- Oregon County HP: #17
- Difficulty: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (on a scale of 5)
- Summit Elevation: 4,751 feet
- Mountain Range: Cascade Mountains
- Ancestral Lands: Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla; Cowlitz; Cascades; Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde; and Confederated Tribes of the Siletz
PLANNING DETAILS
Location: Buck Peak is located the in the Mount Hood National Forest an 80-mile drive from Portland. The closest town with amenities is Hood River, Oregon.
When to Visit: July to October. This northern Oregon peak is accessed by hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which is covered in snow until at least mid-June annually. This stretch of the PCT also has steep slopes and drop-offs beside the trail which makes crossing any snow more hazardous than normal.
Fees/Permits Required: No permits are required to hike to this high point. However, visitors who wish to use the trailheads from Lost Lake will need to pay a $15 day-use fee to the Lost Lake Resort.
Getting There: Buck Peak is most easily accessed from Lost Lake, which sits 26 miles south of Hood River, Oregon.
Directions from Portland:
- From downtown, drive east on I-84 toward The Dalles.
- Exit I-84 at Hood River (exit 62). Turn right onto US-30 / Cascade Ave. and drive east for 1.2 miles.
- As you enter Hood River, turn right at 13th Street (this street is becomes OR-281) and drive south for 12 miles until you reach the signs/right turn lane for Lost Lake.
- Turn right onto Lost Lake Road and drive 14 miles southwest to the entrance of Lost Lake Resort. The road will automatically change names to NF-13, and signs for Lost Lake will be located at all critical junctions.
- Visitors are required to pay a day-use fee at the entrance gate. Once this is complete, follow the signs through the campground to the Group/Organization Campground at the southern end of the lake. This is the closest parking area to the Huckleberry Mountain Trail.
Parking: Parking at Lost Lake is primary located at the northern end of lake near the General Store and the boat ramp. However, using either of these lots will add 2 miles (roundtrip) to this hike. Highpointers looking for a <15-mike hike should consider using in the paved parking areas at southerns end of Lost Lake near the Group/Organization Campground and Horse Camp.
Pets Allowed: Yes.
Kid Friendly: This hike is best for children 12 years or older due to the length of this hike and the unmaintained trail during the final 0.5 mile before the summit.
Hiking Distance: 12.7 miles (round-trip) from Lost Lake’s southern end/Huckleberry Trail.
The Summit: Buck Peak’s summit is surrounded by trees with a wooden sign listing the peak’s name and elevation. A summit register is located in a plastic jar at the base of the tree. From the edge of the summit’s tree line, visitors can see Mt. Hood (Oregon’s highest peak) and Lost Lake to the southeast.
TRIP SUMMARY
Date Visited: June 20, 2024
Route Used: Huckleberry Trail and Pacific Crest Trail from Lost Lake – 12.7 miles (round-trip)
After successfully nabbing two snow-free Oregon county high points in mid-June (Brandy Peak at 5,302 feet elevation and Mt. Bolivar at 4,319 feet), I convinced myself that the conditions were 100% fine to take on Buck Peak’s moderate 4,751 feet.
There was just one major flaw with this logic though. Those other two county high points were in the southeastern part of the state, whereas Buck Peak is the high point of Multnomah County (home to Portland, Oregon). It sits nestled between Mt. Hood and the Columbia River. So despite Buck Peak begin similar in elevation as those other two CoHPs, the trail conditions in northern Oregon were a whole different game.
My trip to this county high point started out with a 200-mile drive up from Eugene. The sun was already up when I rolled out of my driveway at 5:30 am, because today was the summer solstice. It was the most daylight we’d get in 2024, making for a great day for a highpointing adventure.
The drive north to Portland was a relatively quick, and I only hit one snag in traffic on I-5 (thanks to an accident on the opposite side the interstate near Salem). Once in Portland, my drive east through the Columbia River Gorge was equally painless. There was little traffic on I-84. Even the parking area for Multnomah Falls was barely half full.
During my research for this high point, I discovered there were a handful of places I could start my trek up to Buck Peak. Nonetheless, I’d opted for the most popular (and shortest) route. That meant I was heading out to Lost Lake, a remote and scenic lake in the Cascade Mountains located about 25 miles south of the town of Hood River.
Lucky for me Lost Lake is a very popular place for people in the Pacific Northwest to camp, fish, and kayak. So there were plenty of signs directing me there. And as a bonus, I was on paved roads the entire way into the Hood National Forest.
The only downside to using this nearly 13-mile route up to Buck Peak was the trailhead access. Lost Lake sits within the part of the national forest run by the Lost Lake Resort – a local concessionaire that operates and maintains the public campground on the lake’s eastern side. I’d have to pay a $15 day-use fee just to park at the trailhead.
In exchange for my $15, the gal at the entrance gate handed me a resort map and a parking pass. I disregarded her suggestion to head toward the general store on the lake’s northern end. I wasn’t here to splash in the lake like the majority of visitors. And parking in the normal day-use areas would have added two unnecessary miles to my already long hike.
Instead, I took a sharp left turn, and drove through the entire campground area to the far southern end of the lake near Organization (group) camping area and Horse Camp. This parking area got me to a reasonable 1/4-mile of the Huckleberry Mountain Trail, unlike the main day-use areas on the other end of the lake.
Once parked, I grabbed my daypack, water, and half heartedly wondered if I really needed the single trekking pole sitting in the back of my car. (I would 100% need it, I just didn’t know it yet).
After finding my way down to the water’s edge and onto the Lakeside Trail (which encircles Lost Lake), I started walking clockwise toward to the southernmost end of the lake. Barely 3 minutes later, I was met with large wooden sign that let me know my highpointing fun was about to begin! I’d found the start of the Huckleberry Mountain Trail.
Over the next two miles, the Huckleberry Mountain Trail climbed from the lake at 3,200 feet elevation up to where the Pacific Crest Trail ran along the backbone of the Cascade Mountains.
The Huckleberry Mountain Trail was in great condition and well-maintained. But, it also provided some foreshadowing of the challenges to come. Patches of snow appeared across the trail as I approached the northeast side of Devil’s Pulpit at 3,900-feet. None of it was terribly treacherous though. The trail was still easy to follow, and the snow was mostly level in the places where it impeded my visibility.
As the trail curved around to the south side of Devil’s Pulpit and continued climbing toward the PCT, the snow seemed to disappear again and was replaced by wildflowers. I was making good progress, and I figured I would be at the top of Multnomah County in 3 hours. Or possibly even less.
About 45 minutes into my hike, I reached the PCT and said hello to my familiar friend. I’d spent a good bit of last summer hiking through Oregon on the PCT with a close friend. She had an unfortunate fall in a burn area near Crater Lake, and her subsequent trip to the ER for stitches ended her trek last summer. Yet despite this mishap, I still have a huge fondness for the PCT and hope to someday make the time to hike the entire 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada.
Heading north on the PCT, I was now a mere four miles from my destination. I should have been an easy trek up and down the rolling hills of well-defined PCT on this warm summer day. And that’s exactly what it was at first – nice easy hiking amid the evergreen trees.
At one curve in the trail, I was treated to Lost Lake down below me with its sapphire blue water sparkling under the sun. And in the distance, I could spot Mt. Adams and its snow-capped peak poking above the green curves on the horizon. The views up here were fantastic! I couldn’t wait to summit Buck Peak and see Mt. Hood to my south on this clear, sunny day.
But my bubble was soon burst. The trail ahead of me wasn’t the easy tread I’d been hoping for. Snow spread across my path. Sometimes it covered the trail under just a foot or two and I was able to navigate it quickly. Other times it was 4-6 feet deep and presented a bigger obstacle.
Thank goodness I had a trekking pole to help me work my way over the snow. But it was also too bad that I didn’t have forethought to bring my microspikes. Instead, I found that I had to kick steps up the icy snow piles and my forward progress slowed significantly.
The patches of snow usually didn’t last long, and then I would be back on trail again. And sometimes, I could even skirt the edge of the PCT where the snow seemed to have melted down the slope. But other times, there was not way to avoid it. Up and over, I went.
It was all going along well until I met a patch of snow that was sketchier than anything I’d encountered thus far. The sharp slope above the trail was covered in snow. The equally sharp slope below the trail was covered in snow. And the snow across my path seemed to be canted at 45-degree angle. It seemed impassible with any traction devices..
How the heck was I going to continue north across this? And what if I took a misstep and slid down the hillside? I’d already fallen once on an icy patch and gouged pea-sized chunk from the skin on my palm. Should I just turn back? How much worse was the snow up ahead?
All these thoughts swirled in my head and I wondered if it was simply too early in the season. Maybe if I’d brought my microspikes, this wouldn’t be so treacherous. But each snow pile that I encountered on this part of the PCT seemed to get worse and worse.
I decided to just take them one at a time, working my way slowly north to see if the snow cleared out as the trail continued north. I keep coming across sunny areas of trail that had no snow on them whatsoever. But then the trail would turn toward the shade again, and I was back to sketchy slopes of snow all over again.
During one of my dry stretches, I crossed path with a PCT hiker heading southbound and asked him about the trail conditions up ahead of me. He had his microspikes off and was carrying them in one hand and looked dejected. He begun at Cascade Locks the prior day (roughly 23 miles to our north) and he said he was getting tired of the snow forcing him to make such slow progress.
He was getting off at Lolo Pass and letting the trail thaw a bit more. If the trail conditions were this bad here, it was bound to be much worse as he approached Mt. Hood’s northern side. I didn’t disagree with him. This wasn’t the best way to experience the PCT. And if he had the time to let the trail thaw out even by a week or two, he was bound to have a better time, for sure.
I bid him goodbye and returned to the on-and-off snow banks, finding my rhythm as I made my way slowly north. About 15 minutes further up the trail, I saw two more backpackers sitting on a dry section of trail eating their lunch. My stomach grumbled at the sight, but I was now less than 1/3 of a mile from my turn to the trail to Buck Peak. I just needed to make it to that junction and then up the 0.5-mile trail to the summit.
The snow seemed to abate briefly and I picked up my pace, only to completely miss my turn! I’d been expecting a sign for the Buck Peak Trail, but there was none. The entrance to the summit trail was fairly overgrown, and I walked right past it and had to backtrack once I realized my mistake.
The faint tread of the summit trail was still there, buried under the overgrown bushes now scratching up my bare legs. In addition to microspikes, I really wish I’d brought pants on this highpointing adventure! But it was a lovely summer day in the 80s, so I hadn’t bothered. As a result, I would emerge on the summit of Buck Peak with my shins and thighs looking like I’d just lost a fight with a bunch of feral cats.
There were a few downed trees laying across the trail, that slowed my progress even more than the brush growing across the path. But at least there was no snow to navigate. And I got some lovely views on the way up, including one spot where rockfall covered the hillside and parted the trees.
The bushes tamed themselves during the final 0.1-mile push to the summit. And then I made one last turn and found myself standing face-to-face with a sign nailed to a tree announcing I’d made it to the top!
The summit was covered with more trees and a fair bit of snow. If there was a geodetic survey monument up here, it was probably still buried under the snow heap. But I did find the small (albeit wet) summit register sitting inside a clear gelato container at the base of the tree with the Buck Peak sign.
I’d been hoping for panoramic views of Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood from the top of this peak, but there were simply too many tall trees covering the summit. I could step out from the trees and get the views on one side, but I wouldn’t get the chance to see both volcanic peaks at the exact same time. Oh well, I guess the views of Mt. Hood and Lost Lake would just have to suffice!
After eating lunch, it was time to make my way back through the treacherous snow and down to Lost Lake. It took me 3.25 hours to hike the 7+ miles to the top of Buck Peak, and I was hoping the descent would be much shorter. I’d kicked steps into the snow on my way up here, so at least I knew had a safe path to follow on my return.
I made pretty good time as I headed south on the PCT and even caught up with the two young backpackers I’d seen eating their lunch on trail. I could hear them speaking with an accent and asked where they were visiting from. It turns out they were both from Belgium – land of Godiva chocolate, fancy waffles, and beer!
Despite my faster pace, I didn’t catch the first backpacker I’d encountered on the PCT. And soon it was time to turn back down the Huckleberry Mountain Trail for my final two miles of the hike. But I did cross paths with a woman out hiking with her dog, who seemed to be very interested in eating as much of the lingering snow as possible though. I guess that’s as close a he’ll come to getting a sno-cone!!
All told, the descent was much easier, and I made it back to the trailhead just 2.5 hours after departing Buck Peak’s summit. The snow was still a factor on my return, and I’d definitely recommend others wait until early July before attempting this county high point. You might have to deal with more summertime bugs, but that’s far easier than stretches of sketchy snow where one good fall could end your hike.
BONUS MATERIAL
Alternate Routes:
- Lolo Pass. Visitors who wish to avoid paying the $15 day-use fee at Lost Lake can access Buck Peak further south using the Lolo Pass Trailhead on NF-18. This trailhead near Zigzag, OR, is a popular access point for both the PCT and the Timberline Trail – the 39-mile trail encircling Mt. Hood. At 16 miles, (roundtrip) this alternate route is only slightly longer than the Huckleberry Mountain Trail and begins/end on the PCT.
- Wahtum Lake. Visitors who want to approach Buck peak from the north can also use the Wahtum Lake Trailhead. This 18.2-mile (roundtrip) hiking route follows the south side of Wahtum Lake for 0.4 miles before heading south on the PCT for 8.25 miles, and then turning east onto the 0.5 summit trail to Buck Peak. There is a $10 day-use fee to park at this trailhead; however, the Northwest Forest Pass may be used in lieu of payment.
Camping Nearby:
- Lost Lake Resort is a large public campground (operated by a concessionaire) in the Mount Hood National Forest. This popular lakeside campground offers 148 reservable and first come, first serve camp sites and yurts. Amenities include a general store, boat ramp and rentals, access to hiking trails, vault toilets, trash dumpsters, and water spigots. Cost: $43/night for tent sites; $48/night for RV sites (no electric/water).
- Ainsworth State Park is a popular seasonal campground in the Columbia River Gorge near Cascade Locks, OR. The campground is open from late March to late October and has 40 full hook-up campsites, 6 walk-in tent sites with parking nearby, flush toilets, and access to hiking trails. Cost: $17/night for walk-in tent sites; $26/night for full hook-up sites.
Resources:
- Highpointing Buck Peak (Peakbagger)
- Huckleberry Mountain Trail #617 (USFS)
- Buck Peak (SummitPost)
