A line of mountains presides over the Oregon Cascades. Standing high above the green river valleys to the west and the high lava plateau to the east, the are the watchtowers of a long ago volcanic age. To walk the trail through this land is to follow these peak like beacons leading a man north along the Cascades towards Canada.
Rising above the small crest between the Rogue-Kalamth divide, stand Pilot Rock. The basalt columns that line its side complete with chartreuse lichen staining the rock, stands as an old reminder of days before. Erosion around the column expose the conduit form the bowels of Hades. A name such as "Kels Anvil, where Thors mighty hammer was awakened!" would seem more approrieate. But with a cover of Douglas Fir, sleeping it remains just within sight of Ashland Valley. Yet to the north from its ridgeline the next of the watchtowers stands just a day long walk away.
The next in the chain of volcanoes along the trail is McLoughlin. This conical mountain temps the climber with her elegant lines leading down into the sea of green surrounding the base. We began our ascent at 2 pm, and within the first mile the trail began to be steep. More of a boot-beaten scramble then trail, it kept both hands reaching about for the next rock all the way up. The mountain is by-no-means hard to climb. Yet for this watchtower, her treat is to look in the hidden rock towers of the northern slope. They look to stand over a wide rubble field of the last flow.
The forest seas continue up through the Sky Lakes Wilderness. Every now and then we climb an old cinder cone or volcanic vent with names like Lucifer, Devils Plug and the Crucible. Yet we are always aware that Mazama was king here as we climb nearer to the caldera rim. Pumice and lava are the forest floor. And the rugged lightning rod that is Thielson stand in the distance beyond the spires of Hilman, Scott and Watchman along Crater Lake. These are just the southern watchtowers of Oregon with many more to come.
From the backcountry mile
Ridgewalker
山武士
Http://ridgewalkernw.blogspot.com
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