MT HOOD Personality

The Unpredictable Perry Vickers

Every Trail Has Some Puddles

Mount Hood and its history include many colorful characters, but few are engrained in Mount Hood legend as firmly as Perry Vickers. The story of Perry Vickers has just the right amount of mystery and fact to make him a true local legend.

Not much is known of his past prior to his arrival to our area. It is said that he was a civil war veteran and some claim that he came from noble blood lines. It is known that Vickers moved west in 1865. After his arrival in the area, Vickers was looking for work when he fell into a group of three other young men. During this short association, the group were arrested and held captive at Fort Vancouver. The charge was horse thievery.

Vickers claimed guilty by association, but his word wasn’t taken and he was scheduled for trial. Fearing an unsympathetic court, Vickers planned his escape. After two months of incarceration, Vickers and the others were able to break free from the wooden jail cell that held them. Each man had a seven pound weight attached to an ankle called an Oregon Boot. Wanting to separate himself from the others, he headed from Fort Vancouver toward the Columbia River. Hearing his pursuers not far behind; he dove into the river and swam, Oregon Boot and all, to the Oregon side of the river.

Finding an implement in a tool shed at a small farm, he broke free of his burden and headed East toward Central Oregon.  After a short stay at his brother’s home in Powell Valley, where he was outfitted for his journey, Vickers hit the Barlow Road heading east.

While passing by the Sandy area, Vickers met a man named Stephen Coalman, who was a superintendent and caretaker of the Barlow Road. Vickers trusted Coalman and told him of his harrowing escape and his claim of innocence. Coalman believed Vickers and offered him work on the road, which he accepted.

Vickers was a dreamer and often penned poetry inspired by Mount Hood. While working for Coalman, Vickers decided to file squatter’s rights to the area that is known as Summit Meadow, a well known camp spot of Oregon Trail pioneers. Here he built what was known then as Summit House where he catered to many travelers of the old road, and gained a reputation as a kind and charitable Samaritan.

While living at the meadow, Vickers was inspired in many ways by the object of majesty and beauty that dominated the vista from Summit Meadow, Mount Hood. Perry was the first to spend a night on the mountain, was its first guide and was involved in the first illumination of the mountain, a tradition that held for many years.

Perry Vickers was also involved in the first murder on Mount Hood. Unfortunately he was to be the victim. The story is told of a man named Steel that stole a gun from his employer, and was making his way across the old road.  A posse was assembled and as they came through Summit Meadow, Vickers joined the posse.

Vickers separated from the rest of the men and came across the accused sitting near a campfire near White River. As Vickers approached the camp, Steel turned and shot Vickers in the chest. Steel left the scene and was never seen or heard from again.

In the meantime, Stephen Coalman, and the rest of the posse found Vickers in mortal condition. They took him back to Summit House where he succumbed to his wounds.

Today his grave marker can be seen in the small grave site area at Summit Meadow near Government Camp. He is buried next to the pioneer grave of the little baby Barclay, whom he helped bury there several years before and will forever be in view of his beloved mountain sentinel, Mount Hood.

By Gary Randall
Photo courtesy of Gary Randall

Eecember 2008 / January 2009

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