Mount Scott rewards hikers with a peak experience
Mail Tribune
Medford, Oregon
September 29, 2006
By BILL KETTLER
You don’t have to be a mountain climber to tackle Mount Scott. The 10th highest peak in Oregon has a trail that’s so gently graded that anybody who can walk five miles can most likely reach the summit, and your reward will be a spectacular view of Crater Lake.
It’s 2.5 miles from the trailhead on Rim Drive to the summit, but there’s only about 1,000 feet of elevation gain along the way. That makes the trail doable for lots of people who would otherwise never consider climbing a mountain.
With its summit at 8,929 feet, Scott already has had one dusting of snow, and fall’s first big storm usually closes the trail for the duration of the winter.
October is a good time to make your ascent, especially if you don’t enjoy the sound of gunfire when you hike.
Hunting season opens this weekend, and hunters will be out in force in many areas of the national forests surrounding Crater Lake National Park, but hunting is prohibited within the park itself.
The mountain is named for Levi Scott, one of the lesser-known Oregon pioneers. Scott came to Oregon in 1844 and helped develop the Applegate Trail into Southern Oregon. Scottsburg, a nearly forgotten little town on the Umpqua River, also bears his name.
To get there, take Highway 62 to Crater Lake. Go four miles past the entrance station and turn right on East Rim Drive.
It’s about 13 miles to the trailhead, on the right side of the road.
The trail begins at 7,900 feet, in a landscape that supports few trees other than whitebark pines. It follows the remnants of an old road across the mountain’s southwest flank.
After about a mile, the trail begins to climb in switchbacks through the primal stuff of volcanoes — rocks, ash and pumice. The “climbing” isn’t technically difficult, but making your way through all the loose rocks will be lots easier if you wear sturdy shoes.
Remember to take plenty of water. The sun still has ample power on a sunny October day.
The view from the summit is a genuine peak experience. To really get oriented, bring a map with you to identify the neighboring mountains: spiky Mount Thielsen to the north, Mount Bailey off to the west; and Mount McLoughlin, Mount Shasta and Pelican Butte to the south.
And then of course there’s Crater Lake, huge and celestially blue. And here’s another bonus for all your effort: from Scott’s summit, it’s actually possible to crowd the whole lake into the viewfinder of most ordinary cameras.
Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492 or e-mail:bkettler@mailtribune.com
Other pages in this section
- Crater Lake Symposium Convenes Researchers – Fall/Winter 2006
- Brian Smith plans to answer call of world’s highest peak – December 31, 2006
- Survey says: Snow level ‘nearly normal’ – December 29, 2006
- Fatal crash closes Highway 97 – December 29, 2006
- Under proposal, Crater Lake entry fees would double – December 22, 2006
- Oregon Neutral In Shift From National Parks – December 15, 2006
- Big fee hikes at national parks are a bit too big – December 21, 2006
- Proposal would increase Crater Lake fees – December 18, 2006
- America’s Largest Bald Eagle Festival is President’s Day Weekend 2007 in the Klamath Basin of South Central Oregon – December 19, 2006
- Since You Asked: how much snow does Crater Lake get each winter? – December 14, 2006
- Volunteers become Park Service’s public face – November 28, 2006
- Pacific Crest Trail journey is a repeat performance – November 28, 2006
- Remembering a little boy lost – November 23, 2006
- Memorial Service Scheduled for Boy, 8, Lost at Crater Lake – November 18, 2006
- See old-growth, National Creek Falls on short trail – November 17, 2006
- Pine Beetles Can Set Stage for Disastrous Forest Fires – November 6, 2006
- Mom hopes to use dogs to find son – October 25, 2006
- Search for boy winds down – October 21, 2006
- Ceremony honors missing 8-year-old – October 21, 2006
- Search, hope for Portland boy all but over – October 21, 2006
- Searchers scour woods in vain – October 19, 2006
- Crater Lake Highway Renamed – October 18, 2006
- ‘Frustrating’ search – October 18, 2006
- Boulders, brush and bravery, but no boy – October 18, 2006
- Missing boy faces snow, wind – October 17, 2006
- Searchers continue to look for Portland boy missing near Crater Lake – October 17, 2006
- Snow slows search for boy missing at Crater Lake – October 17, 2006
- Massive search underway for Portland boy missing at Crater Lake – October 16, 2006
- Boy still missing at Crater Lake – October 16, 2006
- ‘The Good Fire’ – September 25, 2006
- Block Island will be featured on ABC show – September 22, 2006
- Bybee Complex Fires – September 14, 2006
- Snow job at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon – September 7, 2006
- Trees of heaven – September 7, 2006
- WebCam now available to view Crater Lake fire – September 7, 2006
- Natural end sought for Crater Lake fire – September 06, 2006
- Bybee Fire Complex Fact Sheet – September 2, 2006
- Crater Lake science and learning center opens – August 28, 2006
- Scientist to lecture about pines threatened by rust – August 27, 2006
- Lightning-stoked burns still growing – August 27, 2006
- Grand Opening of Science and Learning Center – August 24, 2006
- Newest Puzzle Fire near Mt. Jefferson tops 4,100 Acres – August 22, 2006
- Roving the Floor of Crater Lake – August 21, 2006
- Weather makes firefighters work harder – August 20, 2006
- Found in the ashes – August 20, 2006
- Crater Lake due for odd visitor – August 18, 2006
- Army veteran finally gets to run – August 14, 2006
- Crater Lake hosts marathon – August 13, 2006
- ‘What you see is what you get’ – August 12, 2006
- Tourists watch fire left to burn at Crater Lake – August 7, 2006
- Terry Richard picks Oregon’s best mountain hikes – August 6, 2006
- Bybee fire use update – August 3, 2006
- Crater Lake will help clear brush – August 1, 2006
- John Carl Owings – August 1, 2006
- Finding their place in the sun – August 1, 2006
- Building improvements, relocation of the primary parking lot – July 28, 2006
- ‘Vets’ highway’ idea reaches impasse – July 26, 2006
- The essence of Oregon summer: visiting Crater Lake – July 23, 2006
- Bill would boost size of Upper Klamath Refuge – July 10, 2006
- History into stories – July, 2006
- Find haven of coolness along Red Blanket Creek – July 14, 2006
- U.S. considers closer watch on volcanoes – July 13, 2006
- Lack of cash strains national parks – June 24, 2006
- Volcano Man: New Superintendent Enjoys Craters of the Moon – June 23, 2006
- Can bicycling be Oregon’s Maine event? – June 16, 2006
- Annie Creek Restaurant set to open at Crater Lake – May 25, 2006
- Rouse to mark 50 years – April 23, 2006
- Gerald L. ‘Gary’ Hathaway – December 12, 2001
- Senator Boxer announces National Scenic Byway grants for northern California All-American Road – March 31, 2006
- Walking on Crater Lake – February 21, 2006
- Dispute swirls around geothermal project – January 14, 2006
- William Arthur ‘Bill’ Bloom – January 13, 2006
- Crater restaurant-gift shop nears completion – January 05, 2006
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