Santiam Pass to Rockpile Lake (mile 2012.3).
Miles hiked: 13.9.
Puttered around a couple hours organizing things and trying to figure out what's going on with the fires and trail closures in Washington. Then Allyson drove me all the way back to the trail and I got hiking by around 12:30.
The trail climbed up through some old burned forest with views back south through the bleached trunks at the Three Sisters and Mt Washington. It was a beautiful day with really clear light blue mid day sky and the distant peaks were crisp and seemed so close. I skirted around he west side of Three Fingered Jack, a small but dramatically eroded old volcanic core. Down to the west little blue lakes shimmered in the sun like gems tossed out on a green carpet.
Around the north side of Three Fingered Jack the trail regained the crest ridge and followed it for the rest of the day. Through breaks in the trees I could see back south across a huge panorama, including the low plains where Sisters and Bend are, Black Butte, Broken Top, Middle and North Sisters, Washington, and Three Fingered Jack. Such an incredible view, perhaps the best yet in Oregon. Wind blew across the ridge, keeping it cool and making noises like human voices in the old burned snags. I saw a couple southbounders and some other thru hikers and backpackers at a water source, but otherwise had the trail to myself.
I had dinner at Rockpile Lake, a little shallow pool stuck in a notch between the ridge and a side peak, with the intention of hiking a couple more miles after eating. But the meal took longer than I was expecting and I just ended up setting up camp there. I did my camp chores then snacked and wrote and read while the sliver moon played peekaboo behind dark tree trunks.
Birds:
Northern Flicker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Mountain Chickadee
Oregon Junco
Bluebird - I think Western, but not a good look
Common Raven
Chipping Sparrow
Clark's Nutcracker
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