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What to do
A view of the butte
in winter. |
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Schonchin butte & Fire Lookout
Nature's garden is one way you can describe
Schonchin Butte. Throughout the late spring and summer, wildflowers can
be found in abundance. Climb the trail in early June to see the
beautiful cycladenia, yellow violet, and Anderson's larkspur. In years
of abundant snowfall and rain the spotted mountain bells may be
blooming. Look for them near the second bench provided for your rest
stops. Collomia, desert mint, Douglas catchfly, purple sage, and desert
buckwheat are only a few of the beauties to be enjoyed later in the
summer. Do take the trail for a glorious walk.
Another way to describe Schonchin Butte is it's the site of the Fire
Lookout. It is staffed from June through September. The lookout on duty
is constantly looking for smoke or fire in the monument and the
surrounding national forests. When a fire is spotted its location is
reported to the fire dispatcher in Alturas who notifies the appropriate
fire station. If the lookout isn't busy recording weather or other
duties, you may be invited in to see the operation. If there are
children in your party they may become Junior Fire Lookouts. The lookout
will explain the requirements and give them a Junior Fire Lookout badge
when the requirements are met. All in all, this is another exciting
reason for climbing Schonchin Butte.
Butte is a geological word for any landform that sticks up abruptly, but
cinder cone is a more descriptive geological way of describing this
landmark of the monument. Erupting more than 30,000 years ago, it spewed
ash and cinders into the air much like a can of soda when shaken. A lava
spatter rampart is at the very top. From the lookout panoramic views of
the Medicine Lake volcano, Mt. Shasta, Mt. McLoughlin, the Clear Lake
Hills and the Warner Mountains can be viewed and photographed. On a
really clear day, you can even see the south rim of Crater Lake. Below
the butte, lava flows and collapses are easy to pick out in the
landscape. This alone is reason enough to make the climb.
Come on, do it! It will be memorable!
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