Page Type: | Mountain/Rock |
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Lat/Lon: | 44.88460°N / 122.0957°W |
Elevation: | 5523 ft / 1683 m |
The namesake of the Bull of the Woods Wilderness Area is also the fourth highest peak there at 5523 feet just behind Schreiner Peak, Battle Ax and Big Slide Mountain. The area is characterized by steep craggy peaks with lots of lakes and rivers. The name of this peak is attributed to one of two stories. Firstly, an area miner and prospector named Robert Bagby (namesake of nearby Bagby Hot Springs) from the 1800's, who built a cabin by Pansy Lake on the trail to the summit, is said to have bagged a large elk here. (He also is attributed to naming Pansy Lake by naming his nearby claim Pansy Blossom Mine due to the color of the copper ore there.) The second story is that the term "Bull of the Woods" was a common phrase in Oregon's ox-logging days as the title of a tough crew boss.*
There are no less than 5 approaches to the summit of Bull of the Woods. Most popular starts near Pansy Creek, follows the creek to Pansy Lake, then up the west ridge to the old lookout tower at the summit. There is also an earlier turnoff that heads up past Dickey Lake before gaining the north ridge. This trail is a bit steeper and narrower through thick forest with fewer views. You can also approach from the northwest via the Big Slide Lake Trail a well as from the east via Welcome Lakes. Finally, there is also a popular trail that starts at the end of the north ridge and hikes past both North Dickey Peak and South Dickey Peak on the way to the summit.
Views of Cascade volcanoes abound in clear weather from Rainier to the Three Sisters with Mt. Jefferson being the closest. You also get a great view of why nearby Big Slide Mountain is named that.
The trail is fairly easy with only 2000 feet of elevation gain over a loop of 7.1 miles.
Click here for a link to another site with photos and information about this Old Cascade peak.
*This information taken from William Sullivan's "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon".
lostman - May 29, 2007 5:44 pm - Hasn't voted
Petty correctionI believe Bull of Woods is actually the fourth tallest peak in the wilderness. Big Slide Mountain is 3 feet taller according to the topo map. I've been wanting to hike out to Big Slide for awhile - if I get around to it, maybe I'll add it as a summit.
Brian Jenkins - May 29, 2007 9:05 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Petty correctionYou are correct, thanks for the note. I'll correct that. I've also looked over at Big Slide and taken some pictures for a mountain page thinking I would get around to that one too. Let me know if you get to it and put it up on SP!