Pilot Butte is located in the middle of Bend, Oregon. It is actually an extinct volcano that is about 500 feet above the surrounding city. The view from Pilot Butte is amazing. Near Bend is a set of mountain (also volcanic) that are called The Sisters. Further south from the Sisters is Mt Bachelor which is a popular skiing and snowboarding destination. Further n

orth from Sisters is Broken Back, Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson. You can understand why the city made the top into a scenic view.

My brother called me from work in the morning and suggested we meet for lunch. But, before lunch, we should hike up Pilot Butte. The hike, on the surface, seems pretty minor. It is only around a mile in length. What makes it a challenge is the fact that the mile is one hell of a steep mile. Each year, they hold the Pilot Butte Challenge where kids and adults can run up the butte and see if they can get the fastest time. At the base of the hike is a big board recording the times of men and women with age brackets starting 12 & under and going all the way to the over-90 division for each group. And, there are record holders in all brackets. It’s rather amazing.

I completely understand why my brother suggested this hike. It takes about 20 minutes (especially with a 6-year old), and it was a perfect way to spend a sunny 60 degree day in the high desert. Here are some pictures I took from the top:

These are a few of the Sisters. There are three of them in total.

Here is another broader shot of the view. You can see the mountains out in the distance and the city that grew up around the extinct volcano. Okay, you could see if it wasn’t the desert – but trust me, it is pretty populous.