Looking for first (wife first) backpacking trip

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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douwei
Posts: 9
Joined: July 12th, 2017, 12:57 pm

Looking for first (wife first) backpacking trip

Post by douwei » July 12th, 2017, 1:00 pm

Hi,
I am taking my wife on her first backpacking trip in about a week and a half. I am looking for the following criteria:

1.) Beautiful scenery
2.) a Lake
3.) about a two hour drive from Albany, Oregon (can be a little farther)
4.) No longer than a 5-6 mile hike into the area where we want to camp for two nights.

Thanks!!!

Doug

Aimless
Posts: 1922
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Re: Looking for first (wife first) backpacking trip

Post by Aimless » July 12th, 2017, 2:31 pm

Would swarms of mosquitoes be OK? Because there are some very beautiful lakes in the Three Sisters wilderness that would qualify, so long as large numbers of blood-sucking bugs are acceptable. ;)

SheSkis
Posts: 2
Joined: July 14th, 2017, 7:18 am

Re: Looking for first (wife first) backpacking trip

Post by SheSkis » July 14th, 2017, 8:23 am

Six-lakes trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness could be a good option. It may be a slightly farther drive then you were hoping but the lakes along this hike are really enjoyable and well worth it. It also is a relatively lightly traficed trail. And with so many lakes along the trail you have options for how far you hike each day.

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oldandslow
Posts: 175
Joined: August 22nd, 2012, 12:47 pm

Re: Looking for first (wife first) backpacking trip

Post by oldandslow » July 17th, 2017, 2:59 pm

Long ago, when I did that sort of thing, I took my wife hiking to two lakes that more or less meet your specifications--Santiam Lake and Golden Lake. Unfortunately, the route to each of these lakes has been adversely impacted by fire but the lakes themselves not.
Santiam Lake is north of Santiam Pass at the base of Three Fingered Jack. A very nice lake. It probably gets a lot of use.
Golden Lake is not much of a lake but it sits in a big beautiful meadow with superb views. The easiest route to Golden Lake is by way of a trailhead near Three Creek Meadows.
The trail goes through the Pole Creek Fire burn area to Park Meadow. Not very far uphill from Park Meadow is a path (unmarked when I was last there) that goes south to Golden Lake.
I assume that there are mosquitoes almost anywhere that you might hike in the near future.

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