Larch Mountain (Multnomah County, Oregon)
Larch Mountain is the name of two neighboring extinct volcanoes in the Portland, Oregon area. The name is misleading, as no western larch can be found there. It received that name when early lumbermen sold the Noble Fir wood found there as larch.
Oregon
The Oregon peak, elevation 4,055 feet, lies at the end of paved Larch Mountain Road, 16 miles east of Corbett, Oregon. From the north side of the large summit parking lot hiking trails lead around the volcano's caldera and to rocky Sherrard Point with an outstanding view of nearby Mount Hood. Another trail leads 6.8 miles north to the foot of Multnomah Falls on the Columbia River, visiting many lesser waterfalls along the way. Larch Mountain is a shield volcano like the type found in Hawaii, with broad slopes covering tens of square kilometers.
Washington
The Washington peak, elevation 3,496 feet, is the highest free-standing peak in Clark County, Washington (The andesite plugs Pyramid Rock and Sturgeon Rock are higher but are outcroppings on ridges of Silver Star Mountain). It is laced by a network of gravel roads as part of the Yacolt Burn State Forest. The eastern flank of the mountain was scorched by a gigantic forest fire in September 1902, and subsequently experienced a massive rockslide that rendered that side mostly unvegetated. The southern section of the mountain is part of the Jones Creek Off-Road Vehicle recreation area. From the picnic area at the top, the view is west toward the Vancouver, Washington area and east to Silver Star. A minimum security prison/work camp is situated nearby, whose inmates construct fire roads, fire trails, maintain campgrounds, and help fight fires in the area.
External link
Source
Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Yacolt Burn State Forest Map, 1991