Semiconsolidated to well-consolidated mostly lacustrine tuffaceous sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, concretionary claystone, conglomerate, pumicite, diatomite, air-fall and water-deposited vitric ash, palagonitic tuff and tuff breccia, and fluvial sandstone and conglomerate. Little seeps are home to two endemic species, the Saddle Mountain bittercress and Saddle Mountain saxifrage. Part of the Oregon Coast Range, the peak is located in the Tillamook State Forest in the northwest section of the state of Oregon. The geology of Saddle Mountain tells a violent story of Earth’s formation. The trail switchbacks at a silver fir and rises up an open slope to switchback again at a breccia pillar. [5], The lower peak houses a microwave transmission tower, while the lower parts of the mountain are popular for bird watchers and off-road motorcycle enthusiasts. It is hypothesized that the region was an island during the Eocene era. This 110-foot-tall (34 m) tower includes amateur radio repeaters[7] It begins at an elevation of approximately 1,650 feet at the park's parking lot and climbs to a viewing platform with an elevation of approximately 3,290 feet. Photo B. Steens Basalt at Abert Rim. Earth Science Photographs–free downloads for Instructors or anybody: my webpage! Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Oregon Geologic Digital Compilation Published in conformance with ORS 516.030 For copies of this publication or other information about Oregon’s geology and natural resources, contact: Nature of the Northwest Information Center 800 NE Oregon Street #5 Portland, Oregon 97232 (971) 673-1555 He is Stephen Kronenberg, an Oregon State college geology student, who is spending the summer in a fire lookout tower atop the 3,283 foot peak of Saddle mountain. Vertical rock upwards to our right and steep rock slope to our left made us feel like walking on the side of a ball. Beginning in 1788, these explorers included British captain John Meares, Lewis and Clark in 1805, and the Wilkes Expedition in 1841. DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES RAYMOND LASMAN IS, State Geologist GEOLOGIC MAP GM-28 GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ELLENSBURG QUADRANGLE, WASHINGTON By R. D. BENTLEY AND NEWELL P. CAMPBELL Prepared in cooperation with U.S. … The theory is that there were piles of downed trees in a swampy area and a lava flow came along and buried it. A three-mile trail leads from the parking lot at the base of Saddle Mountain, to the forest fire lookout at … The peak is listed on Oregon's Register of Natural Heritage Resources. 2003: Geology of the Gobi (Desert), southern Mongolia. It is hypothesized that the region was an island during the Eocene era. [7], Saddle Mountain is 7 miles (11 km) off U.S. Route 26 about 65 miles (105 km) west of Portland. [6] The lower peak containing the radio tower is in Tillamook County. [8] Learn about the Geology of Oregon with maps, photos and expert descriptions! If these pandemic group-riding restrictions ever ease, Guerrero wants to offer guided road, gravel, and trail rides. Saddle Mountain Faults, Olympic Peninsula, Washington: 2004: Geology of the Kharkhiraa Mountains, Mongolian Altai. [5] Meares named the peak Mont de la Selle in 1788. Part of the Oregon Coast Range, the peak is located in the Tillamook An estimated 52,000 cubic miles poured out of the faults in eastern Oregon and Washington, mostly between 17 and 14 million years ago. and an AT&T microwave transmitter. Madin is Cycle Oregon’s official geology expert and his nightly lectures are a highlight of the ride. (General reference which details the concepts and includes several of the photos used here). The main trail is steep and difficult in spots, with a 1,640 foot rise in elevation over 2.5 miles. Gary Maughan acquired the mineral estate from Glacier Park, a subsidiary of Burlington Northern Railroad. When the lava encountered the water at the Astoria Sea, great steam explosions and thermal shocks occurred to create a large pile of basalt rocks. Geomorphology of the Saddle Mountain East Fault, Olympic Peninsula, Washington Evaluating Geologic Hazards associated with faulting on the Olympic Peninsula Geology of the Kharkhiraa Mountains, Mongolian Altai About 40 miles (65 km.) South Saddle Mountain is approximately 7 miles (11 km) due northwest of Henry Hagg Lake and due west of Forest Grove. Igneous rocks and basalt flows combined with basaltic sandstone to create much of the formations. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. Jeff Howbert published a list of "Oregon's 100 Highest Peaks" in the May 1996 issue of Pack & Paddle magazine. Saddle Mountain is a well-known rock hounding area on BLM land outside of Mattawa. This was a fun trip and we made out with some really good material. From mile post 33 on Oregon Route 6 near Lees Camp, access is via Saddlemountain Road. Saddle Mountain Trail, Seaside: Address, Phone Number, Saddle Mountain Trail Reviews: 4.5/5. He also wanted me to mention one of his inspirations, Ian Madin from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. Miller, M., 2014, Roadside Geology of Oregon, Mountain Press, Missoula, 386p. Fauna in the area include a variety of birds such as hermit warbler, sooty grouse, chestnut-backed chickadee, golden-crowned kinglet, Steller's jay, and Pacific-slope flycatcher.[6]. South Saddle was originally known as simply Saddle Mountain but in 1983 officially became South Saddle Mountain to avoid confusion with Saddle Mountain 33 miles (53 km) to the north in Clatsop County. [6] Beside the trailhead is a picnic area and a primitive walk-in campground. Here you can see the beds of Columbia River basalt tilting upward toward the north. Saddle Mountain Faults, Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Geologists would say that the beds dip toward the south. This earthquake may have caused as much as 4 m of vertical offset on the Saddle Mountain East fault and 2 m of offset on the Saddle Mountain West fault (Hughes, 2005) and probably generated the 1.7-m slip The name appears as Saddle Mountains in Geographic Names Information System. Igneous rocks and basalt flows combined with basaltic sandstone to create much of the formations. ... Saddle Mountain State Natural Park 70. Saddle Mountain Petrified Wood, for Saddle Mountains, Grant County, Washington. Look closely to see the basalt beds sloping down to … Six early to middle Tertiary geologic units crop out in the Saddle and Humbug Mountain area. There will be one or two town stops, and multiple stops at headlands and beaches. The mountain consists of this volcanic breccia, which is a rock made up of broken basalt fragments that are fused together in a fine-grained matrix. It gets tiresome having no one to talk to but the clouds." The Northern Oregon Coast Range is the northern section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, located in the northwest portion of the state of Oregon, United States.This section of the mountain range, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, contains peaks as high as 3,710 feet (1,131 m) for Rogers Peak. [6] Saddle Mountain Trail [CLOSED] is a 4.5 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Seaside, Oregon that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. Saddle Mountains Basalt ... and Walker, G.W., 1976, Geology of the Oregon part of the Baker 1o by 2o quadrangle: Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Geologic Map Series GMS-7, scale 1:250,000. "Site Guide: Saddle Mountain, Washington County, Oregon", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Saddle_Mountain&oldid=786749979, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 June 2017, at 11:35. [2] Surrounding the mountain are forests of western hemlock and Douglas fir trees. [5], The hike to the taller of the two peaks is a 6-mile (9.7 km) round trip consisting of challenging terrain. The Saddle Mountain East fault was the first known active fault in Washington, discovered in the 1970s. Saddle Mountain West and Saddle Mountain East faults ruptured between 1000 and 1300 years ago, possibly during the same earthquake. Today, a team of researchers is applying new paleoseismic techniques to the fault; we are currently making detailed measurements along the fault scarp, coring lake and adjacent wetland sediments, and making magnetic surveys. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. South Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Peaks on his list have at least 500 feet of "clean" prominence (rising at least 500 feet above any saddle connecting it to anything higher). The area contains dense forests of spruce and hemlock, and some ancient lava flows. [2] Part of the Oregon Coast Range, Saddle Mountain is in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area in the northwest corner of Oregon. Individual flows cover as much as 10,000 square miles, equivalent to one tenth of the state, and many are over 100 feet thick. On paper, Saddle Mountain appears to be the most aesthetic peak in the Oregon Coast Range, but I missed most of the highlights thanks to the fog straight out of a forties noir film. The basalt flowed down the ancient Columbia River to the sea and we see this basalt at several prominent areas on the Oregon coast, including Cape Lookout, Neakanie Mountain, Saddle Mountain and Hug Point. [3], South Saddle Mountain is one of 17 peaks in Oregon with the name Saddle. This image shows the east wall of Sentinel Gap. Tuffaceous sedimentary rocks and tuff (Miocene to Pliocene) at surface, covers 11 % of this area. west of Phoenix to the south of Interstate 10 at Tonopah are a pair of volcanic mountains linked by a saddle of lower hills. Some of these sections were acquired in the 1990s and the mineral rights were not transferred to the BLM for T15N, R23E, Sections 11 and 13 and T15N, R24E, Section 7. This 6"x9" paperback has 386 pages that are packed with detailed information about Oregon Geology. Origins of the mountain begin in around 40 million years ago during the Eocene age when sandstone and siltstone formed in the region consisting of parts of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. Heading up on an open slope, you can see the rocky spine of the mountain above. Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Clatsop County in the U.S. state of Oregon. [4], Origins of the mountain begin in around 40 million years ago during the Eocene age when sandstone and siltstone formed in the region consisting of parts of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. [8], "State Register of Natural Heritage Resources", "Saddle Mountain Trail in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saddle_Mountain_(Clatsop_County,_Oregon)&oldid=985344522, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 25 October 2020, at 12:09. The lower peak—elevation 3,200 feet (980 m)— to the east and south does not have trail access. The eastern … Plate VII- Geology of the northeast part of the Saddle Mountain 7.5 minute quadrangle, Pinal County, Arizona Available Files: Plate VIII - Geologic Map north of Saddle Mountain east of Dripping Spring Mountain Sample from Saddle Mountain diorite, collected 1.5 mi west-northwest of Saddle Mountain (T37S R12N), gave apparent isotopic age on hornblende of 285 +/-25 Ma. Most of this huge body of lava (originally covering half of the state) was erupted between 17 million and 15 million years ago, a very brief period in geologic history. ... OR 82/OR 86/Wallowa Mountain Road: LaGrande - Joseph - Baker City 299. Saddle Mountain was created around 15 million years ago in the Miocene epoch when lava flows poured down the old Columbia River valley. They include the late Eocene to early Miocene Oswald West muds tones, the lower Silver Point and the upper Silver Point tongues of the middle Miocene Astoria Formation, and the middle Miocene Depoe Bay and Cape Foulweather Basalts. Other sedimentary rock in the area formed more recently, around 20 million years ago. When the lava encountered the water at the Astoria Sea, great steam explosions and thermal shocks occurred to create a large pile of basalt rocks. This day trip is a customized tour along a section of rugged coastline along Oregon's northern coast. The tops of the two peaks of the mountain. The trail is steep at times along rock outcroppings, but does offer views that include wildflowers in bloom in the springtime. Saddle Mountain Dip Slope. The petrified wood found in this area is what is known as "bog" wood. Saddle Mountain is one of the highest peaks in Oregon's Coast Range with an elevation of 3,283 feet. Elevation gain is 1,603 feet (489 m) and leads to a 360-degree view to the Pacific Ocean, Cascade Mountain peaks such as Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and other peaks in the Coast Range. Steens Mountain is one of our state treasures –it’s a fault-block mountain, uplifted by Basin-Range extension along a normal fault along its eastern side. The access road to the mountain and state park is paved. [4], Saddle Mountain was created around 15 million years ago in the Miocene epoch when lava flows poured down the old Columbia River valley. [Probably named for Saddle Mountain which is 3 mi north of Collier Butte, Curry Co, OR.] Other sedimentary rock in the area formed more recently, around 20 million years ago. The BLM owns several sections in the Saddle Mountains. Stephen, who gets down from his perch only about once every two weeks, can hardly wait for college to open again. I would 100% recommend heading to Saddle Mountain when the weather is nice and cool. It is composed of lighter-colored lava, tuff and rhyolite. The Oregon Coast Range often called simply the Coast Range and sometimes the Pacific Coast Range is a mountain range in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic comprises the Saint Elias Mountains Coast Mountains Insular Mountains Olympic Mountains Cascade Range Oregon Coast Range California Coast Ranges Transverse Coast Range Coastal Range or Coast Mountains may refer to: Pacific Coast … US 30: Portland - Astoria 72. Daily Statistics (inches) Min: Median: Average: Max: 5.90 (1977) 13.00: 13.00: 24.70 (1997) 30 Year Average: 13.00 inches Latest Observation is 12.00 inches which is 0 % of average: Note: The Median/Average is based upon the 30 year period 1981 to 2010. 2002: Quaternary geology of the Albion Range, south-central Idaho Cirque containing Independence Lakes Bob and snowfield, with Mount Independence in background Fault-bounded east front of Steens Mountain; mudcracked playa of Alvord Desert in foreground. [5], In modern time, the mountain has been viewed and described by a variety of European and American explorers. The mountain consists of this volcanic breccia, which is a rock made up of broken basalt fragments that are fused together in a fine-grained matrix. It is the eighth-highest peak of the Oregon Coast Range. The more dramatic western peak is Saddle Mountain. Bold, bald rock faces made us feel the need to lean towards the mountainside for lack of trail width. Nine miles from Highway 6 is a gate, the summit is then 0.5 miles from that point. These are situated at 46o 48' 25" N and 119o 33' 24" W, Grant County, Washington, Wahatis Peak Map, USGS 7.5' x 7.5', and are shown to extend to neighboring maps, which see. South Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Washington County, Oregon, United States.