Three Sisters Wilderness-Thoughts

We are fed, rested, and clean which is more than many people in the world can say. I am always reminded of what a privilege it is to be able to do these treks. The arduous walk through the burn also reminded me of how tenuous these wilderness areas are in an era of climate change.

Pete’s Lake fire was the name of the burn we walked through. It encompassed 3,254 acres and started on August 25th, 2023, ten months ago and burned for two months last fall. It was started by lightning. The extent of the damage was limited due to cool and sometimes wet weather.

Cappuccino and I had quite a journey. We traveled along good trail, faint trail, and no trail. We walked through snow, through swamps and bogs, through young forest, burned forest, and ancient forest, past lakes of all sizes and crossed many streams both big and small. We had days in the 80’s and windchill in the 30’s. We climbed and descended thousands of feet. We scrambled over, under and around fallen logs, worked our way across steep slopes hundreds of feet high without trails, and clawed our way up near vertical embankments as we negotiated the route. We seemed to have done and experienced a little of everything wilderness has to offer.

Along with these somewhat self imposed hardships, we listened to the songs of innumerable species of birds, heard the wind caress the trees, and frogs singing us a chorus. There were sunlit diamonds on the lakes, and curtains of showers sweeping across the landscape. So many kinds of wildflowers and even the Bear Grass was in bloom. And, of course, there was the forest, with its cool shade, grand trees, and story of endurance and rebirth. Walking through these places renews me.

I’m glad I stumbled upon this little corner of the Three Sisters Wilderness. I was taken with the extent of mature forest and old growth groves. And following faint trail, with sometimes only a vague idea of a line or bare spot to guide me, was an interesting challenge. A little anxiety producing, but interesting nonetheless. We did not walk as many miles as we thought we might, but we stayed flexible and always had good spots to camp and amazing scenery.

It was a short, but magical trip. As usual, Cappuccino was excellent company and a great hiking companion. And, as I like to say, “We walked away from another one!”

Safe travels and Happy Trails.

NOTE: My next trip will be in the second week of August. If interested check back then. If you are subscribed, you will get an email when I post my next blog in August.