East Crater, Indian Heaven 090422

[Don Nelsen]

We decided to give Indian Heaven a try Sunday the 4th given this long stretch of warm, dry weather hoping the mosquitoes were gone. We started at the East Crater TH and were rewarded with a perfect day: light wind, temperatures in the sixties to low seventies and no bugs at all. BTW, the roads in, though gravel and dusty, were fine and could easily be driven by any but the lowest clearance car.

I’d injured my Achilies tendon somehow on a long off-trail jaunt a couple days before so tried to take it easy – but as usual, didn’t take it easy enough. As I write this, it's almost back to normal, so no big deal.

I’ve wanted to get back up East Crater and Kel wanted to do a loop around Clear Lake, so we parted at Junction Lake planning to connect up later. I wanted to take some comparison photos – pre-fire and post fire. I tried a couple of years ago but forget to take my pre-fire photos so wasn’t able to take photos from the exact spots. This time I was better prepared though with a different camera, the shots weren’t perfect but at least close.

I left the PCT about 6/10 miles south of the East Crater junction and headed up through the burned forest. My first goal was to check out a little lake on the west side of the peak I’d never visited before. I wondered if it even existed given the damage from the fire in 2017. Happily, the lake was fine and some of the surrounding trees had somehow escaped the fire.

The lake on the west slope:

I reached the SW crater rim and proceeded clockwise around to the highest point, taking in the scenery.

A few photos:

I then headed down the steep slope to the center of the crater to see if I could match my photos from July of 2015:
The first photo was taken July 1, 2015, followed by Sunday's comparison.

There’s a good elk trail leading out of the crater I happily used as by now my Achilies was really hurting and I hobbled out over the lowest point on the rim. I rested for a while on the way up, grazing on the voluminous crop of huckleberries along the elk trail. Somewhat rested, I side-hilled it back to the PCT.

Here's the elk trail on the way out:

I finally caught up with Kel less than a half-mile from the car. Both of us glad to see the other. She shook her head upon seeing me limping and I explained the problem. I started to complain a little and she said “I thought you were Don Nelsen.” All I could say was “I used to be, kid!”

8.3 miles, (1.8 off-trail) 1,668' EG, hike # 90

[retired jerry]

ha, ha, ha,... even Done Nelson is mortal

nice photos before and after fire. Too bad, but it is natural. It seems like it's that way everywhere I go - major recently burned areas

[drm]

Not sure why I have never gotten up there. Don't know how many times I have walked that section on the PCT and looked up thinking it looked straightforward. Might be a good place to go camp when all the lakes are too crowded.

[Don Nelsen]

Not sure why I have never gotten up there. Don't know how many times I have walked that section on the PCT and looked up thinking it looked straightforward. Might be a good place to go camp when all the lakes are too crowded.

I think you could even find some flat ground by that little lake half-way up the west side too.

Here's a composite map of my three hikes.

[johnspeth]

Here's a composite map of my three hikes.

Thanks for that map. I compare it to my preferred route, which became nearly impossible to get through after the fire. It was on the north side (N/S direction going up and down). Now I have a few alternative proven routes.

[Don Nelsen]

ha, ha, ha,... even Done Nelson is mortal

Yeah, "Done" was the correct word to describe me last Sunday. Good typo, Jerry.

[retired jerry]

too many thumbs

I wish I had done that intentionally