Cowhorn Mountain, West Ridge

Activity Notes

At 7,664 feet Cowhorn Mountain is the high point halfway between Mt. Thielsen and Diamond Peak. This rocky-topped peak has great views from Crater Lake to the Three Sisters. The summit has a Class 2/3 scramble after a mostly gentle hike along the Windy Pass trail. Approximately 9 miles round trip and 1,900 feet elevation. ?In pioneer days it was know as Little Cowhorn to distinguish it from Big Cowhorn, now Mount Thielsen. It had a peculiar spire or rock pinnacle on its summit, making it resemble Mount Thielsen, and the two peaks were named because of the resemblance to a cow?s horns.  Many years ago the pinnacle on Little Cowhorn fell off.? Oregon Geographic Names, 5th ed., Lewis A. McArthur. The Calapooya Mountains, a westward spur of the Cascades, constitute the watershed between the Willamette and Umpqua rivers. Calapooya Mountains join the Cascades proper at Cowhorn Mountain. The summit rises above treeline and is the erosion-resistant core of a stratovolcano. This is an exploratory climb, meaning the leader has never climbed this peak.