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| a quintessential Jeff Park shot from Bays Lake |
Jeff Park has reputation as one of the most spectacular backcountry
areas in Oregon. I concur. It’s an alpine wonderland set at close to 6000’
filled with meadows, dotted with tarns and blue lakes, with expansive and
seemingly endless views of Mount Jefferson, 10,400’.
It has probably been a decade since I’ve visited Jeff Park, mostly
because I remember really, really disliking it as a dayhike- by the time you
get to the magical stuff, it’s almost turn-around time. And Jeff Park is the
kind of place you want to soak into your pores. Unfortunately, due to its well-deserved
reputation for spectacular, the fragile landscape is also being *loved to
death* by hoards of dayhikers & backpackers, so I suppose keeping my own
personal visit quota low is a small drop in the bucket of a contribution to
keeping this incredible place intact.
I can’t really say I forgot about the mosquitoes….but, we’ll get to
that.
House sold, another house purchased and currently in suspended
moving/house limbo, Andy and I took some time away this weekend for soul
therapy. Starting up the Whitewater Trail at 12:30, we spent our time on the
trail reminiscing about life transitions and moving forward, dispersed with
long periods of silence and simply being together. Interestingly enough, both
of us recall hating the Whitewater Trail: essentially a hot, boring, waterless,
and dusty slog. We were anticipating the park, and it simply felt like it took
forever to get there through some really uninspiring scenery.
I’m not sure what changed. Perhaps we enjoy the walk now more, taking
our time and not emphasizing the end point so much in backpacking anymore.
Maybe this helps, I dunno. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised when the
miles passed swiftly, and I found myself looking at the Whitewater trail and
all its transition zones from a different perspective: a moderate climb through
old growth, sunlight filtering through. The dusty ridge climb section where the
flowers haven’t yet come out to play. Cool wind, warm sun, how the light
changes as you gain elevation.
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| Whitewater Trail |
And then, somewhere around three miles in, this starts to happen.
Mountain peek-a-boo.
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| Andy climbing along the Whitewater Trail, Jefferson saying hello |
The first real hint of the beauty to come, that sense of approaching
the high alpine, comes after crossing Whitewater Creek. From here (now on the
PCT), the trail switchbacks up and up, suddenly leveling out at Jeff Park. It
almost catches you by surprise.
And then the world just opens up.
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| One of a hundred tarns, aka mosquito breeding pools |
It’s an area made for wandering, for napping, for soaking in sunlight
and flowers and space and sky. The park has a well-earned reputation for one of
the most impressive wildflower displays anywhere in Oregon, complete with sandy-bottom
lakes perfect for wading and swimming.
All this water also gives Jeff Park the very well-founded reputation
for being ground zero for the mosquito apocalypse if you visit in high season.
I was hoping we were early for the mozzie hatch, anticipating the park still
being about 50% snowbound.
Nope. Nope and nope.
Mozzie season has begun. And the park is 100% melted out. Unheard of.
Usually it is still nearly inaccessible until July.
This. Is. An. Odd. Year.
True to form, Scout and Bays Lakes were swarmed with people. Andy and I
chose a low-impact site away from both the trail and hoards and set about on
the serious task of taking an afternoon nap in the sunlight. The best naps are
taken while backpacking. (And you can [almost] always outnap or outrun mosquitoes
if you walk fast enough or snooze in the tent long enough).
Russell Lake was abandoned by all except one group. Uh….
Cue Andy and I tromping back to our campsite, breaking it all down, and
hoofing it back to Russell Lake in the dying light. If there is one thing I
love, it’s waking up to views of the mountain over an alpine lake.
And the dying alpenglow light, and stars over mountain glaciers at
night.
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| alpenglow = soul therapy |
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| this is the stuff my dreams are made of |
Once the sun hit our camp the next morning, the mozzies began enforce,
which led to us breaking down tent and hitting the trail by 7:45. The still
early light through the park was mesmerizing, so we took our time exploring
little side trails along the way out.
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| wake up and stuff |
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| Jefferson from Russel Lake campsite |
Home, it’s back to reality: packing, logistics and coordinating a move
and new house reno projects within the next week…but I’m thinking Jeff Park may
have just made the mid-week, fall trip list. It’s been too long, and I had
almost forgotten how absolutely lovely it really is.
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| heading home |
JEFFERSON PARK VIA WHITEWATER TRAIL
Mount Jefferson Wilderness, Oregon
14ish miles with off-trail/lake wanderings, 1900 feet elevation gain
