A Sample of Hiking in the Central Oregon Cascades.


  85.

Central Oregon is dotted with volcanoes.   Above we see Broken Top with Bachelor Butte behind it.   The Chambers Lakes sit on the rising north slope of the South Sister in this high region between the South and Middle Sisters.   This photo was taken in mid September from the 8000 ft level on the Middle Sister.  

  85.

This shot above shows one of the upper Chambers Lakes.

   82.

Most of the hiking activity happens in the summer months in Central Oregon.   But in some years, the snows can persist for a long while.   This shot was taken in late July from Jefferson Park on the north side of Mt. Jefferson, normally a popular hiking destination through the summer months.   But on this Sunday afternoon I had the place to myself.  One or two feet of snow remained.

   82.

The lakes in Jefferson Park offer wonderful scenery, good swimming (I'm told) and a few fish on occasion.

   

The Jefferson Wilderness offers a wide variety of backpacking .   This view shows Bowerman Lake in the Eight Lakes Basin region.   This famous and popular region may now be devastated.    Photographs taken in late September  of 2003 from 33000 ft suggest that much of this region was burned by a major forest fires that swept through the region.    



Many of the trails in the region are suitable for beginners while others are reserved for the well seasoned hikers like those shown above.



Above we have the Pacific Crest Trail crossing a ridge as it approaches Three Fingered Jack.



The North Face of Three Fingered Jack presents a less common view for the backpacker willing to explore.

83.

The view south from high on the slopes of Mt. Jefferson blends into a long chain of volcanoes and clouds.

83.

The summit pinnacle of Mt. Jefferson viewed from about 10,000 ft.

86.

Late season hiking is often good in Central Oregon.   Here's a lunch break at Marion Lake among the vine maple that are beginning to turn color in September.

1982.

Although beginning to be cool, October is still interesting.   This is the view from the summit of Mt. Bachelor (before there was a chair lift to the top) showing the three Sisters, Broken Top, with Mt. Jefferson in the distance.