Oliver C. Yocum:

Oliver C. Yocum – The Photographer, Climber, and Pioneer Who Became a part of Mount Hood’s Legacy

I love Mount Hood, history, and photography. When I can bring all three together in one story, I’m happy. Loyal readers of my blog may remember my article about Jennie Welch and her photography, which played a key role in preserving the history of Welches and the Mount Hood area. I’m sure that Oliver C Yocum inspired her.

Before Jennie Welch took her first photo, another Mount Hood icon was pushing the boundaries of photographic technology in the Pacific Northwest. That man was Oliver C. Yocum, a pioneer in both photography and exploration.

A Pioneer’s Journey to Oregon

Oliver C. Yocum, known to everyone as “OC,” traveled the Oregon Trail with his parents in 1847. He was just five years old when he arrived in Oregon. His family settled in Yamhill County, where he grew up working on the family farm and taking on odd jobs.

By age 17, OC had already explored multiple trades. He worked as a clerk in the family hotel in Lafayette, trained as a saddle maker, and even studied law in his spare time. At some point, he struck out on his own, fueled by a love of Shakespearean novels. He joined a traveling troupe that performed plays in mining camps, setting up portable stages to entertain gold prospectors.

A Life in Photography

Eventually, OC returned to Lafayette, where he met Ann Robertson, another Oregon Trail immigrant. She had arrived in Oregon as a two-year-old. The couple married, and OC spent time working as a builder, cabinet maker, and grain buyer.

In 1881, they moved to Portland, where OC entered the photography business. At the time, photography was a complicated and messy process. Photographers used wet plate photography, which required them to prepare a glass plate with chemicals, expose it, and develop the image within 15 minutes. This process required a portable darkroom, usually in the form of a tent.

However, in 1871, a new method called dry plate photography revolutionized the industry. By 1879, factories began manufacturing pre-coated dry plates, making photography much easier. OC Yocum became the first person in Oregon—and possibly the Pacific Northwest—to manufacture dry plates. This advancement made photography more accessible and allowed people to carry cameras into the outdoors more easily.

First Photographs from Mount Hood’s Summit

OC Yocum climbed Mount Hood for the first time in 1883. During that trip, he carried a large 8” x 10” wooden camera and its accessories, which together weighed nearly 50 pounds.

On that climb, he captured the first photographs ever taken from the summit of Mount Hood. That experience also sparked his love for the south side of the mountain, which would define much of his later life.

A Life Built Around Mount Hood

For several years, OC spent winters working as a photographer in Portland and summers at Government Camp, climbing and photographing Mount Hood. He seized every opportunity to ascend the mountain.

In 1887, he joined a climbing party that illuminated the summit, a tradition that later became famous. He also helped found the Mazamas, Portland’s premier climbing club, in 1894. OC guided climbers to the summit of Mount Hood until the age of 67.

A New Career and a Homestead on Mount Hood

While OC loved photography, he eventually changed careers due to health issues. Portland’s smoky air and exposure to harsh photographic chemicals caused pulmonary problems, leading him to seek fresh mountain air.

In 1890, he moved to Mount Hood full-time. He homesteaded, built a sawmill, and continued guiding climbers. That same year, he began working as a surveyor. Then, in 1900, he built the first hotel in Government Camp, marking a turning point for the small mountain town.

Selling His Business and Studying Dentistry

OC lived on Mount Hood until 1911. At 69 years old, he decided to sell most of his businesses in Government Camp to Lige Coalman, who would later become a legend himself.

Instead of retiring, OC took a surprising turn—he moved back to Portland, enrolled in North Pacific Dental College, and studied dentistry.

A Lasting Legacy on Mount Hood

OC Yocum passed away in 1928, followed by his wife Ann in 1930. Though many remember him as a mountaineer, surveyor, and hotel owner, his contributions to photography are often overlooked.

However, his name lives on in Mount Hood’s geography. The rugged Yocum Ridge, one of the most challenging routes on the mountain, carries his name. Likewise, Yocum Falls, a picturesque waterfall on Camp Creek, remains another tribute to his adventurous life.

Oliver C. Yocum was a man of many talents. Whether through photography, climbing, surveying, or guiding, he left an indelible mark on Mount Hood’s history—one that still inspires adventurers today.