Hike Coordinator – Edwin Case
Only four hikers showed up for this hike. Lindsey, Brad, Larry, and I arrived at the trailhead near Tipanogas Lake Campground at 10:30. We hiked along the north side of Lake Tipanogas then up and around the valley, walking through forest and past ponds up to the summit of Cowhorn Mountain. There were still a few patches of snow hiding the trail here and there but we found the trail easy to follow despite the snow drifts. This was a very different story just a week before when Richard and I pre-hiked this route on a hike that tested our route-finding skills. We are happy to report that all four of us made it to the top of Cowhorn Mountain to soak in the panoramic views from Crater Lake rim to the Three Sisters.
Instead of going back the way we came, we decided to make this a loop hike by way of taking the trail to Indigo Lake, making this approximately an 11.2 mile hike. It was a long day as we didn’t arrive back at the trailhead until 5pm. Although a 50% chance of rain was predicted, we only saw cloudy skies – however it was pretty cold at the summit.
Enjoy the pictures and we’ll see you next hike!
Pictures by Edwin Case
