Larch Mountain (Multnomah Falls)

Activity Notes

Let's do a mid-April hike to the top of Larch Mountain. We'll start at Multnomah Falls and more or less follow the creek uphill, ending up at Sherrard Point overlooking its source in the crater below. If the weather is good, we can catch a spectacular panoramic view of several volcanoes around us. In any weather, we will pause, press F to pay our respects to the wrecked car that is surely still reposing amongst the trees at the top, now some seven months after it was first spotted by surprised hikers in September 2024.

The trail is about 23 km/+1300 m (14 mi/+4000 ft) distance/elevation. It doesn't really have any steep sections, but has a few places where we need to be cautious. As I remember it, there's a narrow section past a tree root where we need to step carefully, and a "high-water" detour we might need to take if the creek is running high. There are some downed trees in a burned section that we'll need to hop over/around. The bridge in this section is out according to the most recent reports, so we'll need to cross the creek without it. Finally, there should be snow near the top, so we may be well-served by microspikes, should conditions turn icy.