Author near Dry Creek Falls

The Hike

On the second day of elk hunting (never did see an elk) I drove to Jack Lake a few miles east of Three Fingered Jack. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, nor a hint of a breeze. Having seen elk sign in the area before, I decided to hike into the upper meadows of the Canyon Creek Basin underneath the glacial moraine of the old volcano. The views were simply amazing in the crystal clear air. After reaching the origin of Canyon Creek, I laid back in an open area. The jagged summit was only 1,800 feet above, highlighted by the streaks of red volcanic seams and bright white snowfields.

I had left the trail when reaching the upper meadows. After taking a warm sun-induced nap, I began a slow loop to the north looking for elk sign. As usual, much deer sign was spotted but no elk had been in the area recently. After dropping back to the lower meadows, I rejoined the trail and returned to the trailhead.  All in all the hike was 7.8 miles with a 1,000 feet of elevation gain. What a nice way to spend the best of a day.

Cheers

Three Fingered Jack reflected in Jack Lake

Upper Canyon Creek Meadow

Mt. Jefferson

Huckleberry

Lower Trail Passing through an Old Burn