Roxy Ann Peak, Volcanic mountain in Medford, Oregon, US.
Roxy Ann Peak is a volcanic mountain near Medford that rises roughly 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) above the Rogue Valley floor. Oak savannas cover the lower slopes, while denser coniferous forests grow higher up the mountain.
The mountain was named in 1853 by Missouri settlers who honored an early resident of the valley. European settlement in the region grew after this period, transforming the landscape and human use of the area.
The Latgawa called the peak Al-wiya and used it to gather acorns and hunt black-tailed deer and small birds. Settlers first named it Skinner Butte after Indian agent Alonzo A. Skinner, but by the late 1850s it was known for Roxy Ann Bowen, who with her husband John McKee and Stephen and Mary Taylor claimed almost the whole peak in 1853.
The main way to explore the mountain is through hiking trails in Prescott Park, with parking at the entrance on Roxy Ann Road north of Hillcrest Road. The trails are easiest to walk during drier months, and visitors should bring plenty of water and sturdy shoes.
The summit's erosion-resistant cap is made of younger basalt dikes and intrusions, K–Ar dated to 30.82 ± 2 million years ago. This hard layer likely explains why the peak stands isolated with its familiar conical shape. The oldest rocks below belong to the 35–50-million-year-old Payne Cliffs Formation of sandstone, shale and conglomerate.
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