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the Degree Confluence Project
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United States : Oregon

8.4 miles (13.5 km) SW of Lonerock (Gillian), Wheeler, OR, USA
Approx. altitude: 1354 m (4442 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap topo aerial ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 45°S 60°E

Accuracy: 5 m (16 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: View North #3: View East #4: View South #5: The confluence point lies on a grassy slope, among tree stumps #6: All zeros! (halfway between the Equator and the North Pole; ⅓-way around the world from the Greenwich Meridian)

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  45°N 120°W (visit #2)  

#1: View West

(visited by Ross Finlayson)

18-May-2015 -- My final confluence visit during this road trip was to this ‘Forgotten Confluence Point’ - visited for the first and only time in July 2001. Perhaps this point would have been visited more often if more people had realized the significance of this point: It’s halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, and ⅓-way around the world from the Greenwich Meridian. By my count, there are only 4 other Degree Confluence Points on land that rival this one in significance:

  1. The South Pole
  2. 45N 0, in France
  3. 0 120E (still unvisited), in Sulawesi, Indonesia
  4. 45N 120E (still unvisited), in Inner Mongolia, China

From Bend, I drove north on US-97, then turned eastward, passing through the small town of Antelope. I stopped briefly at the "Clarno Unit" of the "John Day Fossil Beds National Monument”. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend going here unless you had a reason to be in the area (as I did); the only fossils visible from the trail were barely-recognizable fossils of leaves and branches.

I then continued through the small town of Fossil (perhaps I might have found better fossils there?), then turned onto Kinzua Road, which eventually turns to gravel, changing its name to Lonerock Road. I think this is the same road that the previous visitor - James Jamison - took in 2001. However, one thing that has apparently changed since 2001 is that the end of Lonerock Road is blocked by a locked gate, at 44.98553°N 120.03941°W, just over 2 miles (as the crow flies) from the confluence point. The gate was signed “Private Road”, but not “No Trespassing”, so I decided to park here, and continue along the road on foot.

As I hiked along Lonerock Road, my GPS receiver noted several farm roads that might have been a shortcut towards the confluence point. Each of these was posted with “No Trespassing” signs noting that the land was owned by “Wilderness Unlimited”. (I learned afterwards that this is a private hunting club.) So I had to continue along the road as it meandered around, but eventually passed just 0.3 miles east of the point. I then hiked along a grassy, sparsely forested slope, until I reached the point, which lies in a clearing. Several tree stumps were visible nearby, showing that the area had been logged a few decades ago.

My hike to the confluence point was more than 4 miles each way, with about 800 feet of elevation gain.


 All pictures
#1: View West
#2: View North
#3: View East
#4: View South
#5: The confluence point lies on a grassy slope, among tree stumps
#6: All zeros! (halfway between the Equator and the North Pole; ⅓-way around the world from the Greenwich Meridian)
ALL: All pictures on one page