Jefferson Park Adventure

This past weekend my Father came up for our annual backpacking adventure, this was actually the first trip we have made in the past few years due to the triplets being born and my dad breaking his hip. We headed over to Jefferson Park with our good friend Les. Jefferson Park is located on the north slope of Mt. Jefferson (Oregon's second largest peak)it is a large basin containing huge meadows and beautiful alpine lakes full of brookies and cutthroats. We left the trail head about 11am Saturday morning and did not arrive at our camp spot till about 6pm, it was a about a 6 mile trek with a 3000ft elevation gain coupled with full packs it was quite the test for my Dad's new titanium hip, and Les' new heart stint they both held up great. The next day we fished in Russel Lake all morning catching 8 nice Brook trout with a black elk hair caddis. We then took a 4 mile day hike up to Park Ridge Butte about 1000' above the Basin (7100' elevation) with awesome views of the mountain and the lakes below. After a nice nap that evening we hit the lake again and this time fishing the exact same spot and fly I caught 3 beautiful Cutthroats 9-12", trophies for a high mountain cascade lake like this and they made a great dinner along with the Brook trout Dad caught with his deadly "bubble and fly" rig. The next day after eating Oatmeal with freshly picked huckleberries,we sadly had to pack up and head home. It was much quicker heading down the trail than coming up altough it was tough on the knees. On the way home we stopped at a small diner for an Buffalo hamburger that was one of the best tasting things I have ever had after eating dehidrated food for 3 days.

This was a very memorable trip with my father and Les. Of all the hiking and fishing I have done in Oregon I can safely say that this is the best scenery I have experienced in so far Oregon, it was pretty amazing. Now that my legs have recovered I can't wait to get back to Jefferson Park.