35 miles of hiking • 6500' elevation gain • 2 nights
Awesome reintroduction to backpacking, after 31 years of taking the easier options! Started at Three Creeks Lake, and went up Tam McArthur Rim. Veered southwest after awhile, heading cross-country over to a campsite at the base of Ball Butte. After setting up our tents, we took a nice scramble up into the crater of Broken Top. Incredible up there! Then, the thunderboomers were forming behind Ball Butte, as we came down. The evening got real interesting as the sky lit up. Wonderful test for a brand new tent!
On day two, I made a quick run up to No Name Lake, before we packed up and wandered over towards Green Lakes. Had a wonderful lunch break there, beside the lake, and right below the massive South Sister. Continued on, and setup camp at Golden Lake on night two. Just sorta enjoyed being there, at this point.
Next morning, I woke before sunrise, and started wandering around in my flipflops and longjohns. Before I knew it, I had climbed 800' up the mountain, going about 1.5 miles past a couple of lovely tarns just as the sun was hitting the mountains all around me. WOW! When I realized how much time had passed, I hurried back down, and we packed up camp to head back towards the trailhead. Passed through the lovely Park Meadow, and then a few miles of devastation left behind by the 2012 Pole Creek fire.
Upon getting back to the trailhead, all I could think of was taking a plunge into Three Creeks Lake! YOWSA!! That was cold!!! And it felt soooooooooooooooooo gooooooooooooooooooood! :-)
Comments
Karl
August 22, 2014
Thanks, Jeremiah! That was really a fun one. Oh, and thanks especially for that hint about the tarns! Had a real ball flipflopping up there! :-)
Just posted the full trip report over on PH.
Roman
August 22, 2014
That place looks so nice! And kudos for returning to backpacking, Karl - there's something for watching sunset/sunrise in the mountains that day hikers often miss (& great colors for photography, too). And different flow of time. And that feel of being part of the place.
Roman
August 22, 2014
BTW image 8 - looks like the first concrete evidence of two-headed dragon :)
Karl
August 23, 2014
So true, Roman. I just loved watching the sunrises, in particular. It was sooo good to "just be" out there.
LOL at the dragon! Now that you say it... :-)
JM
August 22, 2014
Excellent photos Karl, so many great places up there. One of my favorites from the year actually. Cool bugs, birds, bones, frogs & flowers!