Three Fingered Jack

Reaching up into the deep blue sky, Three Fingered Jack's eroded, jagged summit lures climbers in for a technical, fifth-class mountain climb on one of the most picturesque Cascade volcanoes.  A 7-mile approach along a section of the Pacific Crest Trail meanders through the white faced snags that are the remnants of the 2003 Booth Fire.  The forest is slowly on its way to recovery, and a healthy variety of wildflowers can be seen along the trail as late as August: look for lupine, paintbrush, sea aster, and Davidson's penstemon to name a few. The meadows of wildflowers extend into the nearly vertical rock faces that crumble with loose scree and flaky rock.

Be sure to bring your rope, your climbing rack, and your wits, as the exposure along “The Crawl” and its 1,000-foot drop can make the hardiest of climbers quiver.  From the summit on a clear day, you'll have views of Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, the Three Sisters, and Broken Top.  The hike and climb to the summit does take some time, so be sure to start your hike in before sunrise if you want to return to your car before sunset.