Maiden Peak
Encyclopedia
Maiden Peak is a steep-sided shield volcano
in the Cascade Range
of central Oregon
. It is the highest point in the 43 miles (69.2 km) distance between Mount Bachelor
and Diamond Peak
. Ice Age
glaciers carved a large cirque
into the northeast flank of the mountain, exposing magma
which hardened in the volcano's conduits
to form the numerous rock pinnacles now found in the upper part of the cirque.
The summit of Maiden Peak consists of a steeper cinder cone which sits atop the underlying shield volcano. It is located on the Cascade Crest, which forms the border between Lane County
and Deschutes County
.
A United States Forest Service
fire lookout tower
was built on the summit in 1923, but destroyed in 1958. A 5.8 miles (9.3 km) trail zigzags up to the summit from the southwest.
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
in the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
of central Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is the highest point in the 43 miles (69.2 km) distance between Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor, formerly named Bachelor Butte, is a stratovolcano atop a shield volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range of central Oregon.The Mount Bachelor ski area has operated on the mountain since 1958....
and Diamond Peak
Diamond Peak (Oregon)
Diamond Peak is a shield volcano in south west Oregon and is part of the Cascade Range. The mountain is located near Willamette Pass in the Diamond Peak Wilderness within the Willamette National Forest....
. Ice Age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
glaciers carved a large cirque
Cirque (landform)
thumb|250 px|Two cirques with semi-permanent snowpatches in [[Abisko National Park]], [[Sweden]].A cirque or corrie is an amphitheatre-like valley head, formed at the head of a valley glacier by erosion...
into the northeast flank of the mountain, exposing magma
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
which hardened in the volcano's conduits
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
to form the numerous rock pinnacles now found in the upper part of the cirque.
The summit of Maiden Peak consists of a steeper cinder cone which sits atop the underlying shield volcano. It is located on the Cascade Crest, which forms the border between Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
and Deschutes County
Deschutes County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Deschutes National Forest * Newberry National Volcanic Monument-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,367 people, 45,595 households, and 31,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 54,583...
.
A United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
fire lookout tower
Fire lookout tower
A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a "fire lookout" whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness...
was built on the summit in 1923, but destroyed in 1958. A 5.8 miles (9.3 km) trail zigzags up to the summit from the southwest.