Monday. Sept. 18, 2026
- Start: Elk Lake (PCT mile 1955.1)
- End: Middle Sister Overlook (PCT mile 1971.7)
- Distance: 16.3 PCT miles + 1.5 miles on Horse Lake Trail
Unfortunately, I had to take a nearly two-month break from my PCT progress to avoid the wildfires and horrible smoke that spread across Oregon this summer. I knew it would be a high-risk year because of the lack of snowpack, but I had no clue that 2026 would be the worst wildfire season on record. After a 2.5-hour drive back to the Elk Creek Trailhead, I resumed the 48-mile stretch of the PCT that I’d skipped between Elk Lake and Santiam Pass. This meant hiking 1.5 miles up the Horse Lake Trail to rejoin the PCT, followed by a 3.5-mile climb through the forest, where I eventually got views of Broken Top and Mt. Bachelor, with a fresh dusting of snow from an early September storm. The remainder of the trail through the Three Sisters Wilderness was surprisingly busy for a weekday. I passed two backpackers at Sisters Mirror Lake at lunchtime, another backpacker near Wickiup Plains, and a group of 5 guys backpacking near Mesa Creek, and multiple trail runners. When I reached Reese Lake for my last water of the day, even more backpackers were setting up camp there. I continued north through beautiful fall colors and past Linton Meadow to find a lovely secluded spot perched on some rocks. I had sublime views of Middle Sister and could see as far north as Mt. Washington and Mt. Jefferson. But the best perk of this stealth spot was the remarkable sunset.
(Note: 4 more hikers are just out of view, making camp, too.)
Highlights
- The early storm that swept through Oregon around Labor Day dropped the season’s first snow on Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters, turning their rocky slopes into a snow-dusted, dramatic sight.
- The reflection of Middle Sister in the tranquil waters of Reese Lake looked like a photo made for a calendar.
- The phenomenal views of Middle Sister and the sunset from my campsite made this spot one of my absolute favorites on the Oregon section of the PCT
Challenges
- Even though I did some hiking on my recent Iceland trip, I can definitely feel that I don’t have my trail legs this summer. Thankfully, this is a pretty short, 3-day trip, so I’m not carrying too much food or gear.
- I knew the Three Sisters Wilderness was popular, but I didn’t quite expect to see so many people out on the trail this late in the season. I made camp at my stealth spot about 200 yards off-trail with no one around, so I was genuinely surprised to hear two other hikers stop next to the trail and set up camp right as the sun went down. The tree blocked my view of them, but I heard the murmurs of their voices all evening long until I fell asleep.