Exploration Has Its Rewards

A while back I returned to a hike made many years ago. It had changed dramatically. At one time it was a well-maintained, relatively short and steep trail. But close to 25 years ago the access road to the old trailhead was closed permanently.  

The current trail to 5,100-foot Fish Creek Mountain begins at the end of a dirt road southeast of Estacada, Oregon.

To the Summit and High Lake

The adventure begins on a rough access trail built by volunteers. The trail is steep and not very well marked.

The old fire lookout site on top of the mountain is now fully overgrown with noble firs well over my head. Still there were views to Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood.

An extra treat was a 500-foot descent below the summit on another rough trail to a very pretty cirque lake (High Lake) formed by a receding glacier long ago.

What could be a better way to spend a summer day?

Huckleberries

A lenticular cloud on Mt. Jefferson