On most summer days, this would be a bad idea. I decided to hike the Old Summit Trail which I haven't hiked before. I think it used to be part of the old Skyline Trail before it became part of the PCT. The trail started at Santiam Pass. There were many cars at the trailhead. I wonder where they all go. I know it was easy access to the PCT, but really where are all these people. I saw some of them on the trail when I was leaving. They looked like the people who enjoy backpacking if they only have to go a couple of miles in and they could bring as many of their worldly possessions as possible. More power to them! It was just great to have people getting out. The more people out and about, the more people that would want to protect these places.
The trail followed the PCT for only a short time and then it cut off and went in an easterly direction. Their were good views out to Hogg Rock and Mt. Washington. I was listening to the Seahawks game while I hiked, but as soon as I came over the top of a point and was heading down to the lake, I lost it. The lake was called Square Lake. It wasn't actually that square but it looked like a great place to do an easy backpack and hang out at the lake for the day. The trail went right past the lake and then the elevation started. Like I said before, this would have been a bad choice for the middle of summer. The hike today was all through an old burn and in the summer there would have been no break from the relentless heat of the sun.
I picked a good day today though as it was cooler than usual and there were even a few clouds in the sky. It was one of the few choices of places to pick that was not near an active fire. I had to drive right by the fire on Boulder Creek to get up here and I could still smell a bit of smoke, but for the most part this was a perfect day. The hike continued uphill until I went past Booth Lake. It was just another lake that was probably really beautifulsa at some point surrounded by a thick forest, but now it was still recovering from a fire maybe 20 years ago. I continued on the trail thinking that I would just hike all the way to Jack Lake, but instead I saw a place come on my map on my watch that said First Creek Meadows.
This seemed like one of those places that not very many people visited, but was probably an amazing spot. I decided that was going to be my goal for the day. I found the best place where the trail crossed First Creek and went right up from there. It was a lot of hopping over logs from dead trees while going uphill. I had Three Fingered Jack in my sights the entire time, so it made the hike easy with the goal always in view. There were many places where I could have said, this is good enough, but I kept going always trying to find a better view.
This led me finally through a section of unburned forest that was rather thick until I popped out into the boulder field below Three Fingered Jack. Here I had lunch. It was a steep scramble from here if I wanted to keep going. I was pretty content with this though. The view was unique and I was sure not many people made it this far. When I headed back down, I finally found First Creek Meadows. Since it was fall, it was all yellowed out, but I am sure it was really pretty in the early summer. I also found a large toad in the meadow and figured this was a pretty good place to be an animal as there was water around and it was fairly quiet. I figured not many people made it up to here.
From where I turned around, I took a slightly different route back. There was a much easier way through the burned woods back to the trail that would take some time off. It was nice having a watch that helped me know where I was at all times as finding the actual trail was not that difficult. I was back on it and then it was downhill. I had this mostly to myself until a trail runner came by. He said he was doing the "loop". I wondered what loop that was but most likely it was about 20 miles of running. Good on ya buddy. I continued on past Booth Lake and then by Square Lake once again. I was back to the car in not too long having enjoyed a really good hike. First Creek Meadows felt like a unique place where not many people visit and I was glad that I took the time to get off the trail to visit it. Another great Sunday hike that was only about an hour from my home.
