Mosquitoes, Wind, Fire and Rain: Hiking in Three Wilderness Areas



Three Creek Lake looking out from McArthur Rim
 towards the Cascade Mountains

Although we had a wonderful time hiking in the Three Sisters, Mt Jefferson and Mt Washington Wilderness areas around Sisters, we did encounter a few challenges.  One of the first challenges came in the form of mosquitoes.  We have been so lucky on our adventures in that we really haven’t run into large insect infestations. There were a few biting flies in New York last year, but it was only for about a week. 

However our luck ran out on the Matthieu Lakes Trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness.  The forest ranger we talked to about hiking in the area did warn us that it was mosquito season.  When we started the trail that morning the mosquitoes weren’t too bad.  But then they descended upon us.  Since we didn’t really hit the worst of them until about 1/3 of the way into a 7-mile loop trail, there was nothing to do but keep on going. 

South Matthieu Lake with afternoon clouds and thunderstorms in the distance
Mosquitoes not visible

Fortunately, we had bought head nets back in Arizona after a brief encounter with some gnats.  All I can say is that purchase may have saved our lives, or at least our skin.  The mosquitoes were so thick on the trail that stopping was out of the question.  As it was there was a swarm around us that we could never quite leave behind.  I had a long sleeve shirt on and still managed to get 23 mosquito bites around my right elbow (maybe I’ve worn the fabric a little thin on that shirt).  David had on shorts but was able to keep the bites down to 20 or so by applying insect repellent every 15 minutes. Thank goodness the head nets kept our faces, eyes, noses and mouths clear of the blood-sucking little varmints. 

 

'Mosquito Joe'

Maya’s fur did a decent job protecting her but they still tried to get her around the eyes, nose and ears.  Maya is an amazingly good dog, but I’m not sure she would go for a head net.  It would get in the way of her sniffing.  Eventually we were saved when the wind picked up off the afternoon thunderstorms and the mosquitoes were almost instantly gone.  I don’t ever recall being so grateful for wind.




'Silver forest' with Mt. Jefferson and other Cascade Peaks

 

On two of our wilderness hikes we had to deal with previously burned sections of trail and downed trees.  Portions of the trail we hiked in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness had burned over 10 years ago and that area was well into recovery.  Many flowers were blooming and lots of grasses and new trees were filling in the devastated areas.  The forest had a haunting beauty as the burned trees had turned to silver sculptures.  The old, dead ‘silver forest’ stood vigil over the newly budding forest beneath it. 




New trees and grasses:  The beginnings of a new forest



In nature there can be beauty even in death

 

It is probably obvious by now that David and I love to hike.  Any day on the trail, no matter the challenges beats a day in the office.  But the day we hiked in the Mt. Washington Wilderness took the prize for ‘most miserable hike’ so far this year.  It is a close call, but we might have preferred to be at work that day.



One of the few unburned sections of the Pacific Crest Trail
in the Mt Washington Wilderness

The day started out rainy but we were optimistic that it would clear up.  We had been looking forward to hiking in the Mt Washington Wilderness on a section of the Pacific Crest Trail that traversed part of this wilderness.  So off we went with ponchos and gaiters all prepared for rain.  As it turned out, we weren’t really as prepared as we thought.  We had left our rain pants in the RV.  Since the rain never let up and at times was coming down hard, we became wet on the legs in no time.  The gaiters were helpful but after a few hours of slogging on a wet and muddy trail, well let’s just say we could have really used those rain pants.




Looks like it could be one of those old Smoky the Bear posters:
'Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires'

 

To add to my misery, I had been breaking in new boots and decided not to wear them for this hike as I had laced them a little tight the day before and my ankles were sore.  My hiking shoes are waterproof but with the deep puddles on the trail, the water was able to come in from the top.  Amazingly, my feet stayed dry for about an hour but when they got wet they were sopping, sloshy wet.  Cold wet feet are never a good thing.

Then we discovered after about a 1/2 miles that much of this section of the Pacific Crest Trail had been badly burned recently.  While there was some recovery evident, many places were scorched black and there were downed trees everywhere making the trail harder to navigate.  Wet and burnt make for really yucky black mud.  Even Maya, who usually doesn’t care how dirty and wet she gets, was seeking refuge from the rain under the pine trees.

'Gimme shelter'

 

We did cut that hike short and were grateful that we weren’t thru-hikers on the PCT that day.  We had a choice; we could turn back and go home to a dry RV and shower.  And we did.  Later that day we had a nice meal at Bronco Billy’s in Sisters.  Like my friend Sasha says, “The trail really has a way of breaking it down to the basics, doesn’t it?  Warm, dry and full – the essentials.”

The end of a long, wet hike
Getting dry feels good

'Broken Top' Mountain from the McArthur Rim Trail
in the Three Sisters Wilderness

 

Our next day’s hike was as wonderful as the previous day’s hike was miserable.  It was clear and cool with a slight breeze, no mosquitoes and no fire or burned areas.  We hiked through a few snow fields at the higher elevations and Maya loved that.  Snow is just about her favorite thing – good for both romping in and eating.

I'm ready for that snow ball...

On another of our hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail near Sisters, we met a woman who was thru-hiking the trail.  Her name was Cindy and her husband, Kirk, was with her.  Kirk told us that he was hiking sections of the PCT with his wife and their daughter was hiking with mom on other sections of the trail.  We talked with them for several minutes but Cindy didn’t say much.  As the conversation went on we found out that Cindy, who was only 54, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and that she had always dreamed of hiking the PCT.  Her husband and daughter were helping her realize this dream while she could still do it. 

Talk about the essentials…  Health is sure a big one that can never be taken for granted.  From one Cindy to another, “Happy trails and may you have a safe and beautiful journey with your loving family.”

View of Mt Washington from the Pacific Crest Trail

 

 

David's Stats:
Days Hiked     4   (one very wet)
Total Miles Hiked    24.89
Ave. Miles per Day      6.22
Total Elevation Gain     3,460
Ave. Elevation Gain per day   865

The 'end of the trail' is not always this obvious...