Barrett Spur is the imposing mass that you can see from Portland on the left (north) side of Mount Hood. Barrett Spur dominates the view from Dollar Lake and Elk Cove. It was formed in the Pleistocene era, when large lava flows collected in a basin previously formed by glacial erosion.

The top of Barrett Spur (at 7845' elevation) is a crumbling mass of rotten rock that can be reached via a difficult scramble. From here you can get great views of Mount Hood, the Coe and Ladd Glaciers, and to the north and west.