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A Crook County Historical Moment
| Local Cascade Peaks First Scaled in 1923 |
The summits of two
peaks of the Central
Oregon Cascades,
Three Fingered Jack
and Mt. Washington
were first climbed on
successive weekends
in the summer of 1923.
The conquerors of the
two peaks were a
group of six Bend boys
who had trained for the
epochal
accomplishment by
climbing the North
Sister a few weeks
earlier.
peaks of the Central
Oregon Cascades,
Three Fingered Jack
and Mt. Washington
were first climbed on
successive weekends
in the summer of 1923.
The conquerors of the
two peaks were a
group of six Bend boys
who had trained for the
epochal
accomplishment by
climbing the North
Sister a few weeks
earlier.
The climb of Mt. Washington had been attempted on several occasions by the Mazama Climbing Group
of Portland without success. Experienced climbers had been turned back by a lava tower that reached
nearly 700 feet above the main summit. The Mazamas claimed it would be “an epochal event in
northwest mountaineering” when the feat of reaching the top was finally achieved.
On Sunday morning of August 25, 1923 the six young climbers from Bend, Irvin McNeal, Armin
Furrer, Phil Philbrook, Leo Harryman, Wilbur Watkins and Ronald Sellers were the first to climb the
peak. The boys gained much recognition in the mountaineering community with their successful climb.
The group was not through with their feats yet, as they planned an attempt on the summit of
Three Fingered Jack the following weekend. Sellers and Watkins did not make the climb but fellow
climbers Ernest Putnam and Elmer Johnson joined the group for the attempt.
Three Fingered Jack presented a more prolonged hazardous exposure and a greater obstacle than
the climb of Mt. Washington. The final climb of the peak necessitated a nearly perpendicular climb of
over 70 feet. The alpinists claimed that the rugged spire seemed to vibrate as they chipped a niche for
a container holding their names.
The two peaks that had long defied attempts at reaching their summits had been conquered in a
span of one week by the group of young local climbers. It was an accomplishment that was hailed by
fellow climbers throughout the northwest and made the young men part of the early legendary lore of
local mountaineering.
of Portland without success. Experienced climbers had been turned back by a lava tower that reached
nearly 700 feet above the main summit. The Mazamas claimed it would be “an epochal event in
northwest mountaineering” when the feat of reaching the top was finally achieved.
On Sunday morning of August 25, 1923 the six young climbers from Bend, Irvin McNeal, Armin
Furrer, Phil Philbrook, Leo Harryman, Wilbur Watkins and Ronald Sellers were the first to climb the
peak. The boys gained much recognition in the mountaineering community with their successful climb.
The group was not through with their feats yet, as they planned an attempt on the summit of
Three Fingered Jack the following weekend. Sellers and Watkins did not make the climb but fellow
climbers Ernest Putnam and Elmer Johnson joined the group for the attempt.
Three Fingered Jack presented a more prolonged hazardous exposure and a greater obstacle than
the climb of Mt. Washington. The final climb of the peak necessitated a nearly perpendicular climb of
over 70 feet. The alpinists claimed that the rugged spire seemed to vibrate as they chipped a niche for
a container holding their names.
The two peaks that had long defied attempts at reaching their summits had been conquered in a
span of one week by the group of young local climbers. It was an accomplishment that was hailed by
fellow climbers throughout the northwest and made the young men part of the early legendary lore of
local mountaineering.
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A.R. Bowman Memorial Museum
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See the drop
down menu at
the top of the
page for more
local stories
of Prineville's
colorful past.
down menu at
the top of the
page for more
local stories
of Prineville's
colorful past.
Use the drop down menu for more local stories of Prineville's colorful past.
