| The Blue Mountains  The Canyon of the John Day River This month we turn our attention to the Blue Mountains of Oregon, known by some as the American Alps. This mountain range is unique in that it is composed mostly of granite rather than the basalt the covers most of the state. Its location also adds to the “exotic” nature of the region; the Blue Mountains are situated in the middle of an arid region, yet life abounds due to the high elevation. Visit this area of the 33rd state. You won’t be disappointed. Location The region known as Blue Mountains encompasses 4,060 square miles in a southwest to northeast arc from central Oregon, near the city of Bend, into Washington and Idaho. The region includes three major mountain ranges: the Ochoco, the Blue (which peaks at 9,038 feet), and the Wallowa; it also includes two major rivers: the Snake and Columbia. History The Blue Mountain region has a complex history of geologic development, which I will attempt to condense into a short paragraph here. From the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: “This area is made up of separate "exotic terranes," areas that were created elsewhere and scooped up by North America as it moved west toward the Pacific.” (http://www.oregongeology.org/sub/learnmore/blue%20mountains.HTM) The exact age of the entire region is not known, but some portions have been dated to at least 290 million years old. The area boasts the largest concentration of granite in the state owing to its creation elsewhere; it was not created as part of the North American plate. Climate Climate here is as varied as the geology and ecosystem. Average annual precipitation ranges from 15 inches in the west to 60 inches in the east, with much of it in the form of thunderstorms and snow. Because of the high elevations of the Blue and Wallowa Mountains, plus their proximity to the Columbia River Gorge, the eastern portion of the region capture moisture from the Pacific in amounts greater than the Willamette Valley. This makes the northeast corner of Oregon inhabitable because of the summer snow melt that keeps the local rivers flowing. Temperatures are all over the map, so to speak, with summer highs up to the 110s and winter lows down to -35F. Ecosystem Fourteen ecoregions divide the Blue Mountain province, from semi-arid to Alpine, allowing for wide variations in landscape and ecosystems. The lowest elevations to the west contain similar wildlife found in the Deschutes Columbia Plateau discussed last month. To the east, the mountains rise into sub-Alpine elevations, with the highest peaks above tree line containing glaciers. The mountains eastern portion contains coniferous forests, with Ponderosa pine being the dominant tree species. The Ochoco Mountains are a transition zone from desert to Alpine and are similar in vegetation to the eastern Cascades. Animals are numerous throughout every ecoregion and include sheep, bear, mountain lion, and even a few wolves (many more species live in the Blue Mountain area than can be listed here).
Human Activity Human activity has occurred in this part of the state for thousands of years, beginning with Native Americans. More recently, European settlers traveled through the area on the Oregon Trail from Missouri to the Willamette Valley. Gold prospecting was big business in the late 1800s and continues today, though at a much smaller scale. In a future edition of this column, I will share with you one of my own personal prospecting adventures near Baker City. Farming and ranching are the largest industries today, due to extensive irrigation from the Snake, Columbia, and local rivers. The largest cities are Pendleton, La Grande, and Baker City. The I-84 freeway makes quick work of exploring the eastern half of the region. Things to See Looking at a map of the Blue Mountain region, one might think there is not much to do here. Quite the contrary! Hiking, camping, and rafting abound, but here are a few specific places to visit: Pendleton Roundup, one of the
largest rodeos in the country: http://www.pendletonroundup.com/ If You Go: The area is a patchwork of state, Federal, and private land. As with any other section of the country, be sure to have a current map to avoid possible trespassing. When in the Blue Mountain range, don’t assume the weather will cooperate, even in August. For the most current information and conditions, visit the local Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management offices and be sure to check National Weather Service forecasts. That's the Blue Mountain region of Oregon in a brief summary. There are three more regions to explore before I focus on specific features beginning in June.
 Original text © 2010 S. Skiles |