Activation Reports

Mt. Jefferson, considered one of if not the hardest summits in the state or Oregon to make it to. Having climbed (and activated) a lot of the big things that the Oregon cascades have to offer at this point, I can definitely confirm that this mountain isn’t a joke and requires a lot of serious mountaineering skills and conditioning in order to even be attempted since the combination of factors makes it a real challenge.

Summary - Green Mountain can be a short hike from a parking area right below the summit or a longer hike from the road below.  The drive up version is possible on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00AM to 6:00PM through a gate on NW Holly Road at (47.59245, -122.83445). The drive is Priusable, at least in good weather, and ends in a parking area with a vault toilet below the summit. A NW Discover Pass is required to park.  The vista - which is not the actual summit but in the AZ - has good views, trees to hang a wire, and picnic tables.

My three summit day plan was for naught. The road from highway 119 (47.47079, -123.21280) to Saddle, 1700, and Dow is bermed with concrete barriers.  The other potential ways in now have locked gates with no trespassing signs at (47.43676, -123.21622) and (47.42468, -123.20073), so even hiking in is out.

There might be a way in from the west side using power company roads but the sat images aren't encouraging.

My three summit day plan was for naught. The road from highway 119 (47.47079, -123.21280) to Saddle, 1700, and Dow is bermed with concrete barriers.  The other potential ways in now have locked gates with no trespassing signs at (47.43676, -123.21622) and (47.42468, -123.20073), so even hiking in is out.

There might be a way in from the west, under the power lines, but the sat images weren't encouraging. 

My three summit day plan was for naught. The road from highway 119 (47.47079, -123.21280) to Saddle, 1700, and Dow is bermed with concrete barriers.  The other potential ways in now have locked gates with no trespassing signs at (47.43676, -123.21622) and (47.42468, -123.20073), so even hiking in is out.

There might be a way in from the west, under the power lines, but the sat images weren't encouraging. 

Taylor Butte is on public land, but the road referred to in the previous write ups is now gated, locked and posted. Access still possible in theory, but not via road. I did not have time or information at the gate to figure an alternate route.

To reach East Green Mountain from Christmas Valley, take Millican Road north from Christmas Valley HWY. Cut over to Crack in the Ground Rd or alternatively take Crack in the Ground Road from Christmas Valley HWY. Crack in the Ground road is not paved, but fine for passenger vehicles.

I recommend stopping at Crack in the Ground Road for some Geo-Tourism. It is a short ~1mi out and back hike. Crack in the Ground is as the name describes and is a very cool fissure in the basalt.

After activating Little Glass Butte, I drove down the south side towards Round Top Butte (GPX). The road down was rocky with obsidian, be sure to collect some when you stop to open the wire gates. Once down the mountain, turn east and follow the ranch road. I parked at approximate 43.50076, -119.93735.

The drive from Glass Butte to Little Glass Butte looks straight forward on a map. It is anything but. 4wd is required and high clearance is recommended. If you do not have these, park at 43.53358, -119.97777 and hike up. Additionally, the rocks on the rough road are obsidian and can puncture tires. Thankfully this did not happen to me, but I was surprised. The road up from the parking coordinates is steep and I nearly stalled getting up it. Pumping the clutch kept me moving. Once up top it is a matter of navigating around ruts and obsidian rocks. I was about at my vehicle's limit.

Glass Buttes in central Oregon is a premier rockhounding location. The summit of Glass Butte is accessed off of Highway 20 up a well-maintained gravel road (GPS track). There are some small water bars on the road, a passenger vehicle could make it up no problem with careful driving.