Morning fog and clouds gave way to sunshine and warmer temperatures for our Monday hike on Viewpoint Mike across from Lost Creek Lake.

When we arrived at the TH parking shortly after 10:00 AM the sun was already out and 48 degrees so some made wardrobe changes but the hike started.

The trail is a 1,200' climb and starts across Crowfoot Road from the parking lot. Water flowing down the trail from snow melt and groundwater was a theme for the day's hike. Most of the water could be avoided by walking off-trail.

The sunshine glistened off morning dew and shimmering runoff as we moved up the trail.

New green growth covered ancient lava flows next to the trail and made us think of early Spring instead of January's first hike.

As we rose higher we first viewed the Rogue River and the fish hatchery and then the William Jess Dam and Lost Creek Lake, behind the 327' dam.
In the distance, we could see more than a dozen Elk grazing and resting in a green pasture by Highway 62.

When we reached the three-foot rock wall Randy took our group photo with the Lake in the background.

Then we continued up into the forest for a short hike to the edge of the Borrow Pit box canyon for our lunch spot. There was none of the expected snow in the forest as the sun shone strongly down and lit up water drops on branches like tiny light bulbs.

The canyon was breathtaking for our hikers seeing it for the first time.

A manmade box canyon was made by the Army Corp of Engineers who worked on the dam and trail project for ten years from 1967 to February 1977 when Lost Creek Lake was opened to the public. Shear walls were created when rocks were blown away with dynamite and used to construct the dam.

Found in the created canyon was the core of a volcanic plug we call "the Cat" that has been climbed by our top hikers.

Our lunch was bathed in sunlight and we felt the sun's warmth as we looked over the canyon and the Lake.

We had hiked 6 miles with great views and an elevation gain of 1,200', with 11 happy hikers.