Oregon's 10 highest mountains: Can you identify them?

North Sister (10,085')Northernmost of the Three Sisters, this steep and rugged old volcano (“Faith”) is considered the most difficult to climb. Protected by Wilderness Area status, the mountain is accessible by trails from the east and McKenzie Pass from the north.South Sister (10,358’)The tallest of the Three Sisters, this dormant volcano has several large glaciers and a lake of melt water that briefly forms in its summit crater during warm summer weather.  Dominating the western skyline of Central Oregon, the Three Sisters peaks were originally dubbed Faith, Hope and Charity – the South Sister. The mountain is often climbed via a long cinder trail up its south slope via Century Drive.Mount Jefferson (10,497’)Oregon’s second tallest is located about 40 miles south of Mount Hood. The extinct Cascade Range volcano has a half-dozen glaciers. It was named in honor of President Jefferson by explorers Lewis & Clark in 1806. There are no roads or other development near this peak, encompassed by a wilderness area and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.View the list »
Mount Hood (11,235’)Oregon’s tallest peak, located 50 miles east of the state’s largest metropolitan area, is a dormant volcano with over a dozen glaciers. Historic Timberline Lodge and several ski resorts are located on the mountain’s south side, while much of the rest of the beautiful mountain is undeveloped wilderness.  It was named after British Admiral Hood and first climbed in 1857.

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Oregon has five summits over 10,000 feet, all of them located in the Cascade Mountain Range. The state has dozens of peaks that reach over 9,000 feet, however, including many in the Blue and Wallowa Mountain Ranges in the northeastern part of the state.

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Many readers may be able to correctly guess five of Oregon's tallest, including those closest to and readily visible from the state's population centers. But the sixth through tenth tallest mountains are rarely seen and unfamiliar to most Oregonians.

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  • Mount Hood (11,235’)Oregon’s tallest peak, located 50 miles east of the state’s largest metropolitan area, is a dormant volcano with over a dozen glaciers. Historic Timberline Lodge and several ski resorts are located on the mountain’s south side, while much of the rest of the beautiful mountain is undeveloped wilderness.  It was named after British Admiral Hood and first climbed in 1857.
  • Mount Jefferson (10,497’)Oregon’s second tallest is located about 40 miles south of Mount Hood. The extinct Cascade Range volcano has a half-dozen glaciers. It was named in honor of President Jefferson by explorers Lewis & Clark in 1806. There are no roads or other development near this peak, encompassed by a wilderness area and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
  • South Sister (10,358’)The tallest of the Three Sisters, this dormant volcano has several large glaciers and a lake of melt water that briefly forms in its summit crater during warm summer weather.  Dominating the western skyline of Central Oregon, the Three Sisters peaks were originally dubbed Faith, Hope and Charity – the South Sister. The mountain is often climbed via a long cinder trail up its south slope via Century Drive.
  • North Sister (10,085')Northernmost of the Three Sisters, this steep and rugged old volcano (“Faith”) is considered the most difficult to climb. Protected by Wilderness Area status, the mountain is accessible by trails from the east and McKenzie Pass from the north.
  • Middle Sister (10,047’)Sandwiched between the North and South Sisters, this high but unremarkable peak is considered the easiest to climb of the Three Sisters. The Collier Glacier, one of Oregon’s largest, originates on the northwest side of the Middle Sister, which is located in the center of the large Three Sisters Wilderness.
  • Sacajawea Peak (9,839’)Located deep in the Wallowa Mountain Range of northeastern Oregon, and protected within the Eagle Cap Wilderness, the state’s sixth tallest summit (shown on the distant ridge) is rarely visited or even seen. It is the highest point on a long ridge of multi-colored rock, often frequented by mountain goats.
  • Matterhorn Peak (9,832’)Located just a few miles south of Sacajawea Peak on the same lonely ridge in the northern Wallowa Mountain Range, Matterhorn Peak’s rounded summit above Ice Lake is no match for the famous, photogenic and dramatically pointed peak in Switzerland after which it was named.
  • Steens Mountain (9,733’)The highest point in the arid southeastern quarter of the state, Steens Mountain is the high point of a long ridge that towers above the Alvord Desert. It is the only mountain above 9,000 feet in Oregon with a road (open only in summer) that reaches within a few hundred yards of the summit.
  • Aneroid Mountain (9,702’)Also located in the Wallowa Mountains in the northeastern corner of the state, Aneroid Mountain is named for the aneroid barometer, an instrument used to determine atmospheric pressure and altitude. This lonely pyramid of volcanic rock overlooking Aneroid Lake is reachable only by trail.
  • Pete’s Point Mountain (9,675’)Standing about 10 miles southwest of Aneroid Mountain in the northeastern section of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, Pete’s Point is certainly the least known and least visited of Oregon’s ten highest peaks. From the nearest trailhead, it is a full day of hiking or horseback riding to reach this remote but beautiful mountain.
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, Portland Scenic Travel Examiner

John is an experienced outdoorsman, writer and photographer who has hiked, climbed, and rafted throughout the state. He has a special love for the high desert, and enjoys sharing tips and adventures from Eastern Oregon. to visit his website, www.byline-skyline.com, click here. Contact John at...

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