EXPLORING THE EPIC Wasco Lake Sapphire Sparkle Shoreline! | Three Fingered Jack Loop | 4K | Oregon

This was a 12.7 mile, 1700 FT Elevation Gain Day-Hike in Central Oregon, part of the 24-mile Three Fingered Jack Loop with a focus on the NE Quadrant, starting from the Jack Lake Trailhead (permit required at Recreation.gov) and hiking to Lower Canyon Creek Meadow, Upper Canyon Creek Meadow, to the Base of Mighty Three Fingered Jack, up the Rocky Scree to the Turquoise Alpine Cirque Overlook (STEEP PRECIPICE - RECOMMEND EXTREME CAUTION), turning around and paralleling Canyon Creek to the Old Summit Trail Junction and turning Left, crossing Canyon Creek, hiking down to Wasco Lake through a gorgeous Burnout, exploring the Backcountry Campsites on the NW Shore of Wasco Lake, Climbing up Minto Pass to the Wasco Lake Overlook on the PCT, and proceeding down the PCT with gorgeous views of Three Fingered Jack and Mount Washington for a bit to an arbitrary turnaround point in Mount Jefferson Wilderness at the edge of the Burnout and Old Growth Forest Ecological Zone, and hiking back to Jack Lake Trailhead shortest distance possible by completing the right segment of the Canyon Creek Meadows triangle, stopping to see the Canyon Creek Hidden Waterfall along the way just after the junction for Old Summit Trail and Canyon Creek Crossing, ultimately returning to Jack Lake Trailhead.

This Day-Hike is one of three amazing Day-Hikes I like to break Three Fingered Jack Loop into as an alternative approach to Backpacking the whole Loop in one trip:
1) Jack Lake Trailhead to Canyon Creek Meadows to Base of Three Fingered Jack to Turquoise Alpine Cirque to Parallel Canyon Creek to Old Summit Trail to Wasco Lake to Minto Pass to PCT Wasco Lake Overlook to PCT Burnout Zone to Old Summit Trail to Hidden Waterfall (THIS HIKE)
2) Santiam Pass PCT staying North to the "Moneyshot", highest point in the entire 24-mile Loop
3) Santiam Pass PCT, turn right after 0.3 miles to Old Summit Trail to Square Lake & Booth Lake, turnaround shortly after Booth Lake before the Manzanita Zone
***These three Day-Hikes capture the Highlights of the 24-mile Three Fingered Jack Loop!***

I would recommend doing this hike earlier in the day with fluids on your person because the vast majority of this hike is FULLY EXPOSED to the SUN. The temperature was classic Summer weather, in the 40's early in the morning with a high in 80's in the heart of the day. This was hiked on 8/10/2023 and there were fortunately no mosquitoes.

As far as road conditions, that is the most difficult part of this EPIC hike, there is a several mile very bumpy rough road to the trailhead, would recommend high clearance 4-Wheel Drive, take it nice and slow particularly around blind narrow corners. Do watch for road conditions, particularly snow/ice depending on the time of year.