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canyonwalker) wrote2025-07-13 08:11 pm
canyonwalker) wrote2025-07-13 08:11 pm
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Serendipity in the McKenzie Pass: an Observatory Made of Lava!
Oregon Cascades Travelog #12.5
McKenzie Pass, OR - Wed, 2 Jul 2025, 7:30pm
When we first neared the summit and entered a lava field at the edge of the McKenzie pass we thought, "Enh, we've seen lava fields before." But then it kept going. And going. And going. We realized it was a big thing. I started making video as we drove through. But then Hawk pointed out, "Stop! We just drove past an observatory made of lava! Go back."
And holy shit, up here at 5,325' (which isn't that high in California but seems like the roof of the world here in Oregon), there's a observatory made of lava rocks. Not just the floor is lava, but the walls and ceiling, too!
We were tired as hell, and hungry, and sore. We were counting the minutes until we got back home. But suddenly all those feelings went away. We had to explore this observatory made of lava!
It was a slow slog up those winding, uneven lava-rock steps to the top. A fierce wind blew away whatever warmth clung to our bodies. But the views as we circle around were amazing. Above is a view of The Sisters. It's actually the Three Sisters, but South Sister was feeling shy this evening and hid behind Middle Sister (on the right).
The observatory has chutes in its walls labeled with what mountain you can see looking through each slot. There are too many volcanic peaks visible to include them all. I'm sharing this non-peak picture, above, to show the view looking west, where we're headed next. We've already driven a few miles across this lava field, and there's about a mile more to go. When I looked north toward Mt. Washington, the lava field seemed to extend miles in that direction. It's amazing there's a road through here.... And according to plaques in the observatory, this is the route of the original road built across this part of the Cascades!
McKenzie Pass, OR - Wed, 2 Jul 2025, 7:30pm
When we first neared the summit and entered a lava field at the edge of the McKenzie pass we thought, "Enh, we've seen lava fields before." But then it kept going. And going. And going. We realized it was a big thing. I started making video as we drove through. But then Hawk pointed out, "Stop! We just drove past an observatory made of lava! Go back."
And holy shit, up here at 5,325' (which isn't that high in California but seems like the roof of the world here in Oregon), there's a observatory made of lava rocks. Not just the floor is lava, but the walls and ceiling, too!
We were tired as hell, and hungry, and sore. We were counting the minutes until we got back home. But suddenly all those feelings went away. We had to explore this observatory made of lava!
It was a slow slog up those winding, uneven lava-rock steps to the top. A fierce wind blew away whatever warmth clung to our bodies. But the views as we circle around were amazing. Above is a view of The Sisters. It's actually the Three Sisters, but South Sister was feeling shy this evening and hid behind Middle Sister (on the right).
The observatory has chutes in its walls labeled with what mountain you can see looking through each slot. There are too many volcanic peaks visible to include them all. I'm sharing this non-peak picture, above, to show the view looking west, where we're headed next. We've already driven a few miles across this lava field, and there's about a mile more to go. When I looked north toward Mt. Washington, the lava field seemed to extend miles in that direction. It's amazing there's a road through here.... And according to plaques in the observatory, this is the route of the original road built across this part of the Cascades!