Two CONC groups set off for Soda Creek trail on Sunday, August 11th. All started by the Green Lakes trailhead in perfect weather, cool at the beginning then plenty of sunshine and a delightful breeze, and almost no other people on the trail.
Larry Weinberg’s group of four hikers continued up the Soda Creek trail, past the Broken Top viewpoint, to its junction with the Todd Lake trail and from there to the junction with the Broken Top trail. The hikers then followed the Broken Top trail to Crater Ditch where they had lunch. They returned to Todd Lake (where a car had been dropped) via the Broken Top trail and the Todd Lake trail.
A larger group, led by Linda Frost, followed Soda Creek and Crater Creek to a turn around and lunch spot with a 360 degree view of Broken Top and Sparks Lake. The hiking book said that this was only six miles, but people’s various technologies clocked eight miles. The group enjoyed flowers, waterfalls, and marvelous views. The cliff viewpoints where many hikers had stood on last week’s Todd Lake Rim hike were particularly fun to see from the new angle.
Although Larry’s group hiked around 12 miles, they managed to get back in town at the same time as the dawdling/sightseeing/flower-smelling group.
