Thursday, May 7, 2015

Geo 1095: May 7, Day 857: Black Butte and Green Ridge

The flat ridge on the middle to left horizon is Green Ridge, which marks the eastern fault (system?) of the High Cascades Graben. Black Butte, on the right (south) end of Green Ridge, is a large cinder cone which erupted where magma was able to use that fault as an easier conduit to the surface. A bit to the left (north) of Black Butte, and a bit west of Green Ridge, lies the headwaters of the Metolius River, the east side's equivalent of Clear Lake, but without the lake. (The description of the Metolius' water source at the first link is not entirely accurate; it is believed, with good support, that the source includes the landscape up to, and past, the current Cascade Crest.) The Metolius River simply emerges full-blown as a series of springs over a distance of few hundred yard. I've only been there once, and I didn't have a camera at the time, so no photos. But it's a spot I hope to get back to soon.

In the FlashEarth location, I've backed out far enough to see the two features. Black Butte is the cone just north/above the labeled Black Butte Ranch. Green Ridge runs north-south under the label "Camp Sherman."

Photo unmodified. August 21, 2011. FlashEarth location.

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