Friday, September 29, 2006
9/17/2006
There was chill in the air, but we knew it would soon be gone and the day would warm up to short sleeve weather. Black Butte is a cinder cone that reaches over 6400 feet in elevation and that was our target for the day. The trail starts out with Ponderosa pines but soon begins to open up and lets in increasingly more sun creating a hot dry trail.
The trail circles around and passes through a burned out area before reaching the top. The first thing to greet us was a 62 foot high look out tower staffed with a look out guard.
As we traveled across the top we came across the remains of an old look out tower and a small building with a cupola. Just pass the cupola is a small nice looking log cabin, residence for the look out guard, it is located on the west end and exposed to the elements. I had to think that the cabin must deal with a lot of weather being so high and exposed.
From the summit, many of the Oregon's major peaks are viewable. To the south is the Three Sisters, as we looked our way north, Washington, Three Finger Jack, Mt Jefferson and Mt Hood can be seen. Taking the McKenzie pass home, we could see Black Butte to the North.
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On a side note, when we got to the trail head there were two other vehicles, one had a self pay day pass to park and the other had a no trail fee sticker (see below). on our way up we saw a couple coming down and learned they were the one with the pass and the other vehicle belonged to the look out guard! I had a case of civil disobedience, it isn't right to hold our National forests ransom, esp. where there is no amenities one receives. Doing a little research after this visit I learned that the Forest Service may not even have the legal right to charge, although they think so.
A case in Arizona last year suggest that the FS doesn't have authority. A lady took her two tickets and challenged them in court, when it was done the judge had a 20 page judgement that not only acquitted the defendant of charges, but railed against the FS for not following the Federal Land Recreation enhancement act. I have some faith that the practice of charging the public to enter public lands will cease where little or no services are available, i.e.. trail heads.
The trail circles around and passes through a burned out area before reaching the top. The first thing to greet us was a 62 foot high look out tower staffed with a look out guard.
As we traveled across the top we came across the remains of an old look out tower and a small building with a cupola. Just pass the cupola is a small nice looking log cabin, residence for the look out guard, it is located on the west end and exposed to the elements. I had to think that the cabin must deal with a lot of weather being so high and exposed.
From the summit, many of the Oregon's major peaks are viewable. To the south is the Three Sisters, as we looked our way north, Washington, Three Finger Jack, Mt Jefferson and Mt Hood can be seen. Taking the McKenzie pass home, we could see Black Butte to the North.
-----
On a side note, when we got to the trail head there were two other vehicles, one had a self pay day pass to park and the other had a no trail fee sticker (see below). on our way up we saw a couple coming down and learned they were the one with the pass and the other vehicle belonged to the look out guard! I had a case of civil disobedience, it isn't right to hold our National forests ransom, esp. where there is no amenities one receives. Doing a little research after this visit I learned that the Forest Service may not even have the legal right to charge, although they think so.
A case in Arizona last year suggest that the FS doesn't have authority. A lady took her two tickets and challenged them in court, when it was done the judge had a 20 page judgement that not only acquitted the defendant of charges, but railed against the FS for not following the Federal Land Recreation enhancement act. I have some faith that the practice of charging the public to enter public lands will cease where little or no services are available, i.e.. trail heads.
# posted by Trail Seeker @ 5:55 PM 
