Hike #5 - Marys Peak

It is noted for dizzying views of the sprawling valley and high Cascade Mountains too, so put on your hiking boots and don’t forget the camera, you are about to ascend the trail to the mountain called Marys Peak. At 4,097 feet, Marys Peak is the highest point in the Oregon Coast Range. On clear days you will have spectacular views of the Willamette Valley, the Cascades, the Coast Range, and even a distant view of the Pacific Ocean. Four different trails ascend this mountain, ranging from easy paths to long, hard climbs.

Katrena and I decided to take a middle path for a hike of about 3 miles each way, and we are sure glad we did as the hike was amazing. We chose the East Ridge Trail that connected to the Summit Loop. We started out at an elevation of 2560 and ascending to 4297 feet in approximately 3-1/2 miles. We had stunning views, large stands of Douglas Fir and Noble Fir, and several vegetation zones.

As one of 75,000 visitors that will enjoy recreating at Mars Peak this year, this hike may just steal your heart along the way, it did mine. It is something special on a day when soggy skies clear and sun beams light up a scene that’s filled with so much vibrant color from crimson paintbrush to brilliant blue larkspur or stunning yellow wallflowers. It has been designated as a Botanical Special Interest Area. Many wildflower species are at your side as you explore the lush meadows, dense Noble Fir forests and the many hiking trails that link all of it together.

In fact, more than twelve miles of trails crisscross Marys Peak, nearly all of them connected to the spacious parking area where many folks begin their adventures. The most popular trail is the mile-long Summit Trail that leads you up a moderate grade. Soon, you’re face to face with an amazing scene: a bird’s eye view of the grand Willamette Valley. Even a hazy day cannot diminish the stunning views you will see from the summit of the many Cascade Mountain peaks: Rainer, St Helens, Adams, Hood, Jefferson, and the Three Sisters are easily picked out against the eastern skyline. While to the west, Newport’s beaches are often seen with the breaking surf line just 26 miles away, but not today. It is a glorious view, no doubt about that – but all these high Cascade Mountain peaks may leave you wondering, what about the namesake: Marys Peak. Well, who was Mary you might ask?

 The mountain’s Indian name, Chateemanwi (“place where spirits dwell”), survives in the name for nearby Chintimini Creek. Numerous Marys have been credited for the peak’s mysterious English name. Indian legend offers an explanation for the summit’s unusual alpine wildflowers and noble fir forest—rare in the Coast Range. Apparently the trickster god Coyote stole Panther’s wife, and Panther retaliated by kidnapping Coyote’s son. In his anger, Coyote dammed the Willamette and flooded all but this peak’s summit, which he spared as a refuge for plants and animals. Botanists see a thread of truth in the tale. Oregon’s climate has warmed over the past 6000 years, forcing once-common Ice Age species to retreat to this mountaintop “island.”

Some anecdotal stories suggest an Indian legend and linkage – for this place had been called a “house or home of spirits” by ancient peoples. Other tales suggest a pioneer lineage a century old or longer when pioneers first settled the Oregon country. There is a nearby town site of Marysville and a nearby Mary’s River, but the fact is no one really knows and so the history behind the naming of Marys Peak remains a mystery.