Steens Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steens Mountain |
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Steens Mountain near Andrews, Oregon
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,738 ft (2,968 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 4,373 ft (1,333 m) |
| Listing |
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| Geography | |
 Steens Mountain
Location in Oregon
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| Location | Harney County, Oregon, U.S. |
| Topo map | USGS Wildhorse Lake |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Short hike from gravel road |
Steens Mountain is a huge mountain in southeastern Oregon, a state in the U.S.. It's a special kind of mountain called a fault-block mountain. This means it was formed when a large block of Earth's crust tilted and lifted along a crack, or "fault."
Located in Harney County, Steens Mountain stretches about 50 miles (80 km) from north to south. It rises dramatically from the Alvord Desert, which is about 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) high, all the way up to its summit at 9,733 feet (2,967 meters). Even though it's very long, it's considered a single mountain, not a mountain range.
A large part of Steens Mountain, about 170,166 acres (68,864 hectares), is protected as the Steens Mountain Wilderness. Within this wilderness, 98,859 acres (40,007 hectares) are kept free from cattle grazing.
Contents
Mountain History: How Steens Got Its Name
The first Europeans to see this mountain were fur traders. One of them, John Work, called it the "Snowy Mountains."
Later, in 1860, the mountain was renamed. It got its new name from United States Army Major Enoch Steen. He was a military leader who explored the area.
Mountain Makeup: The Geology of Steens
The eastern side of Steens Mountain is mostly made of a type of rock called basalt. Imagine giant pancakes stacked one on top of another! These "pancakes" are actually layers of lava that flowed across the land millions of years ago.
Between 17 and 14 million years ago, huge amounts of lava covered this region. These lava flows were hundreds of feet thick, building up the mountain layer by layer.
Plants and Animals: Life on Steens Mountain
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The types of plants you find on Steens Mountain change a lot depending on how high up you go. Some common plants include sagebrush, juniper trees, and different kinds of bunchgrass. You might also see mountain mahogany, aspen trees, and colorful wildflowers like mountain meadow knotweed and false hellebore.
Steens Mountain is also home to some very special plants that grow nowhere else in the world! These include Steens paintbrush, moss gentian, Steens Mountain penstemon, Steens Mountain thistle, a dwarf blue lupine, and Cusick's buckwheat.
Why No Pine Trees?
One interesting thing about Steens Mountain is that it doesn't have many conifer trees, like Ponderosa Pine or Douglas fir. These trees usually grow at elevations between 5,500 and 8,000 feet (1,676 and 2,438 meters) above sea level. Steens Mountain is the largest mountain area in the Great Basin region without these common conifers.
Scientists think there are a few reasons for this. It might be because Steens Mountain is very isolated, making it hard for seeds to reach it. Or perhaps birds like Clark's nutcracker, which help spread conifer seeds, aren't common here. It's also possible that wildfires in the past, including fires set by Native Americans, removed the conifer forests.
Animals of Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain is a great place for animals! It's especially popular for birdwatching, hunting, and fishing. You can spot amazing birds like golden eagles, owls, and the protected sage grouse.
Other animals living here include rattlesnakes, scorpions, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and cougars.
The area is also famous for its wild horses. These horses roam freely, but sometimes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gathers them using helicopters. This practice is often debated.
Long ago, grizzly bears lived on Steens Mountain. A grizzly bear skull was even found near Malheur Lake. In the 1970s, a wolverine was seen and released back into the wild on Steens Mountain.
Protecting Steens Mountain: Environmental Efforts
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On October 24, 2000, President Bill Clinton approved an important law called the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protective Act. This law was created by local landowners working with government officials. It was a way to protect the mountain without making it a National Monument.
This act created the Steens Mountain BLM Cooperative Management and Protection Area. This huge area covers about 425,000 acres (1,720 square kilometers). The law protects 1,200,000 acres (4,856 square kilometers) from mining and 100,000 acres (405 square kilometers) from cattle grazing. This helps keep the mountain's natural beauty safe.
Fun Things to Do: Activities on Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain offers many exciting activities! A 52-mile (84 km) loop road goes along the western side of the mountain. This road is suitable for regular cars and reaches an elevation of 9,700 feet (2,957 meters), making it the highest road in Oregon! You can drive almost to the very top of the mountain and visit amazing viewpoints like Kiger Gorge.
Steens Mountain also hosts a special high-altitude running camp for athletes.
Other popular activities include camping, picnicking, bicycling, hiking, hunting, sightseeing, and exploring. There are many hot springs at the base of Steens Mountain, like Alvord Hot Springs, where you can relax in warm water. Because it's far from city lights, Steens Mountain is also a fantastic place for stargazing!
