Tumalo Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tumalo Mountain |
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Tumalo Mountain seen from below Mount Bachelor
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,779 ft (2,371 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,055 ft (322 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Deschutes County, Oregon, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Broken Top |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Shield volcano |
| Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Trail hike |
Tumalo Mountain is a cool shield volcano found in the Cascade Range in central Oregon. It sits right next to Mount Bachelor, just across a road called the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. Long, long ago, during the Ice age, huge sheets of ice called glaciers moved across the land. These glaciers carved a big, bowl-shaped hollow into the side of Tumalo Mountain. This bowl is now a popular spot for people who love to ski in wild, snowy areas.
A special tower was built on top of the mountain in the 1930s. It was used by the United States Forest Service to spot forest fires. But it was taken down in the 1970s. Today, you can hike a trail to the very top of Tumalo Mountain.
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What is Tumalo Mountain?
Tumalo Mountain is a type of volcano known as a shield volcano. Imagine a warrior's shield lying on the ground – that's how these volcanoes look! They have gentle, sloping sides, not steep ones like some other volcanoes. This shape forms because the lava that flows out is very runny. It spreads out far and wide before it cools down.
This mountain is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, which is a chain of volcanoes stretching along the west coast of North America. It's a great example of the amazing natural forces that have shaped our planet over millions of years.
How Tumalo Mountain Was Shaped
Even though Tumalo Mountain is a volcano, it was also shaped by ice! During the Ice age, massive glaciers moved slowly across the land. These giant ice rivers were incredibly powerful. As they slid down the mountain, they scraped away rock and dirt.
One of the cool things they created on Tumalo Mountain is a large cirque. A cirque is like a giant, natural armchair carved into the side of a mountain. It's a deep, bowl-shaped hollow with steep sides. On Tumalo Mountain, this cirque is on the northeast side.
Exploring Tumalo Mountain
Tumalo Mountain is a popular spot for outdoor adventures. Many people enjoy hiking to the top, especially in the summer and fall. The trail to the summit is a great way to get some exercise and see beautiful views. From the top, you can often see other famous mountains in the Cascade Range.
In winter, the mountain becomes a playground for backcountry skiers. These are skiers who go off the groomed trails and explore the wilder parts of the mountain. The bowl-shaped cirque, carved by ancient glaciers, is a favorite area for them to find fresh snow.
The Old Fire Lookout
For many years, there was a special building on the very top of Tumalo Mountain. This was a fire lookout tower, built in the 1930s by the United States Forest Service. People called "fire lookouts" would live in these towers during the dry seasons. Their job was to scan the forests for any signs of smoke, which could mean a wildfire was starting.
If they saw smoke, they would quickly report it so firefighters could get there fast. This helped protect the forests from big fires. The lookout tower on Tumalo Mountain was used for several decades. However, by the 1970s, new ways of spotting fires, like airplanes and better communication, meant the tower was no longer needed. It was eventually taken down, but its history is still part of Tumalo Mountain's story.
