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Past Activity

Postponed: Erma Bell Lakes

  • Start date: 08/30/2020

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 08/30/2020

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

We'll do a counterclockwise loop starting at the Skookum Creek campground, eventually visiting Lower, Middle, and Upper Erma Bell Lakes (with a waterfalls between the first two), plus Williams Lake and Otter Lake. There are no mountain views, but it is a beautiful forest walk. We'll have lunch next to one of the lakes, probably Middle Erma Bell Lake.

Note to drivers: the last 4 miles between Aufderheide Road and Skookum campground is gravel. It is mostly smooth, but there are some deep potholes in places which we'll try to weave around. High clearance vehicles are not required. Scouted July 13, 2020.

  • Event Leader: Joel Greer

  • Event Leader Phone: 281-701-0205

  • Event Leader Email: joelrgreer@gmail.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: South Eugene High School, 19th & Patterson

  • Rating: Moderate

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 150

  • Season: 2020

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Wear supportive shoes and a hat. Bring lunch, snacks, plenty of water, mosquito repellent, and sunscreen, along with Covid-19 face covering and hand sanitizer.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 8.4

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 800

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

We enjoyed cool, sunny weather for our loop tour of forest and lakes in the Three Sisters Wilderness. We viewed Lower Erma Bell Lake first, then checked out the waterfall between Middle and Lower Erma Bell Lake. There wasn't much water flowing over the falls, but it was still pretty. We skipped past Middle Erma Bell Lake where there were several tent campers, then caught small glimpses through the trees of Upper Erma Bell Lake and Mud Lake as we walked. Our lunch spot was next to Williams Lake, where we observed glacial striations in the bedrock. The last lake we saw was Otter Lake, about a mile before the end of the hike. We were treated to abundant huckleberries (blue and purple varieties) along the hike. Wildflowers were mostly finished except for asters. And there were no mosquitoes, which would have been a big issue earlier in the summer. This was a very enthusiastic, talkative group, and we all enjoyed the social gathering (properly distanced, as best we could) and the beauty of the area.