Three Sisters August 2021

[retired jerry]

I took a chance on the forest fire smoke and did a few days trip in the Three Sisters. That's Mt Washington from Opie Dilldock Pass, obscured by smoke. But Mt Jefferson is totally obscured.

That's how it was most of the trip - views obscured by smoke but not bad enough for breathing problems. Until the last day when it got really bad - I should have come back one day early

I started at Scott Pass trailhead - because at 7:00:01 that was the only trailhead available.

There was some walking through burned trees, mostly just the first couple miles from the trailhead

I did the PCT south to the unmarked user trail between South and Middle Sister, and up that to the Chambers Lakes. I just did an out and back - I really like that route. I could have gone all the way around, but there's more walking through burned trees on the east side.

From Opie Dilldock south, you walk down this chute. Lava flowed down it into these huge lave flows below. I'm always impressed seeing that:

Sisters Spring just appears from under that cliff and immediately turns into a fairly big stream. A very cold drink on a hot day:

https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... sters_Hike has a lot of detail

After, I drove up to McKenzie Pass and Lava Lake Trailhead:

There were 5 cars parked there Saturday. Normally, the lot would have at least 10 times as many. But because of the new restricted permit system there's almost no one there. Kind of nice in a way to have the place to yourself, but it's a shame more people don't get to experience this, there's plenty of room for a lot more people.

Except, over 4 days I saw at least 50 PCT thru hikers. Going both directions. I camped one night at Minnie Scott Springs, and there were about 10 thru hikers also camped. Right next to me.

I think the etiquette of thru hikers is you camp anywhere you can. Large groups. Social.

Etiquette of week or weekend hikers is to camp away from other people. Don't camp on top of others unless you have no choice. People go out for solitude.

[keithcomess]

Jerry,

I admire your optimism. Last time I was there (a couple of years ago), we were about 12 miles in and made a forced camp at Soap Creek. Trails back to our car and further into the wilderness were abruptly closed due to rapidly moving fires some of which must have been further fueled by burnouts from past years. Due to the fires and unexpected inability to access the trail, we weren't able to return to our car. As it happened, there was a ranger ("I'm just here to put toilet paper in the outhouse. No rides in government trucks") in the otherwise empty dirt lot. He left us stranded about 25 miles from our car. Fortunately, after about an hour, someone came along down the long, rutted, rough dirt road and gave us a ride out. Since that time, I've been a bit less enamored of the area (crowds or not).

Keith

[retired jerry]

The last time I was there previously was last Labor Day and I couldn't get back home on highway 22 because of forest fire

[Chip Down]

I started at Scott Pass trailhead - because at 7:00:01 that was the only trailhead available.

I don't understand.

As it happened, there was a ranger ("I'm just here to put toilet paper in the outhouse. No rides in government trucks") in the otherwise empty dirt lot. He left us stranded about 25 miles from our car.

I think you misunderstood. Surely that was his discreet way of saying "I'm not allowed to give you a ride, but of course I don't always check the bed of my truck before pulling out".

[Aimless]

I started at Scott Pass trailhead - because at 7:00:01 that was the only trailhead available.

I don't understand.

Rather, you prefer not to understand.

[retired jerry]

at 7:00 AM they release permits for the 7th day from now

people quickly take the permits and within a second or so, all the permits for the most popular trailheads, like Lava Lake at McKenzie Pass are taken

but there might still be a permit for a slightly less popular trailhead, like Scott Pass. It's a little harder to drive to than Lava Lake, but about the same distance

Now, some people may choose to just ignore this. There's now easy parking because the trailhead parking lots are almost empty.

No one ever checked my permit. I could have just ignored all this and just taken my trip

I camped the last night at Lava Lake, out of my car. I saw a Forest Service vehicle drive through the campground, then park at the trailhead. They walked somewhere for about 15 minutes, then drove away. I should have gone over and harangued them about the permit system.

[keithcomess]

Chip,

No chance of a misunderstanding. I was with my wife and daughter and we made it explicitly clear we were marooned by the fires about 25 miles (more or less) from our car. We even asked directly for help...and his toilet paper mission for the abandoned outhouse eclipsed all other exigents for him. However, in decades of backpacking, this is the unique bad encounter I've experienced with a ranger. (Also, this was a couple of years before covid, so no excuse there)

[retired jerry]

That's inexcusable to leave you stranded by a wildfire

I've had pretty good experiences with rangers

[keithcomess]

Jerry,

It was the first and only bad ranger experience I've ever had. Rangers are dedicated, underpaid and overworked. Maybe this guy was just having a bad day.

Keith

[johnspeth]

No one ever checked my permit. I could have just ignored all this and just taken my trip

Probably checking will range from none to rare. Permit revenue will never support enforcement until permits cost way more than they do now.