Via Oregon - September/October 2020 - 36

OREGON

Mount Bachelor

TOP: Mount Bachelor's image reﬂects
in Sparks Lake. BOTTOM: The 12-mile
Deschutes River Trail runs through the
center of Bend.

Standing alone in central Oregon-
hence the name bachelor-this dormant cone-shaped volcano is both a
destination and, for many skiers and
hikers, a way of life. Drive the Cascade
Lakes National Scenic Byway from
Bend, and Mount Bachelor will soon
appear in its full glory. On most days,
you'll also see the Three Sisters, a
nearly-identical trio of volcanic peaks
that keep Mount Bachelor company to
the northwest. On Bachelor, the same
chairlifts that carry winter skiers up the slopes deliver sightseers from the West Village at 6,300 feet to the Pine Marten
Lodge at 7,800 feet. Hard-core hikers go on to bag the summit 2,600 feet above, but Scapolo's restaurant inside the lodge
offers mountain views (as well as burgers and pizza) without
the effort.
Bachelor provides a dramatic backdrop to Bend, a city
that runs on the outdoors. Here, the main thoroughfare is the
Deschutes River, a favorite spot for rafting and fly- fishing.
With miles of walking and biking trails in town, it's easy to
work up an appetite and thirst for Bend's restaurants and
microbreweries. Cover your bases with a bowl of beer cheese
soup at the Deschutes Brewery. Like the famous volcano
nearby, Bend stands apart.

CALIFORNIA

TOP: Grab a loaf of sourdough bread at
Berkeley's Cheese Board Collective.
BOTTOM: The easy, 1.7-mile Round Top
Loop Trail delivers scenic vistas.

V I A | S E PT E M B E R+ O CTO B E R 2 0 2 0

The tectonic forces that rattle the San Francisco Bay Area with earthquakes have also
built some beautiful landscapes, including a 10-million-year-old extinct volcano in
the hills above the East Bay. The volcano itself has folded and twisted over that time,
but ancient lava flows and clumps of ash that have hardened into rock tell the unmistakable story of the geologic past. Trail brochures at the unstaffed visitor center on
Skyline Boulevard describe the rock formations and points of interest. Take a short
hike to the tip of Round Top peak (elevation 1,763 feet) for
a volcano-top view of the bay.
The volcanic preserve shares the East Bay hills with
other gems such as Tilden Regional Park, a 2,000-acre
sanctuary where visitors of all ages traverse the hiking
trails and take spins on a hand-carved carousel. The park's
botanic garden brims with native California flora, including live oak, redwood, and manzanita, a hardy tree of the
chaparral biome. In July, blooms of red and yellow penstemons bring in crowds of hummingbirds. Happy pigs,
sheep, and chickens greet guests to Tilden's Little Farm.
A pizza from the Cheese Board Collective in nearby
Berkeley would make a great topper to the day. →

TOP TO BOTTOM: JESSE KRAFT / ALAMY; LOUIS AREVALO / TANDEM STOCK;
COURTESY CHEESE BOARD COLLECTIVE; JAMES BUETI

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

Via Oregon - September/October 2020

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