Pilot Butte

Smack dab in the middle of Bend, a big nob rises high up in the air. This is Pilot Butte, a 480 foot high cinder cone that erupted approximately 190,000 years ago. During the eruption, molten rock rose to the surface where it violently foamed due to escaping steam and sprayed glowing cinders hundreds of feet into the air. This eruption lasted a few months to a year or two.
The actual vent is located approximately 300 feet southwest of the summit. A two lane one mile road spirals up the butte to the summit in conjunction with another hiking trail spiral.
The drive up is a bit intimidating because of the vertical drop on the outside of the road but once there the view is well worth it.At the top there is limited parking along the road and a spectacular commanding view of Bend. It almost feels as if you are in an airplane flying over the city.I snapped this photo looking East......and Teddy with her trusty Olympus captured this view of the city looking West. The snowcapped peaks of the Three Sisters rise up from the Cascade range in the far background and in the foreground is the street from which I snapped the approach shot above.




On the way down Teddy elected to hike the trail...
























...so I drove down and waited in the parking lot at the trailhead.