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| See the pumice cut through the trees? |
10,000 years ago a mountain in Southern Oregon called Mazama blew its top. It was one of the largest volcanic events that ever took place in North America. It spewed so much material into the air that, 200 miles north of the now extinct volcano, ridges of pumice 50 to 200 feet deep were formed. You may never have heard of Mazama but you probably have heard of the great hole in the ground formed by its massive explosion... Crater Lake.Imagine if pumice was snow that fell in such huge quantities in a storm 200 miles distant, it laid down drifts hundreds of feet deep, hundreds of miles away.
On the edge of Bend there is a canyon that cuts through that ancient volcanic layer as well as lava flows from other eruptions. Tumalo Creek, a relatively small stream, flows down from the snow fields of the Cascades forming this exquisite valley.
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| There are bridges... this one is covered |
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| A foot bridge |
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| A natural bridge |
In 1844 John Fremont and Kit Carson, while surveying the West, camped in a stunning meadow that still crowns the northern end of
what is now called Shevlin Park.
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| Fremont Meadow |
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Local Indians loved the place. The Cause picked berries and fished its banks. The Shoshones rested here on their way to trade and raid along the Columbia.
The park has always been one of our favorite places. Various trails run through the canyon from 2 to 10 miles long. Although access to the park is only a couple of miles from much of Bend's population, it is lightly used.
When hiking in this pristine canyon, Jill and I often wonder why we bother chasing all over the country in search of beauty, adventure, and peace when it exists on the edge of Bend. A couple of days ago, just 48 hours after the equinox, we were both amazed how, despite the 80 degree temperature, we could feel autumn in the air. We came to the conclusion that after thousands of years of evolution, humans like migrating birds and other animals, are keenly aware of the angle of the shadows cast by the sun as it transits south.
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REMINDER: if you haven't already done so please read my Adult Fairy Tale, The Count of Byle. http://countofbyle.blogspot.com
Awesome. Well said. Really enjoy your posts.
ReplyDeleteAllen
Why haven't we hiked Shevlin Park together? Let's put it on our calenders for when you return from down south. Please don't stay away too long. Janet
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insights. I've hiked through Shelving many a time without knowing its history. Do you have any sources for additional information that you'd recommend?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite resource for all things central Oregon is the series of books called Thunder Over The Ochoco by Gale Ontko (sp). Here's the lead paragraph from Amazons review:
ReplyDelete"Thunder Over the Ochoco is literally the work of a lifetime. Its author spent 40 years combing historical records and interviewing dozens of descendants of pioneer settlers and Native Americans who shared oral traditions that have been passed down through generations". Of course Shevlin Park is not mentioned specifically but the events that ultimately formed Bend and the park are fascinating.