Oregon Archives – Page 7 of 12 – GlassMountains Trip Reports

Oregon Isolation Peaks, August 2018

October 5, 2018 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

Oregon has 27 peaks with at least 25 miles of topographic isolation. Each of these peaks are at least 25 miles from any other peak having higher elevation. Topographic isolation is another way, beyond highest elevation and most topographic prominence, to identify potentially interesting peaks to visit.

In August I visited two Oregon Isolation Peaks. I enjoyed exploring parts of Oregon I had never before seen, though the visibility was poor due to wildfire smoke.

Juniper Mountain

On Tuesday August 21 I visited Juniper Mountain east of US Highway 395 between Lakeview and Burns in southeast Oregon. Juniper Mountain lies in the Bureau of Land Management’s Lakeview District and is bisected by the Lake and Harney County Lines. It is accessible by driving rangeland roads east of US 395. Good tires are reassuring on these sometimes rocky roads.

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Elkhorn Peak, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon, September 2017

September 29, 2017 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On September 16 Caleb and I climbed Elkhorn Peak in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and Wallowa Mountains of Northeast Oregon. Caleb and I met through our shared interest in exploring the highest and most prominent peaks of Oregon. He is generous in sharing his knowledge and experience with others. I enjoy sharing a climb with him when we can.

The South Gully of Elkhorn Peak from the Copper Creek Trail

I am aware of three Elkhorn Peaks in Oregon, one each in the Cascade, Elkhorn, and Wallowa Mountains. This Elkhorn Peak is the highest and most prominent of the three. It is the 21st highest peak in Oregon with 9233 feet of elevation and 1860 feet of prominence. It is located far up the Lostine Valley south of the town of Lostine. Its summit provides great views of the Wallowa Mountains.

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Siskiyou Prominence Peaks, Oregon, June 2017

July 5, 2017 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

In late June Linda and I and our canines established base camp at Lake Selmac in the SW Oregon Siskiyou Mountains. Linda found several bicycling routes to explore in the area while I hiked several Siskiyou Prominence Peaks. The canines enjoyed the new scents of the area but were glad to leave for the open Ponderosa Pine forests of home by the end of our visit. Before this visit the mountains I planned to visit were just names on a map. By the end of the week they each made an impression on me and I left the area with memories and a better appreciation of the Siskiyou Mountains than I had before.

Grayback Mountain

My first goal of the week, on Tuesday June 20, was Grayback Mountain, south of Applegate, Oregon. Grayback Mountain is the high point of Josephine County, Oregon with 7048 feet of elevation. It is also the 49th most prominent peak in Oregon with 2248 feet of prominence. Tuesday morning I drove up the Thompson Creek Road south of Applegate, then took a forest road to the Upper O’Brien Creek Trailhead. The last mile was a bit eroded but the drive in was not a problem for my Jeep.

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Southern Oregon Prominence Peaks, July 2016

July 15, 2016 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

My peakbagging focus since late spring has been Oregon Prominence Peaks. I realized early in this hiking season that I had the opportunity to make very good progress on the list of Oregon’s 100 most Prominent Peaks. After earlier trips to the Siskiyou Mountains and Blue Mountains I identified four Southern Oregon prominence peaks as my next priority. I broke up the project into two trips.

Mount Ashland

Mount Ashland is the 15th most prominent Oregon peak with 3131 feet of prominence. On July 5 I drove south to the Mount Ashland Ski Area by way of Lake of the Woods. From the Ski Area I followed forest road 20 west and parked in shade near the summit road.

I hiked the summit road to the summit located just east of the top of the summit lift. This was a pleasant road hike in ideal weather. I especially enjoyed the views of Mount Shasta and other peaks to the south.

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