Black Butte climb a "must" for locals

Much of my Coast Guard service was spent in Alaska, and I always was amused at the various tales of what was required to become a "true" Alaskan. Still, I have to admit to seeing a certain parallel right here in Sisters. It seems to me that "true" Sisters area citizenship can only be earned after a climb of Black Butte.

Not only does it loom like our own giant signpost marking the Sisters country, it offers one of the most easily accessed panoramic views anywhere in the area. With Black Butte Ranch lying spread out like a relief map at its southern base, the Sisters, Broken Top, and all "our" other mountains seem to float right alongside. To the north, Camp Sherman and the Metolius River are similarly displayed, and Mt. Jefferson caps it all. Plus, on a clear day, you can easily see Mt. Hood and even Mt. Adams, in Washington.

The guidebooks say the trail is open from July to October, but I climbed it last week without difficulty. Snow covered a stretch of the trail near the summit, and one big tree had fallen right smack along the length of the trail in one spot, requiring a significant, but now well-defined, detour.

The trail takes off from a Forest Service parking area that is already more than halfway up the volcanic cone. From there, it's less than two miles to the top; and most of the first mile is through a shaded forest. The Forest Service has placed a few marker posts identifying some of the forest flora, providing a little bit of a nature trail atmosphere.

Don't get me wrong, this is a steep hike; but a reasonably fit hiker can achieve the summit in about an hour. If you're not that fit, just take your time - and plenty of water. After all, it's not a race; although, I've encountered others who wouldn't necessarily agree.

The second mile of the trail breaks out into the open and is exposed all along the south side of the butte. Traversing this section can be very, very hot during the heat of the day, so a morning departure will go a long way toward mitigating the effects of the sun.

As the trail nears the summit, it curls around the east side of the butte to the north, and this is where you can expect to encounter some snow at this time of the year. Follow the footsteps in the snow, and continue to bear left. At this point, you should be able to see the Forest Service lookout tower, and you will know that you're almost there.

The current tower is the latest generation of Black Butte lookout stations that began in 1910 with an 18-foot-high platform in the trees. The lookouts lived in tents, and the site was linked by telephone to the ranger's office in 1912. The still-existing cupola building was constructed in 1924 as both a viewing platform and living quarters.

In 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corps built an 85-foot tower that stayed in use for 56 years until it was condemned in 1990, at which time the ancient cupola was pressed back into service. The present tower was completed in 1994. The 1934 tower finally fell under a heavy snow and ice load in December of 2001. Some of the rubble remains atop Black Butte to this day.

The CCC used twenty-foot pieces of lumber as the primary building components. The beams were hauled to the summit two at a time, with each pair of ends strapped to the sides of a different horse. With the long loads of lumber suspended between two horses, negotiating switchbacks on the trail required experienced horsemanship. Construction required a thousand horseback loads of materials.

At the summit, I ate lunch on a little bench near the cupola. As I sat there gazing at Mt. Jefferson, a golden-mantled ground squirrel leapt into my lap and stood on its hind legs begging. Now, I know that Jim Anderson will scold me for this, but I reached into my backpack for some peanuts and raisins to feed the little rascal. I just couldn't resist, even though Jim says these rodents can have fleas that carry the plague.

To become a "true" citizen of Sisters, take Highway 20 west from Sisters for six miles. Turn right onto Road 11, the Green Ridge Road, at Indian Ford Campground. Stay on the road for 3.8 miles, and watch for the Black Butte Trailhead sign. Turn left, and the trailhead is another 5.2 miles on a gravel road. The road is in good shape for the first four miles. At that point, the road makes a very sharp bend to the right, and a tempting red cinder road continues straight.

Take the hard right curve. From there, the road gets rough but is still passable for passenger cars. The parking area is about a mile ahead. An annual pass or a $5 day-use fee is required. Fee payment envelopes are available on-site.