South Sister
Climb the tallest of Oregon's Three Sisters, the third tallest mountain in the state.
Severe Hiking
- Distance
- 19 km
- Ascent
- 1.5 km
- Descent
- 1.5 km
These 10 volcanic peaks all make for incredibly attractive hiking or mountaineering objectives.
Alpine Climbing, Hiking Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Severe
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
Climb the tallest of Oregon's Three Sisters, the third tallest mountain in the state.
Severe Hiking
Climb to the iconic volcanic summit towering above the Cascade Lakes Highway.
Severe Hiking
Technical ascent of Oregon's second-tallest volcano.
Difficult Alpine Climbing
The most technical of Oregon's Three Sisters.
Moderate Alpine Climbing
The shortest of the Three Sisters is still more technical to climb than the tallest.
Easy Alpine Climbing
27.4-mile loop in the Cascades that climbs an extinct shield volcano and tours lake-dotted landscapes in the Diamond Peak Wilderness
Severe Hiking
Panoramic hike to the highest point in the national park, and a phenomenal view over Crater Lake.
Difficult Hiking
A ridge hike and scramble to an impressive summit in the Three Sisters Wilderness.
Moderate Alpine Climbing
The standard route on one of Oregon’s most recognizable peaks.
Moderate Alpine Climbing
An alpine rock route to a summit smack in the middle of the Central Cascades.
Moderate Alpine Climbing
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