Ranking Oregon's Ten Hardest Peaks (4K)

In this video we rank the top ten hardest peaks in the Oregon Cascades, in order of relative difficulty including information on what it takes to climb each peak. (please note that this list is just my own personal opinion) The goal of this video is to inspire and inform fellow climbers on what it takes to climb these beautiful mountains. Links for full videos are listed below for more details on what each climb is like.
0:00 - Intro
0:43 - Mt McLoughlin (10)
Full video: • Mt Mcloughlin Summit C...
1:25 - South Sister (9)
Full video: • South Sister Summit: B...
1:59 - Middle Sister (8)
Full Video: • Middle Sister Summit C...
3:14 - Mt Thielsen (7)
Full Video: • Mt Thielsen: Summer Su...
4:21 - Broken Top (6)
Full Video: • Broken Top: Summer Summit
5:46 - Mt Hood (5)
Full Video: • Mt Hood Summit: Pearly...
7:59 - Three Fingered Jack (4)
Full Video: • Three Fingered Jack: O...
9:54 - Mt Washington (3)
Full Video: • Mount Washington Summi...
12:36 - North Sister (2)
Full Video: • North Sister: Fall Sum...
15:16 - Mt Jefferson: (1)
Full Video: • Mt Jefferson summit: T...

[@jasondebaugh]

This is a great video guys. Thanks so much for putting it together.

[@frankblangeard8865]

I think the order in which you placed these mountains is spot on. I've climbed numbers 5 through 10. On Three Fingered Jack I did the crawl (unroped) but decided not to try the final climb to the summit. Numbers 1 through 4 are above my risk tolerance.

[@MountainMontage]

Yea, those last 4 are all very crumbly. Even being very careful there are a lot more objective hazards with rock fall.

[@reidmkerr]

I have always wanted to see a video about this. I think a tier list with quality would be fun too. I'd agree with most of what you said. Personally I think Thielsen is harder than Broken Top and Jefferson is easier than North but its all down to personal experiences I suppose. Great list overall! Thanks for the fun video.

[@MountainMontage]

Yes, it was hard to rank a few because for me personally I found North Sister harder than Jefferson, but primarily because we kept getting off route. And then taking in the need for snow and ice skills and the over all distance and EG. But yea, I hope this video helps people be prepared and informed!

[@2ddw]

@@MountainMontage Outside my skill level except for those you can hike up. But it is fun to see and know what's needed! Thanks!!

[@robertcounts5300]

I lived in Salem and Stayton from 1994 to 2000 so in my adventures in that area I wondered if people climbed those mountains. Now I know! Nothing like the "mountains" here in Arkansas where the highest is a little over 2,000 ft. Thanks for the videos.

[@MountainMontage]

Yea, PNW is hard to beat in the mountain department! Thanks for tuning in!

[@josanti9936]

Awesome information, thanks much!

[@MountainMontage]

No problem!

[@SomeDudeSomewhereOverThere]

Oh man, wishing you a speedy recovery! Thanks for the info!

[@MountainMontage]

Thanks, it's going very well. Pretty much fully healed in about 4 months and getting back into the mountains now!

[@Sonlight1964]

very well done.. I like all the info you provided and agree with your rankings!!

[@MountainMontage]

Thanks! Well have to get you up those last 2 soon!

[@randallgd]

Great info! So cool you guys do it together

[@MountainMontage]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@caitlinnorman1989]

this is awesome! thanks for the info

[@MountainMontage]

Thanks, no problem!

[@benjaminamericus1928]

Great video!

[@seananderson5450]

Nice thank you

[@MountainMontage]

No problem!

[@joshsrockclimbing6710]

Twin peaks in the wallowas should definitely be in this list . Also illumination rock(subpeak) might be the hardest in all of Oregon

[@MountainMontage]

Yea, for simplistically I just focused on the major cascade peaks. Also I have not personally done much in the Wallowas yet, but I hope to peak bag out there and make some videos at some point! And Illumination rock is certainly on my "someday" goals, but it is pretty rarely climbed.

[@MattCookOregon]

Ha i was thinking about doing this video and this recommendation came up.

[@MountainMontage]

Haha nice, what do you think about my order of difficulty ranking? Obviously it's subject to some opinions

[@MattCookOregon]

The video was obviously great with your climbing expertise. I would go 5 Washington, 4 hood, 3 three finger jack.

[@trevors_best_life]

Nice list and info. Should do a winter vs summer mountain list. North sister, Washington, Jefferson are so similar its hard to say what is harder. Each have some technical sections but all are fairly easy.

[@MountainMontage]

Thanks, yea I need more experience on these mountains in winter, most are less accessible, besides Hood, but I plan to keep growing my experience there. From a technical standpoint point those top 3 are fairly similar, but a big part of the "hardest" factor was also the mileage and elevation gain.

[@trevors_best_life]

@@MountainMontage I haven’t done Jefferson yet that will be my last one of them next year. I’m trying to complete all 21 prominent NW volcanoes hopefully I can complete them by next year but then my goal was to do them in the opposite season I did them. My biggest hurdle is I have to learn to ski so coming down will be easier. I’m always jealous of those skinning up and skiing down while i’m postholing. If you want to get together on a summit next year let me know, I’d be down.

[@MountainMontage]

@@trevors_best_life nice work! That is an awesome goal! I'm hoping to do some more volcano skiing this next year.

[@joehook9635]

Love the video but having come of age climbing in the cascades I don't miss that gnarly quasi rock.

[@MountainMontage]

I agree. Oregon cascade rock generally sucks!

[@manojhsvjkumar]

Nice video! I'm curious, do you encounter any wild animals while exploring these beautiful, isolated places? I'm from India, and most places here are filled with people.

[@mushroomsteve]

Yes, it is not unusual to encounter elk, bears, cougars, rattlesnakes, even wolves. There is also a variety of little critters like chipmunks, birds and squirrels.