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Three Fingered Jack

One of the lower but more difficult volcanos in the Cascades is Three Fingered Jack. With crappy rock, the South Ridge Route is pretty much the only route most people take. The mountains visibility from the Santiam Pass Highway makes it an attractive objective. Climbing ropes and protection is used by most parties but some do climb it un-roped and solo.
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Access
Highway 126/20 (Santiam Pass Highway). Just west of the pass and just east of the Hoodoo Ski Area you will see signs for the Pacific Crest Trailhead parking lot on the north side of the road.
Summit Elevation: 7,841
Hiking Distance: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,000 feet
Access: Paved
Route
Hike up the Pacific Crest Trail almost 4 miles north to the southwest side of the mountain. You will come to a big view of the mountain and see an obvious climbers trail in the distance. This trail is found about a half mile further. Follow the climbers trail (or snow in spring) up the mountain through a scree field. Climbers trails will ascend along the ridgeline to the area known as THE CRAWL. The traverse has significant exposure so a rope and some pro is recommended. There are two fixed pins in this section. One about 20 feet into the Crawl under a small roof on your left. The second is 30 feet farther on the right outside edge just past the first technical move that you can actually clip before doing the move. There are also large blocks on either end of the Crawl you could sling for anchors (bring 20 foot slings or webbing). At least one fatality has occurred here so be careful. The route continues as a scramble to the summit pinnacle. There is shallow chimney with a 20-25 foot technical climb of easy 5th class and no exposure. Above the chimney, some final exposed scrambling reaches the summit.
belay climbers Mt. Washington ridge Three Fingered Jack Three Fingered Jack Three Fingered Jack Three Fingered Jack The chimney hiking map map team Mt. Jefferson Washington On the crawl upper mountain
Scree trail
On the crawl
View south to Mt. Washington and the Sisters
Rope team of 4 sucks
The chimney
Waiting to do The Crawl
View north to Mt. Jefferson
The route on the upper mountain
The Crawl section
Upper talus section
First good view of the peak on the PCT
Leaving the PCT, headed into the talus basin
PCT wraps around this ridge
On the PCT looking at the Sisters and Mt. Washington