Belknap Crater is a tougher climb than it looks

A climb of Belknap Crater had been on my to-do list for quite a while, partly just "because it's there," but also because it's perhaps the only easily recognizable local geographic feature that I hadn't previously summited.

This is clearly not a technical climb by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a lot tougher than it looks. From the road, scaling Belknap Crater looks like a quick little scramble up a modest hill. Once there, however, it's much longer and steeper than it looks. Very steep, in fact.

There may be climbing routes up Belknap Crater that are less steep, but the route we took was very steep. Near the top, there is also some significant exposure, so I would not recommend this trip for anyone with acrophobia - fear of heights. On the last long stretch before the (first) summit, a fall would go unchecked down an extremely steep cinder slope for hundreds of feet. So, be forewarned; this is not an adventure for the faint of heart.

This hike begins near the Dee Wright Observatory, the lava rock "castle" at the summit of McKenzie Pass, 15 miles west of Sisters. The observatory was completed in 1935 as a Depression-era project of the Civilian Conservation Corps. It was named for the project's construction foreman who died before it was completed.

To the summit of Belknap Crater and back is probably about a seven-mile round trip, most of which is on a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). At this point, the PCT leads north toward Santiam Pass from the trailhead on Highway 242.

Except for most of the first three quarters of a mile, this hike is mostly over broken lava rock. The going is rough. You need to pay attention to foot placement, or you might risk bruising or twisting something. My hiking companion successfully used lightweight hiking shoes, but I would recommend footwear with fairly stiff soles; even so, your feet may take a beating.

The lava in this area was purportedly laid down about 2,600 years ago and, by some accounts, is overdue for a new layer! The first part of the hike travels across two hillocks that were just high enough to remain above the molten rock that flowed around them. As a result, these two islands of vegetation were created within the barren landscape.

Some distance after leaving the vegetated islands, we passed a single young hemlock tree, trying its best to claim a foothold and colonize the inhospitable rocky environment. We had to admire its tenacity. At the 2.4-mile point of the hike, there is a clear, signed fork in the lava rock trail. Here, the trail to the summit of Little Belknap leaves the PCT on a spur trail that leads to the right. Stay on the PCT and bear left at this junction.

Shortly after the trail leaves the lava and returns to real dirt again, there is an obvious - but unmarked - trail to the left. This is the route we took; and, although, it is not an "official" trail, it is quite distinct all the way to the summit. The route trends gently upward for about a quarter of a mile but soon becomes much more strenuous.

A couple of switchbacks take the hiker up onto the northeast ridge of this slumbering cinder cone. From there, it's a fairly straightforward slog up that ridge. Soon, however, the trail turns in a more southerly direction, across the steep eastern face. This is where the trail gets really steep and where there is an element of danger. While it is not a "technical" mountain climb, if you do not like heights and do not have good leg strength, do not attempt this climb.

As is the case on many mountaintops, when you reach what you thought was the summit, you're not really there yet. This false summit, however, is not all that far from the true summit, and it's neither difficult nor steep to continue. With all the great views in every direction, the most intriguing feature, however, is Belknap Crater's crater, which underscores the mountain's volcanic

roots.

It can be quite windy at the summit, and there is a rock windbreak of sorts thrown together on the false summit. Nevertheless, we elected to have our lunch break on the way back in a copse of trees near the base of the cone.

Descending a steep slope is always more dangerous than the ascent. First, climbers are more tired at this point. Secondly, foot placement and body alignment become more critical simply because it's harder to clearly see the downslope than it is to see an upslope ahead of you. Finally, there's the tendency to let your guard down and think of the task as being "over," when - in fact - caution on the descent is more important than ever.

So, we gingerly picked our way back down; and, as we did, we saw a vaguely familiar face coming up the slope toward us. As it turns out, we had encountered this fellow three days earlier, on another hike, several miles south of this location. We learned that he is from Sweet Home and hikes three to four days a week - all year. He estimated that he covers about 1,200 miles each year.

The people you meet on the trails are always interesting, and it's fun to learn their stories. We also encountered a PCT hiker from Newburg who was hiking all of the Oregon PCT on this trip. My friend, a habitual denizen of the PCT, immediately began quizzing him about various hikers who were strung out along different sections of the trail.

They caught up on and shared news of mutual acquaintances such as "Anish," "Scott," "The German," and "Zeke the Freak." This hiker had come from southern Oregon on his own but was looking forward to being joined by his brother and a friend when he reached Santiam Pass. He also had questions for us about Jefferson Park.

Finally, the conversation lagged; and he acknowledged that it was time to press on. He continued north into the George, G.W., Shadow Lake, and B & B burns. We turned south, back to the trailhead - and home. He would be sleeping in the forest that and many future nights. I think my friend longed to go with him.

This hike begins from the PCT trailhead, on the north side of the highway, which is about a half mile west of the McKenzie Pass summit. McKenzie Pass is 15 miles west of Sisters on Highway 242. This hike is wholly within the Mt. Washington Wilderness Area, so a free wilderness permit is required and can obtained at the trailhead.