Schonchin Butte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schonchin Butte |
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Schonchin Butte from Cave Loop Road. Tule Lake is in the right background. The snowcapped peaks around Crater Lake are visible in the left background.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,306 ft (1,617 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 582 ft (177 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Lava Beds National Monument, Siskiyou County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Schonchin Butte |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | more than 30,000 years |
| Mountain type | Cinder cone |
| Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | trail |
Schonchin Butte is a special type of volcano called a cinder cone. It's located in northern California, within the Cascade Range. This mountain is part of the Medicine Lake Volcano area.
Cinder cones are formed when frothy lava cools quickly in the air. This process created many large cinder cones, including Schonchin Butte, in Lava Beds National Monument. The butte is named after Old Schonchin, a chief of the Modoc people from long ago.
Schonchin Butte erupted over 30,000 years ago. When it erupted, it shot ash and cinders into the sky. Imagine shaking a can of soda and then opening it! At the very top of the butte, there's a feature called a lava spatter rampart. This is like a wall made from lava that cooled quickly.
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Hiking to the Top
You can hike up Schonchin Butte on a trail that is about 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km) long. This trail leads to an old fire lookout tower. From the lookout, you get amazing views all around!
What You Can See
From the top, you can see the Medicine Lake Volcano. You can also spot famous mountains like Mount Shasta and Mount McLoughlin. On a very clear day, you might even see the edge of Crater Lake in Oregon. The Clear Lake Hills and the Warner Mountains are also visible.
Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout
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Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout
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 Location in California
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| Location | Lava Beds National Monument, near Tulelake, California |
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| Built | 1939-41 |
| Built by | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| MPS | Historic Park Landscapes in National and State Parks MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 100001559 |
| Added to NRHP | September 5, 2017 |
The Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout is a special tower used to spot wildfires. It sits on top of Schonchin Butte, inside Lava Beds National Monument.
Building the Lookout
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built this fire lookout. The CCC was a group of young men who worked on important projects during the Great Depression. They built the lookout during the summers of 1939 and 1940. They chose this spot because it offered great views of Lava Beds National Monument.
The CCC workers had to carry all the building materials up the mountain by hand. They built the trail first, then brought everything else up. Roger Reid was the first person to work at the lookout in 1941. The date 1942 on the doorstep shows when that specific part was put in, not when the whole building was finished.
Changes Over Time
The lookout has changed a bit over the years. But its main look and structure are still the same. In the past, the floor was covered with linoleum, not carpet. The furniture was stained, and the trim was painted.
Early lookouts used a special radio phone. A regular telephone wasn't put in until many years later. Some original items are still there today. These include the Osborne Fire Finder, which helps locate fires, and a special insulated stool used during thunderstorms.
Modern Operations
Through the 1980s, park rangers often lived at the lookout for long periods. They used gas for lights and cooking. But in the 1950s, electricity was added. The National Park Service built a power line up the side of the cinder cone. This power line was removed in the mid-1980s. Now, solar panels power the radio and small lights.
The lookout is usually open from May to September. Rangers work there from about 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. They might stay longer if there's a high fire danger or lightning. Lookouts don't live in the building anymore. They carry their daily supplies up the trail.
The Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. It is still an active fire lookout tower today. It is used during fire seasons to help protect the area from wildfires.
