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Mount Jefferson

Climb 10 Volcanic Peaks in the Cascades near Bend, OR

These 10 volcanic peaks all make for incredibly attractive hiking or mountaineering objectives.

Alpine Climbing, Hiking Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Severe

Mount Jefferson
Mount Jefferson Photo: Jeff Kubina

Description

The Cascade Range is one of the most formidable mountain ranges in the Western USA. The range forms a part of the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, "the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean,” according to Wikipedia. This volcanic activity, including the only eruptions in the continental USA in recent history, has formed some of the tallest and most geographically-prominent mountains in North America.

While Mount Rainier and Mount Hood reign as two of the tallest and most renowned volcanic peaks in the Cascades, the spine of the mountains in Central Oregon is home to an impressive array of gorgeous volcanos that beckon hikers and mountaineers to try their luck on their steep, rocky slopes. The famous adventure town of Bend, Oregon, serves as the arrival and provisioning point for a slew of these peak climbs. This guidebook rounds up 10 of the most significant volcanic Cascade peaks near Bend.

On this list, you’ll find 10,495-foot Mount Jefferson, the second tallest peak in Oregon after Mount Hood. Close to Bend, the Three Sisters and Broken Top provide a lust-worthy checklist of craggy peak climbs, clustered close together. To the south, isolated volcanos like Mount Thielsen are slightly less trafficked, allowing you to escape some of the crowds.

And those are just the highlights. Dive into the respective descriptions of these ten mountain peaks, and decide which climb you’ll tackle next!

Sources: Wikipedia

Routes included

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