Cline Buttes | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 4,117 ft (1,255 m) |
Coordinates | 44°15′08″N121°18′09″W / 44.25229°N 121.30257°W |
Geography | |
Location | Deschutes County, Oregon |
Topo map | USGS Cline Falls, Oregon (44121C3) |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Late Oligocene or early Miocene epoch |
Mountain type | Volcanic |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Rough dirt road |
Normal route | Hiking or biking trails |
The Cline Buttes are mountains with volcanic origins that form three dome-shaped peaks located in Deschutes County in central Oregon. They are some of the eastern foothills of the Cascade Range. Situated on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the buttes are flanked on the east and west sides by two separate sections of the Eagle Crest Resort. On the highest summit, there is a Federal Aviation Administration site with an aircraft navigation beacon. The mountains have several hiking trails as well as a number of popular mountain bike routes.
The Cline Buttes are composed of three rounded peaks. They are some of the easternmost foothills of the Cascade mountain range, located near the northwest corner of Oregon's high desert country. The mountains are in Deschutes County, approximately 7 miles (11 km) west of Redmond. Of the three crests, the southern peak is the highest. Its summit is 4,117 feet (1,255 m) above sea level. The Cline Buttes are a stand-alone mountain with the nearest higher peak 12 miles (19 km) to the south. [1] [2] Cline Buttes feature gentle slopes [3] with highly conical shaped peaks. [4]
The Cline Buttes form a silicic volcanic center, active before the emplacement of the Deschutes Formation, a late Miocene to early Pliocene volcanic lava flow deposited between 7.5 and 5.3 million years ago. [4] Their lava flows cover a collective area of approximately 5.0 square miles (13 km2), [4] and were created as part of the John Day Formation during the late Oligocene or early Miocene epoch, approximately twenty-five million years ago. The primary rock that makes up the mountain is rhyolite with some basalt also present. Most of the rhyolite is white or light-gray. It was formed when volcanic magma cooled below the earth's surface before erupting onto the surface. There are also some obsidian flow-bands exposed in a rock quarry on the northeast flank of the mountains. The Cline Buttes have been significantly eroded over time, leaving a rounded dome shape with three separate crests. They are now covered with 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm) of sandy loam soil in most areas with rhyolite and basalt outcropping on the steeper slopes. [5] [6] [7] [8] The rhyolite lava flow deposits at Cline Buttes show a roughly porphyritic texture, with oligoclase phenocrysts making up between 1 and 2 percent of the minerals. These flows have been devitrified and show a normal-polarity magnetization. [7] Cline Buttes volcanoes also produced rhyodacite, which varies in color from light gray to red-brown and are similarly sparsely porphyritic. [4] The basalt lava flows produced a now-weathered hill on the western flank of the Buttes, which is not topped by rhyodacite and therefore likely formed after that lava erupted, despite having a lower relative elevation. [9]
To the west of the Cline Buttes are woodlands covered with western juniper transitioning to ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and fir forest. The forest extends to the timberline on the central Cascade peaks, approximately 22 miles (35 km) away. The area south and east of the mountain is drier. It is typical of Oregon's high desert country dominated by juniper and sagebrush. [2] [10] [11]
The slopes of the Cline Buttes are covered by an old-growth juniper forest with an understory dominated by low sagebrush. [10] [11] [12] [13] Rabbitbrush is also a common understory shrub on the slopes. Low groundcover plants includes Granite Gilia, rough eyelash, Longleaf hawksbeard, and bunch grass. [14]
The Cline Buttes and the surrounding area host a wide variety of wildlife. Larger mammals found in the area include black-tailed deer, elk, coyotes, black bear, bobcats, and cougars. Smaller mammals include American badgers, striped skunks, black-tailed jackrabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits, mountain cottontails, Belding's ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, and least chipmunks. [13] [15] [16]
Birds common to the Cline Buttes area include mountain chickadee, American goldfinch, lesser goldfinch, Black-headed grosbeak, mountain bluebird, Steller's jay, northern flickers, and black-billed magpie. Birds of prey found in the area include golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, and prairie falcons. [16] [15] While prairie falcons are uncommon in most parts of central Oregon, the area around the Cline Buttes has a native breeding population. To protect these birds, some areas around the Cline Buttes are closed to humans activities several months each year. [17]
The Cline Buttes were named in honor of Doctor Cass A. Cline (1850–1926), a pioneer dentist and early land developer in central Oregon. A nearby waterfall on the Deschutes River, northeast of the buttes, is also named after the dentist. Cline immigrated to Oregon in 1853, settling in the Willamette Valley. He moved to central Oregon in 1871. In 1886, he filed a homestead land claim along the Deschutes River, near the buttes and falls that now bear his name. [18] [19] [20]
Later, Cline attempted to establish a town along the west bank of the Deschutes River, near the foot of the Cline Buttes. At its peak, the town of Cline Falls had a post office, a school, two stores, two hotels, a newspaper, a power plant, and 500 residential lots for sale. However, the community eventually failed when the first railroad route through the area was built on the opposite side of the river, through the neighboring town of Redmond. [18] [19] [21]
In 1904, gold was discovered on the Cline Buttes by Otto Retzlaff and C. P. Becker. The first gold ore was found in a ledge outcrop on the south flank of the mountain. [19] [22] [23] [24] More than 50 mining claims were quickly filed. [25] However, when the ore was assayed it was found to be uneconomical to extract, so mining operations never got underway. [22] [26]
In 1985, development of Eagle Crest Resort began along the Deschutes River, east of the Cline Buttes. The original development was on the east side of the Cline Falls Highway. In 1996, Eagle Crest began selling residential lots west of the Cline Falls Highway, between the highway and the eastern base of the Cline Buttes. This development was completed in 1993. Later, a third phase of Eagle Crest housing was developed along the northwestern base of the Cline Buttes. This area is separated from the Eagle Crest's second development by approximately one mile of Bureau of Land Management property. There is a paved easement road that connects the two areas, running along the northern base of the mountain. [27] [28]
Today, the Bureau of Land Management administers the Cline Buttes and much of the land around the mountain. The bureau has established Cline Buttes Recreation Area, a 32,000-acre (130 km2) area that is being developed for a wide range of recreational uses. [11] [12] [13] [29] A service road runs up the south side of the mountain and then along the upper west flank to the main summit. [2] The road supports a Federal Aviation Administration facility located at the summit. The facility houses a radio beacon used for aircraft navigation. [11] [19] There is also a road running along the east flank of the mountain. It leads to a rock quarry located on the northeast side of the mountain. [7]
In the summer, recreation opportunities in the Cline Buttes area include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, bird watching, and scenic viewing. There are separate mountain trails for hikers, mountain bikes, and horseback riding. [11] [12] [13] [29] During the winter, the area is usually available for some recreation activities since snow accumulation on and around the mountain is not excessive in most years. [10]
The Cline Buttes are particularly well known for their mountain bike trails. Several of the bike trails are narrow single-track paths that follow the slope around the buttes to vista points. There are also two downhill trails that start at the top of the highest peak. These are extremely challenging routes with very steep rocky sections. Those trails are recommended for expert bikers only. Many of the lower trails are narrow with occasional downhill jumps, suitable for bikers with intermediate-level skills. [11] [30]
From the summit of the Cline Buttes, visitors have an excellent view of Cascade peaks to the west as well as the high desert country of Deschutes and Crook counties to the east. Visitors can see as far north as Mount Hood and as far south as Mount Bachelor from the Cline Buttes' highest summit. To the west are the central peaks of the Cascade Range, dominated by the Three Sisters. To the northeast lies Smith Rock State Park, and farther to the east are the Powell Buttes and the Ochoco Mountains. From the summit, the views to the south and southeast are of the lower sections of the Cline Buttes Recreation Area located on the Matson Plateau west of the Deschutes River with Pilot Butte and Paulina Peak in the distance. [2] [10] [11] [12]
Deschutes County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 198,253. The county seat is Bend. The county was created in 1916 out of part of Crook County and was named for the Deschutes River, which itself was named by French-Canadian trappers of the early 19th century. It is the political and economic hub of Central Oregon. Deschutes comprises the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area and media market. Deschutes is Oregon's fastest-growing and most recently formed county.
Bend is a city in Central Oregon and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is located to the east of the Cascade Range, on the Deschutes River.
Newberry National Volcanic Monument was designated on November 5, 1990, to protect the area around the Newberry Volcano in the U.S. state of Oregon. The monument was created within the boundaries of the Deschutes National Forest, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and includes 54,822 acres of lakes, lava flows, and geologic features in central Oregon.
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.
The Deschutes River in central Oregon is a major tributary of the Columbia River. The river provides much of the drainage on the eastern side of the Cascade Range in Oregon, gathering many of the tributaries that descend from the drier, eastern flank of the mountains. The Deschutes provided an important route to and from the Columbia for Native Americans for thousands of years, and then in the 19th century for pioneers on the Oregon Trail. The river flows mostly through rugged and arid country, and its valley provides a cultural heart for central Oregon. Today the river supplies water for irrigation and is popular in the summer for whitewater rafting and fishing.
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.
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south towards Klamath Falls. These three counties have a combined population of 200,431 as of the 2010 census, with Deschutes the largest of the three counties, having approximately four times the population of the other two counties combined. As of 2015, the most populous city in the region is Bend, with an estimated 87,014 residents. As defined by the three county definition, Central Oregon covers 7,833 square miles (20,290 km2) of land. Central Oregon has had 3 record tourism years beginning in 2012. Over 2.2 million people visited Central Oregon in 2012 and again in 2013.
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 over 10,000 feet 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
The Crooked River is a tributary, 125 miles (201 km) long, of the Deschutes River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The river begins at the confluence of the South Fork Crooked River and Beaver Creek. Of the two tributaries, the South Fork Crooked River is the larger and is sometimes considered part of the Crooked River proper. A variant name of the South Fork Crooked River is simply "Crooked River". The Deschutes River flows north into the Columbia River.
Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint is a state park near Redmond, Oregon, United States. It is located on the Deschutes River. The park covers 9 acres (36,000 m2). It is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
Eagle Crest Resort is a destination resort complex in the U.S. state of Oregon. The resort has a large hotel, a conference center, three golf courses, and three major housing developments each with multiple subdivisions. The resort is located west of Redmond in Central Oregon. The development covers 1,700 acres (6.9 km2) on the east slopes of Cline Buttes running eastward to the Deschutes River plus a separate area on the northwest side of the butte.
Redmond–Bend Juniper State Scenic Corridor is a collection of ten unimproved land parcels administered for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The parcels are located along U.S. Route 97 between Bend and Redmond, Oregon, United States. It is named for the large western juniper trees found on the parcels. The scenic corridor is completely undeveloped with no trails or park facilities of any kind.
Hager Mountain is a volcanic peak in Oregon in the northwest corner of the Basin and Range Province in the United States. The mountain is located south of the small unincorporated community of Silver Lake in south-central Oregon, and it is in the Fremont–Winema National Forest. On the summit, there is a fire lookout operated during the summer and fall by the United States Forest Service. There are several hiking trails that lead to the lookout station.
Glass Buttes are a group of volcanic mountains made up of two prominent peaks and several smaller hills. They are located in the remote northeast corner of Lake County between Bend and Burns in central Oregon, United States. Raising high above the high desert plain, the buttes are an important landmark in an area once known as the Oregon's Great Sandy Desert. The buttes are named for the numerous large deposits of obsidian found on their slopes. Today, most of the mountains and surrounding land are administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The mountains offer a number of recreational opportunities including rock collecting, hiking, camping, and hunting.
The Powell Buttes are mountains with several summits located in Crook County, Oregon, United States. The highest summit is over 5,200 feet (1,600 m). The mountains are geologically related to the Ochoco Mountains and are named after members of Joseph Powell's family.
Cass Adelbert Cline was an American pioneer who was an early settler in central Oregon. Cline’s family moved to Oregon when he was a small child, settling west of the Cascade Mountains near Roseburg. As a young man, Cline moved to central Oregon and claimed homestead land along the Deschutes River. He later became a well-known dentist, property developer, and race horse breeder. Today, a waterfall on the Deschutes River, a nearby mountain group, and a state park bear his name.
Cline Falls is a 20 ft-high (6.1 m) segmented steep cascade waterfall on the Deschutes River. It is approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Redmond, Oregon, United States. The waterfall is named for Cass A. Cline, who owned the land adjacent to the falls in the early 20th century. The falls occur just north of the point where Oregon Route 126 crosses the Deschutes River. The riparian area around Cline Falls provides habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife species.