On a glorious early fall day, with Mt. Jefferson beckoning us, eight lucky hikers made the trek in to Jeff Park on the Whitewater Trail. Most of the route was burned in the 2020 wildfires but recovery is evident, with low shrubs and lots of beargrass softening the stark sea of tall gray and black tree spires. In Jeff Park itself, spared from the fires, brilliant crimson huckleberry bushes, gold/green meadows and sparkling lakes greeted us. Mt. Jefferson was the crowning jewel, with a heavy dusting of new snow. After soaking up the scenery with lunch at Scout Lake and a quick side trip to Russell Lake for some, we retraced our steps back to the trailhead. Exhilarated and, yes, rather tired after 10 or 11 miles, were Jill Wilson, Pam Thomas, Deb Wallig, Trish Rossitto, Patty Baskin, Renae Wentz, Ann Adamcik and Mary Schmidgall, leader.
Left to right - Patty Baskin, Pam Thomas, Trish Rossitto, Jill Wilson,
Mary Schmidgall, Deb Wallig, Renae Wentz, Ann Adamcik.
