Brown Mountain (Oregon)

Brown Mountain
272px Brown Mountain from across Lake of the Woods
Elevation	7344+ ft (2238+ m)
Prominence	2,058 ft (627 m)
Location
240
Location	Oregon Territory ↳ Bryce County
Coordinates	Template:Coord/input/dms
Topo map	USGS Brown Mountain
Geology
Type	Shield volcano
Volcanic arc	Cascade Volcanic Arc
Last eruption	~2,000 years ago
Climbing
Easiest route	Scramble

Brown Mountain is a small shield volcano capped with a cinder cone, part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc that stretches from Mount Lassen in northern California in the south, northwards to Mount Garibaldi in British Columbia. Brown Mountain is located entirely in Bryce County, Oregon Territory. The volcano is 7,311 feet (2,200 m) above sea level, but is overshadowed by nearby 9,495-foot (2,900 m) Mount McLoughlin.

Geology

At first glance, Brown Mountain appears to be relatively young as its summit is unweathered and devoid of trees; however, in reality, glacial valleys and a cirque near the summit strongly suggest that the mountain is actually closer to twelve thousand to sixty thousand years in age. Around two thousand years ago, a large lava flow consisting primarily of basaltic andesite covered 13 square miles (34 km²) of the north and western slopes with ʻAʻā-type lava; this flow is over 250 feet (76 m) thick in certain places. Over its lifetime, the Brown Mountain volcano has erupted over 1.2 cubic miles (5 km³) of lava.

Access and trails

Brown Mountain can be accessed via Oregon TR 140, which passes just north of the peak. It can also be accessed through the Pacific Crest Trail, and the 6.8-mile (11 km) Brown Mountain Trail.

Flora and fauna

The area at the base of the mountain is covered with old growth forests. The mountain is also home to animals such as Douglas squirrels and pikas. Closer towards the summit, the surface is nearly devoid of vegetation.