Pacific Crest Trail, Three Fingered Jack, Oregon

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
9/28/2018	12.6 miles	6 hours 27 minutes	1,828'	30:48

Map: National Geographic, Bend, Three Sisters
Parking: See book
Directions: Hiking Bend and Central Oregon, Hike #69, Three Fingered Jack

Today there were inconsistent air quality reports. One said it would be good, one said it would be bad. We decided to drive to Three Fingered Jack and see how it was. It was fine. This hike was a gradual uphill, never steep. We went through burn areas again, though this time without much fireweed. Oregon is full of lupines , but sadly they are past their prime. I love lupines, and it must be quite a sight when the fields of them are in bloom. We got to the base of Three Fingered Jack. You need technical skills to actually climb it. We met another hiker who was staring up at the volcano. He stopped and pointed out a herd of mountain goats on the mountain. We looked, and they just looked like white rocks. We almost didn't believe. He continued on. We kept staring. Eventually those "white rocks" actually moved, lol. Ha!

We continued further along the based of the mountain for a while, until Glen was ready to turn back. On the way back I stopped to talk to a woman who had a nice camera and was photographing the mountain goats. She was originally from Cape Cod, and has been living in Oregon since attending college there. We talked a lot about what it was like to live out in Oregon versus the northeast. I asked her loads of questions. It's always helpful to talk to locals.