HIKING 4K Upper Canyon Creek Meadow Framing Three Fingered Jack! | Mount Jefferson Wilderness Oregon

This FULL HIKE (starting @ Jack Lake Trailhead to Canyon Creek Meadows to Wasco Lake & Up the Pacific Crest Trail, 12.7 Miles, 1700+ FT Elevation Gain, NE Quadrant of Three Fingered Jack Loop) is divided into 3 Parts.

Here is Part 1:

   • FULL HIKE 4K Jack Lake to Canyon Cree...  

Here is Part 2:

   • FULL HIKE 4K Three Fingered Jack to C...  

Here is Part 3:

   • FULL HIKE 4K Wasco Lake Up Minto Pass...  

Here is the FULL PLAYLIST of this Hike:

   • Three Fingered Jack Loop - Jack Lake ...  

This was a 12.7 mile, 1700 FT Elevation Gain Day Hike in Central Oregon, part of the 24-mile Three Fingered Jack Loop with a focus on the NE Quadrant, starting from the Jack Lake Trailhead (Permit Required at Recreation.gov) and Hiking to Lower Canyon Creek Meadow, Upper Canyon Creek Meadow, to the Base of Mighty Three Fingered Jack, up the Rocky Scree to the Turquoise Alpine Cirque Overlook (STEEP PRECIPICE - RECOMMEND EXTREME CAUTION), backtracking and paralleling Canyon Creek to the Old Summit Trail Junction and turning Left, crossing Canyon Creek, Hiking down to Wasco Lake through a gorgeous vibrant Burnout, exploring the Backcountry Campsites on the NW Shoreline of Wasco Lake, Climbing up Minto Pass to the Wasco Lake Overlook on the Pacific Crest Trail, and proceeding down the PCT with gorgeous views of Three Fingered Jack and Mount Washington for a bit to an arbitrary turnaround point in Mount Jefferson Wilderness at the edge of the Burnout and Old Growth Forest Ecological Zone, and Hiking back to Jack Lake Trailhead the shortest distance possible by completing the right segment of the Canyon Creek Meadows triangle, stopping to see the Canyon Creek Hidden Waterfall along the Trail just after the junction for Old Summit Trail and the Canyon Creek Crossing, ultimately returning to Jack Lake Trailhead.

This Day Hike is one of three amazing Day Hikes I like to break Three Fingered Jack Loop into as an alternative approach to Backpacking the whole 24 Mile Loop in one Trip:

1) Jack Lake Trailhead to Canyon Creek Meadows to Base of Three Fingered Jack to Turquoise Alpine Cirque to Parallel of Canyon Creek to Old Summit Trail to Wasco Lake to Minto Pass to PCT Wasco Lake Overlook to PCT Burnout Zone to Old Summit Trail to Hidden Waterfall THIS HIKE - here is the Playlist of this FULL HIKE:
   • Three Fingered Jack Loop - Jack Lake ...  

2) Santiam Pass PCT staying North to the "Moneyshot", highest point in the entire 24-mile Loop,
3) Santiam Pass PCT, Turn Right after 0.3 miles to Old Summit Trail to Square Lake & Booth Lake, turnaround shortly after Booth Lake before the Manzanita Zone, here is the Playlist of both of these FULL HIKES from Santiam Pass Pacific Crest Trailhead:
   • Three Fingered Jack Loop - Santiam Pa...  

**These 3 Day Hikes capture all the Highlights of the 24-mile Three Fingered Jack Loop as an Alternate Strategy to an Overnight Backpacking Trip!**

I would recommend doing this Hike earlier in the day with fluids on your person because the vast majority of this Hike is FULLY EXPOSED to the SUN! The temperature was classic Summer weather, in the 40's early in the morning with a high in 80's in the heart of the day. This was Hiked on 8/10/2023 and there were fortunately no mosquitoes!

As far as road conditions, that is arguably the most difficult part of this EPIC Hike, there is a several mile very bumpy rough road to the Trailhead, would recommend high clearance 4-Wheel Drive, take it nice and slow particularly around a few blind narrow corners. Do watch for road conditions, particularly snow/ice depending on the time of year, and of course do so at your own risk!