Hiking in Oregon: Canyon Creek Meadows Hike Up Three Fingered Jack

Though I have traveled all up and down the East Coast of the US, and now technically live in the Midwest, this past week has been my very first time exploring out West.  I had looked forward to this trip for a long time, researching various hikes and other activities as I pieced together our itinerary.  As we were flying in to Portland, Oregon and then driving southeast to Bend, the Canyon Creek Meadows hike up the East side of Three Fingered Jack popped up in my research on EveryTrail as being both beautiful and convenient for our travel plans.

Map of hike in relation to Portland and Bend, Oregon

The hike itself is about 7 miles, and is an out & back (with a partial loop) trail in the Deschutes National Forest.  Driving to the trail head on the day of our hike, we realized just how remote the hike actually is.  We took Highway 20 to Forest Road 12, and then Forest Roads 1230 and 1234 which were mostly dirt/gravel roads with lots of ruts, making us feel very thankful for our SUV.  Upon reaching Jack Lake, we parked the car, noting only 1 other car in the parking lot.  The weather had been spotty on our drive in, mostly cloudy with random scatterings of rain and sunshine.

Original Map source: EveryTrail (http://www.everytrail.com/guide/canyon-creek-meadows), edited by Two Toned Travelers

 

Jack Lake

After starting my GPS watch and double checking our daypack for snacks, water, extra clothing layers, and a safety/survival kit, we headed on our way.  The trail went around Jack Lake, a very small but blue body of water surrounded by forest.  The trail was a bit muddy in sections but nothing our waterproof hiking boots couldn’t handle.  Somewhere after the half mile mark, the trail started to be covered by snow.  As there were no visible trail markers after the initial sign pointing left to Canyon Creek Meadows, there were times we weren’t sure if we were on the trail at all, but with my husband’s good sense of direction and consulting the EveryTrail map we would eventually get to spots not covered by snow and were able to verify we were still on track. The forest to our left had been charred by a forest fire, but through the sparse tree trunks and clouds we did catch some nice views.

View of Three Fingered Jack

About a mile in, we lost the trail.  Though we were mostly able to walk on top of the snow, occasionally one of our feet would punch through the hard surface and we realized the snow was about knee-deep and getting deeper.  After further consultation by my husband with our maps and the sun, we did find the trail again, but were met with the snow issues again further along, and this time we lost the trail for good as the whole forest was blanketed in snow.  We tested out a few different routes that seemed like paths through the trees, always marking our route in the snow and with sticks (and knowing we could retrace our footsteps if needed).  The light sporadic rain turned into snow, and we stopped under a tree again to consult.

Though I completely trust my husband and would follow him to the ends of the earth, I also have learned to listen to and voice my instincts, which my husband encourages.  We do a good job balancing each other out and talking through situations to come to a mutual decision.  My husband was fairly sure he could get us back onto the path at some point,  but I was getting quite uneasy being alone in the snowy, remote woods of Oregon trying to find the hiking trail.  In the end, our conclusion after pushing a ways out onto the snow packed trail, was that it was better to be safe than sorry.  As much as I wanted to finish this hike for my own personal satisfaction, the views at the top of Three Fingered Jack, and to share an amazing post and photos with my blog readers :), we decided it would be best to head back.  We turned around and retraced our steps, and as much as our decision felt like defeat, I also was immediately more at ease.

Sometimes hikes do not go as planned, as much as you (desperately!) want them to.  The most important thing is safety and peace of mind, as disappointing as it may be to not achieve your ultimate goal. It is also important to plan ahead in case of emergency.  We had packed extra clothing layers, a small medical kit, a knife, water and extra snacks, and a survival kit that included an emergency blanket, fire starters, and a mirror for signaling.  Though we didn’t (thankfully) need the kit, I was comforted knowing that we had it with us.

Based on our experience, we have the following recommendations for this hike:

– Wear hiking boots (not just tennis shoes)

– Wait to hike it when most of the snow has melted (we attempted this mid/late May, seems late June through September would be best).  If attempting in snowy months I think snow-shoes would be very handy to have, in addition to pulling up the EveryTrail map on your phone beforehand to aid in finding the trail.

– Have a vehicle that can handle bumpy, rutted dirt roads (in order to access the trail at Jack Lake)

– Wear/bring clothing layers, as the weather changed quickly on the mountain

– Bring snacks and plenty of water

The Canyon Creek Meadows hike reminded us to always be prepared, trust our instincts and listen to each other.  Despite not completing it, we still got some wonderful views and photos, and a great overall experience.  There have been a handful of other hikes I have started in the past that I have not been able to complete due to weather or conditions, but instead of letting them nag at me I just tell myself that some day I will go back and complete them. After all, it’s always nice to have a great excuse to go back somewhere!