Canyon Creek Meadows 16 Aug 2013

Canyon Creek Meadows lies at the base of the east side of Three Fingered Jack.  We had never done this hike before - but we had heard it was a pretty one and a favorite of many. Jean, Becky, Bethany and I (and Reggie - his first hike) arrived at the TH after a very icky washboard 6 mile dirt road - at 10:15 am.  It was cool, but not cold, partly cloudy and the air was smokey.  We could even smell it a bit.  Guess the wind was not in our favor for blowing it away.  So the air was quite hazy and milky.
This hike is not long and it isn't hard.  The elevation gain is really minimal to the lower meadows and back.  The only real up-hill slog for the second section is in a couple slopes.  The best part of the hike occurs after you pass the "trail not maintained" sign and head up.  You end up hiking in a huge bowl with Three Fingered Jack dead ahead.  The flower bloom increased as we went higher too.  We hiked to the first saddle - to see the little glacial Cirque Lake over the lip.  It was so close I could not get a good photo of any of it.  The mountain was upon us!  We went back down a bit to have lunch and then hiked back via the loop to arrive at the car at 2:15p.  The hike is 7 ish miles with 1000 ft gain.

Jack Lake

hiking through the 2003 burned section

the lower meadows

near a little stream

the upper meadows

heading up to the first saddle

out destination ahead

looking over the edge

ooooo

Cirque Lake

the valley from the top

the trail to the next saddle followed the rim of this depression, very slippery

Cirque Lake

out lunch spot

heading back

canyon creek

huckleberries were everyone on the way back

falls

Ghost trees

from above Jack Lake

Jack Lake