Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Geo 1095: May 4, Day 854: Dee Wright Volcano Observatory

DWVO has a weird kind of esthetic to me. On one hand, it's ugly as sin, looking like a big pile of poop on a hill. On the other, that's true of the entire landscape surrounding McKenzie Pass, and I find this area, with its blasted, stark beauty, incredibly appealing. I'd imagine, to a new parent, the gruesomeness of afterbirth is invisible in light of the beauty of a new child. This landscape is newborn, and yes, there are some aspects that aren't pretty. Get over it. The beauty and awe of the earth renewing itself are, to me, a near-religious experience.

And when you place DWVO in that context, it blends in perfectly. It's the stocking cap to keep the little kid comfy.

Photo unmodified. July 6, 2013. FlashEarth location.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

2 years ago when driving from Idaho to the coast, my wife and I took a wrong road and ended up at Dee Wright. We really enjoyed this detour. The contrast of deep cascades forest and lava-blasted slopes was pretty awe-inspiring.