FULL HIKE Cabot Lake Trailhead to Carl Lake to South Cinder Peak! | Mount Jefferson Wilderness | 4K

Chapters & Timestamps:

0:00 Great Backcountry Campsite Adjacent to Trailhead Parking
0:20 Cabot Lake Trailhead (Self-Issue Permit Required), Stats & Conditions of EPIC Day-Hike
2:43 Entering Mount Jefferson Wilderness & Discussing Hiking Itinerary & Strategy
10:56 Hiking Manzanita & Lodgepole Pine Exposed Burnout Ridgeline with Peek-a-boo Views of Mount Jefferson
17:21 This Area is Nearby Adjacent to Three Fingered Jack 24-Mile Loop to the NE, Similar Feel/Topography
20:58 Discussing Hiking Gear/Clothing
26:04 Leaving the Initial Exposed Burnout Ridgeline Zone & Entering the Mixed Old Growth Forest
28:26 Scat & Practicing Situational Awareness While Hiking
30:55 Unique Ecological Footprint Distinctions Between National Forests
36:35 Central Oregon Hiking Calendar Strategies
44:56 A Genuine Appreciation-Based Hiking Mentality
49:10 Temperature Management - Food, Drink & Battery Packs
51:34 Controlling Your Energy Exertion - Avoid Redlining
54:13 Wear Proper Hiking Footwear!
58:33 Predictable Hiking Traffic Patterns
1:01:55 My Recommended Day-Hike Length Threshold Cutoff
1:03:00 First Unnamed Lake (Glorified Bog)
1:06:19 A Moonshot Project Idea for the National Forestry Service (USFS)
1:09:09 A Couple Separate Backcountry Campsites
1:10:42 Second Unnamed Lake (Serviceable But Not Destination-Worthy)
1:12:27 Backcountry Camping Zone North Side of Second Unnamed Lake
1:16:49 A Couple Forest Backcountry Campsites Before Carl Lake Zone
1:18:45 Arriving @ Carl Lake in the Shaded Morning
1:21:12 Trail Perspective of Carl Lake, Forested Backcountry Camping Zone South Side of Carl Lake
1:22:05 Going Down a Side Trail & Walking East on the South Shoreline of Carl Lake!
1:23:30 Walking West on the South Shoreline of Carl Lake!
1:26:55 Continuing to Walk West on the South Shoreline of Carl Lake!
1:28:08 Walking to End of South Shoreline of Carl Lake & Turning Around
1:30:40 Leaving Carl Lake Shoreline & Hiking Back to Forest Trail
1:32:47 Critical Trail Junction for Shirley Lake, Stats, Backcountry Campsite & Hiking Beside an Unnamed Lake
1:36:19 The Flat Forested Calm Before The Elevation Gain Ridgeline Storm
1:41:27 Ascending Narrow Forest Passageway and Trail Perspective Viewpoint of Mount Jefferson
1:45:03 Ascending Shirley Lake Trail STEEP Ridgeline Section, HARDEST SECTION OF HIKE!
1:49:49 Critical Trail Junction for Pacific Crest Trail!
1:53:47 Unmarked Turn for South Cinder Peak - Base Views & Snack Pit Stop
1:56:21 Beginning to Ascend to South Cinder Peak
1:59:16 EPIC Panorama of South Cinder Peak & Mighty Mount Jefferson!
2:00:30 Continuing around Base of South Cinder Peak to the SW on Swallow Lake Trail to Pristine Volcanic Alpine Wonderland Zone
2:11:24 Traversing Across the EPIC Pristine Volcanic Alpine Wonderland & Hiking Swallow Lake Trail towards the PCT Junction
2:23:36 PCT Junction back to Shirley Lake Trail & EPIC Panoramic Views of Mount Jefferson Wilderness
2:44:40 Hiking Down to Shoreline of Shirley Lake!
2:54:54 Shoreline Views of Carl Lake in Full Sunshine & Leaving Carl Lake Hiking an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL PRISTINE ALPINE FOREST Back to Cabot Lake Trailhead

This was a 15 Mile, 2700 FT Elevation Gain Day-Hike in Central Oregon, starting at Cabot Lake Trailhead (Self-Issue Permit @ Trailhead for Day-Hikes), entering Mount Jefferson Wilderness, hiking past Cabot Lake, 2 Unnamed Lakes, to Carl Lake (EPIC Backcountry Camping Destination), up Shirley Lake Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail crossing into Willamette National Forest to the South Cinder Peak Zone, around the Base of South Cinder Peak on Swallow Lake Trail, back down Shirley Lake Trail hiking over to Shirley Lake Shoreline, back to Carl Lake & ultimately back to Cabot Lake Trailhead.

This is a PREMIUM SECTION of Mount Jefferson Wilderness and has the distinction of hiking across two separate National Forests - Deschutes & Willamette, as well as the legendary Pacific Crest Trail. This Area is NE of the Three Fingered Jack 24-Mile Loop (Playlists Available on this Channel) North up the Pacific Crest Trail.

There are a couple different approaches to capturing/tackling this Area:
1) This 15-Mile, 2700 FT Elevation Gain Day-Hike hitting Carl Lake, Shirley Lake & South Cinder Peak Zone as the turnaround point for this Out & Back Day-Hike.
2) If you want to do an Overnight Backpacking Trip, I would recommend Hiking Up to either Carl Lake or Shirley Lake as your Base Camp, and then I would do a separate Day-Hike on a different day up to the South Cinder Peak Zone. I would recommend going SW on Swallow Lake Trail for a little ways around the Base of South Cinder Peak for a magical pristine Alpine Volcanic Zone. I would also consider including going South to Rockpile Lake in this Day-Hike to extend it a bit if so inclined. If you really want to be ambitious, using Carl Lake or Shirley Lake as a Base Camp, you could do a second Day-Hike going North up to Table Lake as a relatively long but rewarding Day-Hike.