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Located in an ignored area of Oregon this is a walk up peak with minimal technical climbing skills needed. There is some 3rd class climbing along a moderately exposed ridge near the top. You will find views from Hood to Shasta on the roomy summit, but probably not too many other people.
Activity Notes
Our route up Diamond Peak is not technical but is demanding in that there is a stretch of relatively steep scree that requires perseverance and a there are a few rocky areas to maneuver along the summit ridge. The mountain is what remains of a deeply eroded shield volcano. Into the latter half of the 20th century, there was one remaining glacier on the mountain. Many lakes surrounding the mountain fill depressions gouged out by the movement of glaciers – Odell and Crescent Lakes are the largest examples. Diamond Peak attains an elevation of about 8,750’ making it higher than Mt. St. Helens and the 11th highest mountain in the Oregon Cascades.
We will be backpacking in from the Rockpile Trailhead, starting at 11:30 AM on Thursday, August 28. The trailhead sits at approximately 5,200’ in elevation. We will travel about 2.5 to 3 miles and have a total elevation gain of around 1,000-1,200 feet, depending on where exactly we camp. We will likely camp at Rockpile Lake where there is sufficient flat area for setting up tents and access to water.
On Friday, August 29, we will depart camp at 7 AM. It will take about three to four hours to reach the summit from our camp. We will then reverse our route to camp. It will take perhaps two hours to return to camp. We will then break camp and head out. We should be back a the trail head no later than 6 PM and hopefully earlier. Total ascent on climb day is around 2,500 feet.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 180 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 3 hours |
| Distance - Round Trip | 11 miles |
| General Route Info | Several trailhead options exist for the start of this climb, all to the south of Diamond Peak: Rockpile Lake (≈5200 ft elev.), Diamond Peak (5489 ft elev.) and the PCT at Summit Lake (5601 ft elev.). Amount of cross-country travel and distance to summit varies depending upon which TH is chosen. All eventually end up on the south ridge. Access to any of these trailheads is limited by snowpack. |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in one day |
| Relevant Books | 75 Scrambles in Oregon, Best Non-technical Ascents by Barbara Bond Climbers Guide to Oregon by Nicholas Dodge |
| Relevant Maps | USGS 7 minute series, Diamond Peak and Emigrant Butte. |
| Useful Links | GPS Track GPS Coordinates Map |
