Views from Schonchin Butte

Schonchin Butte is a cinder cone that  grew from the accumulation of volcanic bombs, cinder and ash,  Under great pressure, these materials  exploded from a vent connected to reservoirs of gas  charged magma deep underground.  Schonchin Butte rose  over 400 feet in a period of months.  We are now going going to climb to its top, elevation 5,302 feet. photo by anders tomlinson tulelake, ca.

Atop Schonchin Butte is a fire-lookout station.
Schonchin Butte is a cinder cone that grew from the accumulation of volcanic bombs,
cinder and ash. Under great pressure, these materials exploded from a vent connected
to reservoirs of gas charged magma deep underground. Schonchin Butte rose over
400 feet in a period of months. We are now going to climb to its top, elevation 5,302 feet.

 With the opening of the 1922 homesteads, plans were drafted  by the Reclamation Service for the town site of Tulelake.  Years passed before the first public auction of lots  was held on April 15th, 1931.     view from schonchin butte of tulelake, ca.  photo by anders tomlinson.

Looking North-Northwest across Tule Lake Basin at Tulelake, California
With the opening of the 1922 homesteads, plans were drafted by the Reclamation Service
for the town site of Tulelake seen sitting in the middle of reclaimed Tule Lake.
Years passed before the first public auction of lots was held
on April 15th, 1931.

view of sheepy lake, stukel mountain and tule lake on tule lake national wildlife refuge as seen from the top of Schonchin Butte, lava beds national mounument. photo by anders tomlinson.

Looking North-Nortwest along Sheepy Ridge towards Stukel Mountain in Oregon.
Extension, the process of pulling the earth’s crust apart, created Tule Lake.
Volcanic activity in the area began 15 million years ago. Active lava flows in the
area are as recent as 1,000 years ago.

looking west at mt. Shasta from Schonchin Butte, Lava beds national Monument. This snow-capped volcano consists of alternating layers of lava and  volcanic rock fragments called pyroclastics.  Mt. Shasta is part of  the chain of Cascade Range Volcanos that includes Mount St.Helens,  Mount Rainier, Lassen Peak, and nearby Medicine Lake Volcano. photo by anders tomlinson 12-12-2004

Looking West Towards Mt. Shasta.
This snow-capped volcano consists of alternating layers of lava and volcanic rock
fragments called pyroclastics. Mt. Shasta is part of the chain of Cascade Range Volcanos
that includes Mount St.Helens, Mount Rainier, Lassen Peak, and nearby Medicine Lake Volcano.

looking north-northwest from schonchin butte, lava beds national monument towards the southern cascades, klamath falls, oregon and crater lake national park.  photo by anders tomlinson.  12-12-2004.

Looking North-Northwest towards the Southern Cascades,
Klamath Falls, Oregon and Crater Lake.

In recent geological times, the landscape here has been slowly pulling apart
as large pieces of the earth shift. The fracturing caused by this expansion is seen
in this series of fault scarpes. Some of the lava in this area came up through faults,
and when it flowed it followed inclines established by faulting.

looking northeast at the peninsula - castle rock from schonchin butte, lava beds national monument.  photo by anders tomlinson.  12-12-2004

Looking Northeast at the Peninsula – Castle Rock.
From this vantage point you can see the volcanic origins of the Peninsula’s
cinder and rampart formation. This was once a volcano.

looking south from schonchin butte, lava beds national monument at the medicine lake highlands.  photo by anders tomlinson.  12-12-2004.

Looking South At The Medicine Lakes Highland, largest in North America.
Medicine Lake Volcano, in the background, is a shield volcano similar to the Hawaiian Volcanoes.
Over the last half-million years it has been built up by successive outpourings of lava,
creating a shield-like form. The youngest flow on the volcano is Glass Mountain, formed
during an eruption less than 1,000 years ago. At the summit is a crater, or caldera,
which measures seven miles across and contains Medicine Lake. Winter is a great time
for snow mobiles and cross-country skiing on the mountain.

Photos on this page were taken 12-12-2004, between 1:10 and 1:50 p.m.
©2014 Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.