Three Finger Jack and Canyon Creek Meadow

Debbie Emma and I recently enjoyed an overnight backpacking trip in the Mt Jefferson Wilderness area.  The trail is relatively short(about 5 miles round trip) and the scenery is stunning.  Emma was a trooper while Debbie and I groaned about pack weight.  Below is a shot of my girls shortly after entering the upper canyon creek meadowThe flowers in the lower meadow were a little bit ahead of their prime, but the area is beautiful nontheless.

Below is a shot of our campsite in the lower meadow with a nice view of Three Finger Jack.  

Upper Canyon Creek Meadow is much more alpine in nature and is generally considered to be more scenic, which makes it well worth the additional effort to get there.  While the upper meadow is stunning, camping there is discouraged due to heavy use, instead backpackers are encouraged to camp in the lower meadow and day hike up to the upper meadow, sparing it from extra wear and tear associated with overnight use.  Because of the heavy snow pack from last winter, the flowers in upper meadow are still a bit early, but there were individual groupings that were quite exceptional.  Below is one of my favorites.  Mountain Heather in the foreground, Indian Paintbrush in the midground, backed by the impressive Three Finger Jack photo.

Three Finger Jack and Mountain Heather

The next couple weeks should continue to be quite beautiful  in the upper meadow with thousands of lupines preparing to bloom.  Below is one last image, a wider spread featuring Indian paintbrush, yellow buttercups and Three Finger Jack.

If you’re planning a trip to Canyon Creek this year, make it soon!