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Past Activity

Mount McLoughlin Climb

  • Start date: 08/16/2026

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 08/16/2026

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

This climb starts with an exciting, early-morning crossing of the creek at the trailhead on a small log (hopefully still there!) suspended 8-10 ft above the creek. Once safely across, we will hike one and a half miles on well-graded maintained trails (including a bit of the PCT). From that point we follow the climbers trail where we will encounter steep (about 1500 ft/mile), rocky, loose class 2 travel to the summit. A few very short, easy scrambles may be negotiated along the way. Note that this is a very strenuous climb that gains about 3900 ft elevation in just over 4.5 miles (think Spencer Butte west trail 5-6 times in a row while carrying a 15-20 lb pack) with 3000 ft of that in the last 2 miles. Participants should be in top physical condition and capable of sustaining high effort for 4-6 hours in hot sunshine.

We will depart the trailhead at 5:30 AM, thus it is recommended that participants spend the night nearby rather than make the 3.5-4 hour drive from Eugene the same day. Dispersed camping is available as are several USFS campgrounds within 20-30 minutes of the trailhead. For those who wish to share transportation the suggested mileage donation to the driver is $48.40.

Photo by: Steve Davis

  • Event Leader: Steve Davis

  • Event Leader Phone: 832-527-1756

  • Event Leader Email: lunaripple1@gmail.com

  • Assistant Leader: Hilary Harris

  • Event category: Climbs

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 440

  • Season:

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Boots with heels, wool or synthetic fiber clothing for all weather conditions (no cotton!), daypack, trekking poles (optional), sun protection, 2.5-4 liters fluids (water, electrolyte drink), food for all day including easy to digest snacks for the climb up, Obsidians 10 essentials, personal 1st aid kit with blister dressings, personal medications.

  • participant prerequisites: Excellent physical conditioning, ability to sustain 4-6 hours of steep, loose, rocky uphill travel on non-maintained route.

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 9

  • Member Fees: —

  • Elevation Gain: 3900

  • Non-Member Fees: 35

  • Committee: Climbs

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

By headlamp in the pre-dawn dark, Hilary led nine Obsidians across the trailhead creek and up the trail toward the summit of Mt. McLoughlin. Four hours of difficult hiking and scrambling on loose, rocky, steep terrain landed us on top at mid-morning. Although a smokey haze muted the view, we were rewarded with the sight of upper Mt. Shasta, seemingly disembodied, floating above the haze layer in the south. To the north we caught vague glimpses of Diamond Pk, Mt. Thielsen, and Mt. Scott. After a summit snack and requisite photo ops, we packed up and followed Hilary back down the mountain to the trailhead, arriving in the early afternoon. For several in the party Mt. McLoughlin was the first major Oregon Cascades volcano on their tick list! Steve Davis (leader), Hilary Harris (co-leader), Steve Adams, Marti Gerdes, Sandra Sigrist, Miranda Trieston, Alex Lockhart, Jeff Orendorff, Ricky Orendorff.

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