Ski Your Local National Monument: Lava Butte

December 22nd, 2012

Skiers: Loren Griswold, Erik Schmidt, Kaya the Ski Dog and Lindsey Clark

Taking a shortcut through the lava flow on our way to Lava Butte

Every few years when we are really lucky, a big, low-elevation storm will cover Bend and the surrounding area with a respectable amount of snow. Sometimes even enough to start thinking about all the volcanic bumps around town that would be good to ski! One of those spots is Lava Butte, right next to Highway 97, about 10 miles south of town.

Lava Butte can look rocky, but it has a deep depression facing the highway that collects wind-deposited snow, and the resulting slope is steep enough that you get that nice pull of gravity on your skis as you make your way down.

A close to town, decently steep, untracked, show-off line next to the highway that is clearly visible to the hundreds of vehicles passing by? Yes please!



We came, we skied, we hit some rocks...

Kaya was pretty happy about her extra long dog walk!

And we were happy to get in an afternoon of novelty skiing!