Day 1. Three Sisters Loop 19.2 miles.

Holy smokes. What a day! Where to begin?! At the beginning of course! 

My sleep set up last night, with North Sister hiding out

There you are! 

Since we slept at the trailhead, we had a picnic table to eat breakfast at and a very clean toilet to get us started off right! When I repacked my sleeping bag into my pack I realized how empty it looked and decided to reorganize my backpack, putting the entire tent inside (which normally hangs out in the left water bottle pocket.)

Not too bad for 50 miles and a full tent and food! 

I didn’t weigh it but my estimate is “light” :)

I was pretty happy with my pack for this trip. The weather is fair and the temps are forecasted high, so I brought my 40° Enlightened Equipment quilt (14oz), instead of my 15° Mountains Hardware mummy bag (2.5 lbs). I also brought an emergency rain poncho instead of a full rain jacket. The one thing I am more stoked on than my gear list are my fellow hikers!

Me, Brad, and Nick

Brad is my good good friend from work and the Snowboard Department Lead at Next Adventure. I met Nick for the first time on this trip and he is one cool dude! He’s moving to Alaska soon to manage sled dogs. (Iditarod kine). The three of us set off to do the outside loop pictured below, counterclockwise. 

The trailhead was in a cool burn area and soon we entered the Three Sisters Wilderness! The burn area lasted for a good 10 miles where it was mainly dry, but we had one very nice water source called Alder Creek about 7 miles in.

North Sister

After about 10 miles, we made it to the PCT junction and our first lake and Swim Spot: South Matthieu Lake. Ok, technically it was a couple hundred feet out of our way, but you can’t NOT jump in an alpine lake after walking 10 miles through a dry burn area on a hot day! 

One of the many things I am stoked about so far is the lack of mosquitos! And even better, the presence of butterflies! Hundreds and thousands of them! They love the moist dirt and mud along the lake edge, and it was hard not to step on them or get hit in the face by them constantly! What a pleasant problem to have! 

How many can you count? (Look on the wet ground)

South Matthieu Lake

Brad and Nick and I jumped in the cool lake and even swam to the other side! We sat in the grass for a few minutes before swimming back to our gear, and then dried out in the hot heat. We could tell the day would be cookin’! After some post-swim snacks, we geared up and headed out into the lava fields!

Washington, 3 fingered Jack, Jefferson (with snow) and Hood if you squint (far right)

I am SO stoked to be back on the Pacific Crest Trail! It’s so beautiful out here in the Central Oregon Cascades!! I forgot how varied the terrain and different microclimates were, and all around it was a gorgeous day! 

Beautiful wildflowers

We kept on South on the PCT and came across Minnie Scott Springs. A spring so clear that bubbles right out of the ground, that we didn’t even use a filter to drink from it. (I almost always filter water, but this is literally coming filtered out of the ground!)

Just like that! 

It was there that we met Loverboy, a Southbounder on the PCT. We saw a few PCT hikers, but most of them just in passing since they were Northbound. Loverboy started in Canada on July 7th and has been booking about 30 mile days through Oregon after battling lots of snow in Washington! 

He was about to take a break, so we continued on through some really beautiful stuff! Mom, sorry in advance about balancing way too high up on and in a field of lava rocks. Kids, don’t try this at home! 

Gorgeous trail

Lava switchbacks down into the valley ahead

After a lot more impressive lava, we dropped down into the trees for some more forested climbs and descents. Spirits were highly, “How could this day get any better?!!?”

It got better!!

Yup! Nick spotted ground-score M&M’s and you best BELIEVE we split the whole bag right then and there!  They were still cool and non melted, despite being such a hot day, telling us that they were freshly dropped! What kind of crazy trail Magic is that!!?

We continued on towards Sister Springs (another no filter situation), and Obsidian Falls. Both amazing attractions set in the scene of natural obsidian deposits! This area was so beautiful and magical! I remembered these places from my thru hike in 2018 and was excited to show the boys! 

Obsidian 

Some cool pieces

All around!

Sisters Spring

Ice Cold!! 

Obsidian Falls

Creepy Skull Spider

We kept on keeping on even as our bodies grew tired. Initially we were going to camp either just before or just after the 1.8 mile limited camping zone of Obsidian Falls. We had already exceeded our goal and we’re now looking for a sweet campsite for the night. We almost settled a couple times but I’m sooooo glad we held out until we found the most EPIC CAMPSITE EVER!! All three of us noted a level bluff a few hundred feet off-trail with a killer view. We jumped on it and scored!! 

From camp looking East: view of North Sister 

Looking North/East pano

Same view, 2 minutes later

WOW

Absolutely no filtering of these photos 

Brad’s Nook

Wow, what a night!! No wind, only 1 mosquito sighted at camp, the most AMAZING sunset! Oh yeah, and then a ramen bomb and some fudge brownie M&M’s and Snickers, thanks Brad and Nick :) Well, off to bed to see what tomorrow holds!! 

Thanks for reading!!