Burnt Lake and East Zigzag

Sunday, September 9, 2018

The forecast today was favorable, so Greg and I decided to hike to Burnt Lake and East Zigzag. It took us just two hours to reach Burnt Lake from the trailhead. I was pleasantly surprised to find the lake calm, beautifully reflecting Mt. Hood:

Burnt Lake

Burnt Lake

After stopping for a lake break we continued on the trail, heading towards East Zigzag. The final push to the top:

East Zigzag

This stretch before the summit is actually the best place for views:

View from East Zigzag

The rocky summit used to have clear 360-degree views back in the lookout days, but the trees have grown up now:

View from East Zigzag

View from East Zigzag

East Zigzag

We got a peek at Mt. Adams:

View from East Zigzag

Looking northwest:

View from East Zigzag

Mt. Jefferson:

Mt. Jefferson

View to the south:

East Zigzag

All that’s left of the lookout that once stood here is a few pieces of melted glass from when they burned it in the 1960s:

024 Destruction of East Zigzag fire lookout, Mt Hood NF

We stopped for photo on the way back down:

View from East Zigzag

Greg got stung by a yellow jacket just as we reached the lake on the way back, so while he tended to his wound I went on litter patrol around the campsites. The sites themselves were surprisingly clean, but there was a heck of a lot of toilet paper in the trees behind the sites. I picked it up (wearing a glove) and bagged it for the hike out. While I was over on that side of the lake I got a photo of East Zigzag above the lake:

Burnt lake

A 10-mile day with beautiful weather!