#mt. thielsen

[spiritheyregone]

Klamath Marsh and Mount Thielsen. (Wikipedia)

[pcttrailsidereader]

Tipsoo Peak area looking south to Thielsen

I would contend that much of the Oregon PCT gets minimal appreciation especially from thru-hikers. Indicative of this lack of appreciation is the Oregon Challenge, which we have mentioned before. The Challenge is to walk Oregon's 460 miles of the PCT in two weeks. By the time, NOBO thru-hikers reach Oregon they have experienced the arid beauty of the desert, the dramatic vistas of the High Sierra, and have already tired of the long stretches of trees of Northern California. Oregon becomes endless forest and relatively flat trail perfect for making time with a begrudging nod to Crater Lake, Jefferson Park, and the section from Timberline Lodge to Eagle Creek.

Diamond Peak

So in my on-going effort to highlight under-appreciated stretches of the PCT, I am including entirety of Oregon, mosquitoes and all. I might specifically suggest a quiet stretch from Mt. Thielsen past Diamond Peak. The three photos in this post all come from that section of the PCT.

Mt. Thielsen

There is much to be said for the Oregon PCT.

[frommylimitedtravels]

When the view out the windshield is good.

[pcttrailsidereader]

The view from Tipsoo Peak (8,000′) looking south.  At 7,560 feet, the pass near here is the highest point on the PCT in both Oregon and Washington.  The distinctive peak jutting skyward in the distance in Mt. Thielsen (aka Big Cowhorn or the ‘lightning rod of the Cascades’).  It is an interesting story (see the entry linked below):

https://pcttrailsidereader.com/search/Thielsen

[pcttrailsidereader]

At first glance, you may have assumed that this peak was Mt. Rainier as seen from the Goat Rocks.  Look again, carefully.  This view is from a short side trip rarely taken up Mt. Eddy near Deadfall Lakes north of Castle Crags. Named after Olive Paddock Eddy, the first woman to climb Mt. Shasta, this peak just noses above 9,000′ but offers an awesome view of Mt. Shasta.

Our final photo set from the PCT photos of Dave Reneau.

This photo is of Mt. Thielsen also known as Big Cowhorn or the Lightning Rod of the Cascades.  I highly recommend that you revisit the profile we recently did on this very intriguing peak: https://pcttrailsidereader.com/post/610956651980275712/mt-thielsen-big-cowhorn-or-lightning-rod-of

The PCT near North Sister

Dave Reneau modelling the new reality in our COVID-19 world. Thanks, Dave, for your photos!  We welcome photos from others.  Send them to [email protected] . . . we will always give you full credit and, with your help, some backstory for the images.

[pcttrailsidereader]

Mt. Thielsen, Big Cowhorn, or ‘lightning rod of the Cascades’

As we continue our  review of Oregon peaks along the PCT, Mount Thielsen (9,183′) or Big Cowhorn is an extinct shield volcano north of Crater Lake and south of Diamond Peak and Cowhorn Mountain. Because eruptive activity ceased 250,000 years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano's structure, creating precipitous slopes and the distinctive horn-like peak. Interestingly, the spire-like shape of Thielsen attracts lightning strikes and creates fulgurite, an unusual mineral.  Not far north of Thielsen the PCT reaches the high point (7,560′) in elevation on the entirety of the Oregon/Washington PCT near the very nondescript but view-filled Tipsoo Peak.

The view from Tipsoo Peak looking south toward Mt. Thielsen

The area surrounding the volcano was originally inhabited by Chinook Native Americans, and was later encountered by Polish settlers. One of the visitors was Jon Hurlburt, an early explorer of the area who named the volcano after the engineer Hans Thielsen.

I find the most intriguing fact about Mt. Thielsen relates to the high frequency of lightning strikes that blast the very peak. As noted earlier, when lightning strikes and melts rock it forms fulgurites. On Thielsen these fulgurites are restricted to the very pinnacle of the mountain, only found between the top 5 feet and 10 feet of its summit. Lightning strikes create patches of "brownish black to olive-black glass" that resemble "greasy splotches of enamel paint". These range from a few centimeters in diameter to long, narrow lines up to 12 inches long.

Fulgurite

[pcttrailsidereader]

Mark aka ‘Uphill’ has reached central Oregon as of mid-July, 85 days into his thru-hike.  This photo of North Sister, one of the trio of volcanoes lying just south of McKenzie Pass.  I think of the Oregon’s volcanoes as a string of pearls beginning with Mt. McLoughlin in the south and ending with Mt. Hood in the north . . . with Mt. Mazama, Mt. Thielsen, Diamond Peak, the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, Three-Fingered Jack, and Mt. Jefferson along the way.

South Sister looking north toward Jefferson and Hood

North Sister, also known as "Faith", is the oldest and most highly eroded of the North, Middle, and South Sisters. It is a shield volcano that overlays a more ancient shield volcano named Little Brother. North Sister (10,090′) last erupted about 46,000 years ago.  It is South Sister (10,363′) or ‘Charity’ that you need to keep an eye on . . . it last erupted about 2,000 years ago.

Follow Uphill’s progress north on his blog:

http://uphillhikes.com/category/pacific-crest-trail/pct-thru/

[pcttrailsidereader]

These photos were taken along the PCT by Weathercarrot back in 2012.  The top image is of iconic Wizard Island in Crater Lake.  The bottom left is the iconic Mt. Thielsen (9, 183′) just a little farther north.

Wizard Island was created as a part of the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Mazama some 7,700 years ago. It is a volcanic cinder cone which forms an island at the west end of Crater Lake. The top of the island (6,933′) is about 755 feet above the average surface of the lake.