WestSide
Kite Aerial Photography. This photo gives a better view of the top of Spencer Butte. 18 people in this photo and 33 cars in the main parking lot. A lot more than we used to see in the middle of winter.
The view is towards the North East. The north side is heavily forested with younger trees. With the exception of portions of the northeast flank, the butte was sparsely forested a couple hundred years ago. Oak, Maple, Ponderosa, and Fir grew in relative isolation on largely grassy slopes. Fire suppression and changing environmental conditions have allowed the forest to encroach on the summit from three sides. The lower northeast slope shows evidence of a long term and stable old growth forest with a fairly complex understory with a few rare endemics (i.e. a unique species of bug bane). Low down on the northeast flank is a raptor rehabilitation center. A few "tame" raptors spend time here after release.
For more info see the other photos in my photostream.
WestSide
Kite Aerial Photography. This photo gives a better view of the top of Spencer Butte. 18 people in this photo and 33 cars in the main parking lot. A lot more than we used to see in the middle of winter.
The view is towards the North East. The north side is heavily forested with younger trees. With the exception of portions of the northeast flank, the butte was sparsely forested a couple hundred years ago. Oak, Maple, Ponderosa, and Fir grew in relative isolation on largely grassy slopes. Fire suppression and changing environmental conditions have allowed the forest to encroach on the summit from three sides. The lower northeast slope shows evidence of a long term and stable old growth forest with a fairly complex understory with a few rare endemics (i.e. a unique species of bug bane). Low down on the northeast flank is a raptor rehabilitation center. A few "tame" raptors spend time here after release.
For more info see the other photos in my photostream.