I hiked Mount McLoughlin (9,493 feet), a stratovolcano located near Medford, Oregon, on August 7th. I began my hike at 6:30 am, and followed a relatively flat trail through wooded terrain for several miles. The trail links up with the PCT for a short stretch, and then diverges up the east ridge of the volcano. I broke out of the trees by 8:30 am, with Mount Shasta coming in to view toward the south. The hike becomes steeper during the last mile and much more loose due to volcanic material strewn about. Luckily there is solid rock to climb, which provided a way to bypass the loose trail for the most part. By 10:00 am I summited. After a brief chat with another hiker, I took in the impressive views from the top, including glimpses of the rim of Crater Lake and the southern most "Sister" located on the distant north horizon. The summit is not wide by any means, and the terrain drops off dramatically on all sides, which was somewhat exhilarating until I dulled the sensation with my summit beer. By 10:30 am I decided to head back down the mountain, and reached my truck by 1:00 pm.
Google map location is here.
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