Rocky Butte
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rocky Butte | |
|---|---|
 Rocky Butte from I-205 |
|
| Elevation | 612 feet (187 m)[1] |
| Location | Multnomah County, Oregon, USA |
| Range | Boring Lava Field |
| Coordinates | [2] |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Tabor |
Rocky Butte is an extinct volcanic cinder cone in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is one of three, along with Powell Butte, and Mount Tabor, inside the city that are each home to a city park, Rocky Butte playing host to Joseph Wood Hill Park. It is also part of the Boring Lava Field, a group of over 30 cinder cones in Oregon and Washington. The slopes of Rocky Butte are also home to the Rocky Butte Natural Area. In addition, it used to be home to a jail and now lies next to Interstate 205.
Formerly known as Wiberg Butte, a large quantity of rock was removed from the quarry on the east face of Rocky Butte in the 1940s for use in a new Multnomah County jail. After the jail was demolished in the 1980s, much of the stone was reused along the Historic Columbia River Highway. In the early 1900s, the Union Pacific Railroad had a spur into the east side of the Butte at a station named Quarry.[3]
[edit] Climbing
Rocky Butte is a popular location for rock climbers in the Portland area. It hosts approximately 150 routes which vary in difficulty and type. The majority of routes will be top-roped, though there are some options for Traditional climbing and Lead Climbing. The most popular climbs are on the section known as Video Bluff.
[edit] References
- ^ NGS Data Sheet for ROCKY BUTTE RESET. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Rocky Butte. Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
- ^ McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur [1928] (2003). Oregon Geographic Names, Seventh Edition, Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87595-277-1 (trade paperback), ISBN 0-87595-278-X (hardcover).
[edit] External links
- Rocky Butte, Portland, Oregon. USGS Cascades Volcanic Observatory. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
- Joseph Wood Hill Park. Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
- Rocky Butte Natural Area. Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
