Yamsay Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yamsay Mountain |
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![]() View from Yamsay Mountain
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 8,200 ft (2,499 m) NAVD 88 |
Prominence | 3,176 ft (968 m) |
Geography | |
Location | Klamath County, Oregon, U.S. |
Parent range | Cascade Range |
Topo map | USGS Yamsay Mountain |
Geology | |
Mountain type | Shield volcano |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Trail (formerly a road) |
Yamsay Mountain is a very large shield volcano in south-central Oregon. It's part of the Cascade Range. This mountain is about 35 miles (56 km) east of Crater Lake. It sits on the border between Klamath County and Lake County.
Yamsay Mountain is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc. This arc is a chain of volcanoes. Yamsay is a bit behind the main line of Cascade volcanoes. Other well-known volcanoes in this area include Newberry Volcano and Medicine Lake Volcano. Yamsay is the tallest volcano in this eastern group. It is almost 300 feet (91 m) higher than Newberry and Medicine Lake.
This mountain is very important in the stories of the Klamath people. Today, you can enjoy activities like hiking and horseback riding there. Long ago, Native American tribes and settlers lived around the mountain. A fire lookout tower once stood on its top until the 1970s. You can still see parts of its foundation today.
How Yamsay Mountain Formed

Like other volcanoes in the Cascade Range, Yamsay Mountain formed because of plate tectonics. The oceanic Juan de Fuca Plate is slowly sliding under the North American Plate. This process is called subduction. These two plates move about 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) closer each year.
The Cascade Mountains have been volcanically active for about 36 million years. The rocks that make up the Cascades are even older. Scientists often divide these volcanoes into two groups. The "High Cascades" are the younger volcanoes. The "Western Cascades" are the older ones.
Yamsay Mountain is a shield volcano. It is located about 30 to 50 miles (50 to 60 km) east of the main Cascade Range. Other volcanoes in this eastern group include Newberry Volcano. The way these volcanoes erupted is a bit different from other Cascade volcanoes. Scientists still group them as part of the Cascades.
A Look at Its Past
The name Yamsay comes from the Klamath people. They are a Native American tribe from Southern Oregon. Their word Yamsi means "north wind." In Klamath stories, this mountain was the home of Kmukamtch. He was a very important being in their mythology.
Historically, tribes like the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin lived near the mountain. The Yahooskins lived east of Yamsay Mountain. Their land covered a huge area in Oregon and California. Traders came to the area in the 1820s. They worked as trappers for the Hudson's Bay Company. Later, in 1863, Fort Klamath was built.
The city of Klamath Falls grew quickly in the 1920s. It is southwest of Yamsay Mountain. The Southern Pacific Railroad helped the area grow. The railroad was finished in 1909. This opened up the area for logging and timber businesses. These became very important for the local economy.
In 1929, an 80-foot (24 m) steel fire lookout tower was built on Yamsay's summit. The United States Forest Service used it to spot fires. The tower was taken down after the 1970s. Only parts of its foundation are left today. A dirt road was built to reach the tower. This road is now a hiking trail for the last 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the top.
Climate and Nature
The climate changes a lot from the west to the east side of the Cascade Range. The west side is very wet and has thick forests. You can find trees like Douglas firs and Western hemlocks there.
East of the Cascades, where Yamsay Mountain is, the climate is much drier. It can even be arid (like a desert). There is less rain, and the plants are more spread out. Here you will see trees like lodgepole pines, white firs, and ponderosa pines. You might also see juniper trees. In the south, you can find chaparral plants like beargrass and bitterbrush.
Many different animals live in this area. Some are endangered species, like spotted owls. You can also find amphibians like salamanders and frogs. Many types of birds live here too. Larger animals include elk, mountain lions, deer, and black bears. The rivers and lakes on the eastern side of the Cascades have unique fish. These include Lost River suckers and short suckers.
Fun Things to Do
The Fremont National Recreation Trail goes through the Yamsay Mountain area. This trail offers amazing views of other Oregon mountains. You can see Mount Bachelor, the Three Sisters, and Mount Thielsen. You might even spot Mount Shasta in California.
Along the trail, you can go hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Yamsay Mountain is also part of a section of the Oregon Timber Trail. This section is known as the Mazama Blowout.