Mount Jefferson

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Mount Jefferson in Central Oregon

Mount Jefferson, situated within Linn, Jefferson and Marion Counties in Oregon’s Cascade Range, is a stratovolcano. It stands as the state’s second highest peak and comprises part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. Home to some of Oregon’s most rugged terrain, ascending this volcano is one of the Cascades’ greatest expeditions!

Mount Jefferson is a popular tourist destination, with visitors coming from all around the world to enjoy its recreational activities such as hiking, backpacking, mountaineering and photography. Its lush vegetation dotted with Douglas fir, silver fir, mountain hemlock pine trees provides a stunning backdrop for outdoor enthusiasts. There’s also an abundance of wildlife in this area – carnivores, insectivores bats and rodents can be found along with deer birds and other species thriving here.

The Explorers that First Reached the Snow Summit

Inhabited by local Native American populations, who referred to it as Seekseekqua, this volcano was eventually named after Thomas Jefferson, the United States President. In 1888 E. C. Cross and R. L. Farmer were the first adventurers to reach the summit.

Mount Jefferson is enveloped by an array of other volcanic structures, such as cinder cones and shield volcanoes. Tuyas, which are flat-topped mounds made from lava that seeped through ice sheets or glaciers, can also be seen here. According to the United States Geological Survey’s assessment, Mount Jefferson does not pose a large threat to future eruptions; however, many researchers still consider mudflows to be its most dangerous hazard.

Location of Mt. Jefferson

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Reviews

“One of my favorite places to hike into , lots of beauty to take in along the way . I always hike in from the Olallie/brightenbush side , it’s a nice 6 miles in from brightenbush lake , moderate hike , well worth the work . These pictures are from July a few years back , a hike we did south to big Lake on the PCT , as you can tell , we got up there a bit early .”

Alusivekarma FPV

“Mt Jefferson is the second highest mountain and one of my favorite places in Oregon. With its jagged cliffs and glaciers, it is quite picturesque. In addition to this lakes can be found at a range of elevations surrounding the mountain as well as viewpoints atop buttes and peaks. I especially like Jefferson Park and Park Ridge. Its lakes and wildflowers are irresistible. The waters are cold and clean. Creeks flow from Whitewater Glacier on Mt Jefferson as well as from Park Ridge and Park Butte. Meadows of wildflowers flow down slopes to the lakes. Russell and Scout Lake are quite popular near the trail. Hidden off the beaten track are other lakes and tarns. There are a few ways to get here. The recent forest fires present a challenge and have burnt much of the region. In 2017 the Whitewater Fire burnt that trail. In 2020 the Lionshead Fire swept through the park. Hopefully the park will recover soon.”

Misty Schulz

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