Steens Mountain juts up a mile above the SE Oregon desert. The massive
fault block mountain is the largest such geologic formation in North
America. The Steens is one single mountain, not a mountain range, and
although it originates from the fiery volcanic history of Oregon, it is
not shaped like the classic shield volcanoes of the Cascade Range. The
Steens is an upheaved piece of the Earth's crust, characterized by its
steep, razor-edge eastern rim, which slopes gently to the west, dropping
from 9733 feet to 4000 feet over 20 miles. The Steens Mountain Recreation
Lands are administered by the Burns
District of the Bureau of Land Management. |
What makes the Steens a unique treasure are the 5 giant U-shaped
gorges, glaciated centuries ago in the last ice age. Kiger, Little
Blitzen, Big Indian, Little Indian, and Wildhorse Gorges are the major
scenic attractions, as seen here. Each plunges more than 3000 feet in
depth to streams designated as Wild or Scenic under the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act. Nearly 170,000 acres of Steens Mountain became designated Wilderness on 10/30/2000. The region has been formally studied for inclusion in the
National Park system and nearly became part of the 2000 round of Antiquities
Act national monuments. There are those who already treasure the region as Steens Mountain National
Park. |