hoodoo Butte is a cinder cone butte in the Cascade Range of northern Oregon, located near Santiam Pass. Immediately to the east lies Hayrick Butte, a prime example of a tuya; the two mountains' names were likely mistaken for each other, but stuck with them over time. The area has been subjected to a number of historic fires. Hoodoo is sometimes considered a subfeature of the Mount Washington shield volcano, and it forms part of the Sisters Reach, which extends from South Cinder Peak to Crane Prairie Reservoir, running for 56 miles (90 km). This region has a high vent density, with many mafic volcanoes of Pleistocene to Holocene age, such as Hoodoo. While Hoodoo has an intact summit crater that was blocked from erosion by glaciers, it has an irregular topography, giving it an open appearance.

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

Hayrick Butte is a tuya, a type of subglacial volcano, in Linn County, Oregon. Located in the Willamette National Forest near Santiam Pass, it lies adjacent to the cinder cone Hoodoo Butte, which has a ski area. Hayrick Butte likely formed when lava erupted underneath an overlying glacier or ice sheet, producing the flat top with near-vertical walls along the ice-contact margin as the lava cooled and hardened. Hayrick Butte has a nearly flat plateau about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) across and steep walls rising about 700 feet (0.21 km) above its surroundings. A cartographer accidentally switched the names for nearby Hoodoo Butte and Hayrick Butte; the word "hoodoo" usually refers to rock piles and pinnacles like those observed at Hayrick Butte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Crater</span> Shield volcano in central Oregon, United States

Black Crater is a shield volcano in the Western Cascades in Deschutes County, Oregon. Located near McKenzie Pass, the volcano has a broad conical shape with gentle slopes. The volcano likely formed during the Pleistocene and has not been active within the last 50,000 years. Eruptive activity at the volcano produced mafic lava flows made of basaltic andesite and olivine basalt; it also formed a number of cinder cones. A normal fault occurs on the western side of the volcano, trending north–south. The volcano has been eroded by glaciers, which carved a large cirque into the northeastern flank of the mountain, forming its current crater.

<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, 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 dormant 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, and rises over 3,800 feet (1,200 m) directly above the shore of Upper Klamath Lake. Ice age glaciers carved a large cirque into the northeast flank of the mountain, forming a steep bowl which is popular in winter with backcountry skiers and snowmobilers. Several proposals have been made over the last few decades for ski area development on the northeast flanks, but none of the proposals has obtained the regulatory approval from the United States Forest Service necessary to proceed with construction. If the ski area is ever built, its skiable vertical of over 3,800 feet (1,200 m) would be the largest in Oregon exceeding the 3,590 feet (1,090 m) of Timberline Lodge ski area on Mount Hood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Cascades</span> Region of Oregon, United States

The Western Cascades or Old Cascades are a sub-province of the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon, between the Willamette Valley and the High Cascades. The Western Cascades contain many extinct shield volcanoes, cinder cones and lava flows, and the region is highly eroded and heavily forested. Deposits of the same age as the Western Cascades are also found in southwest Washington state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Lake Crater</span> Volcanic crater in Oregon, United States

Blue Lake Crater is a maar, or a broad, low-relief volcanic crater, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Jefferson County, it consists of three overlapping craters, which hold Blue Lake. The drainage basin for Blue Lake has very steep, forested slopes and is mostly part of the explosion crater left by the volcano's eruption. The volcano lies within the Metolius River basin, which supports a wide array of plant life, large and small mammals, and more than 80 bird species. In 2009, Governor of Oregon Ted Kulongoski signed a bill designating the Metolius River basin as an area of critical concern, preventing large-scale development on the land and protecting its wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sand Mountain Volcanic Field</span> Volcanic field in Oregon

The Sand Mountain Volcanic Field is a volcanic field in the upper McKenzie River watershed, located in the United States in Oregon. Part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, it lies southwest of Mount Jefferson and northwest of Belknap Crater and Mount Washington. Its highest elevation is 5,463 feet (1,665 m).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Black Butte". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce . Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Black Butte, Oregon". peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  3. 1 2 3 "Feature Detail Report for: Black Butte". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Learn About Volcanoes". Cascades Volcano Observatory. US Geological Survey. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Sherrod et al. 2004, p. 22.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 43.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Hildreth 2007, p. 7.
  8. 1 2 3 4 McArthur & McArthur 1984, p. 74.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Taylor 1981, p. 77.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Black Butte". Global Volcanism Program . Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 Scott 1977, p. 123.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 41.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 44.
  14. 1 2 3 Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 46.
  15. 1 2 3 Taylor 1981, p. 79.
  16. 1 2 3 Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 45.
  17. ↑ Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 47.
  18. ↑ Peterson & Groh 1972, p. 51.
  19. 1 2 Zobel 1975, p. 63.
  20. ↑ Zobel 1975, p. 68.
  21. 1 2 Zobel 1975, p. 69.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Black Butte Trail". United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  23. 1 2 "Black Butte Trailhead". United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  24. ↑ "About the Forest". United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  25. ↑ Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 1990, p. 4 - 89.
  26. ↑ Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 1990, p. 4 - 52.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "Metolius Preserve". Deschutes Land Trust. 2019. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  28. 1 2 3 4 "Pacific Northwest Region Viewing Area". United States Forest Service. 2019. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  29. 1 2 3 4 Hildreth 2007, p. 22.
  30. ↑ Sherrod et al. 2004, p. 11.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Morical, M. (June 28, 2018). "Hiking Black Butte". The Bulletin . Western Communications. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  32. ↑ Taylor 1981, p. 66.
  33. ↑ Hildreth 2007, p. 23.
  34. ↑ Sherrod et al. 2004, p. 21.
  35. ↑ Taylor 1981, p. 64.
  36. ↑ Sherrod et al. 2004, p. 3.
  37. ↑ Sherrod et al. 2004, p. 43.
  38. ↑ Peterson & Groh 1972, pp. 45–46.
  39. ↑ Clark, Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest (Berkeley: University of California, 1953), pp. 12f
  40. ↑ Sawyer 1932, p. 19.
  41. ↑ Lang, W. L. (March 17, 2018). "Henry Larcom Abbot (1831-1927)". The Oregon Encyclopedia . Portland State University and Oregon Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  42. ↑ Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 1990, p. 4 - 23.
  43. ↑ Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 1990, p. 4 - 74.
  44. 1 2 3 Urness, Z. (November 29, 2016). "Forest Service sets fire to Black Butte ground house". Statesman Journal . Gannett Company. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  45. ↑ "Feature Detail Report for: Black Butte Ranch". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  46. ↑ Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 1990, p. 2 - 7.
  47. ↑ "About Black Butte Ranch". Black Butte Ranch. 2019. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.