Bend Premier Real Estate Blog

The Hike to Carl Lake is Little Known

Many in Central Oregon know of the hike to Three Fingered Jack via Canyon Meadow. This trailhead to this hike is accessed from Jack Lake which is at the end of Forest Service Road 1234 in the Mt Jefferson Wilderness. Forest Service Road 1234 splits off Forest Service Road 1230 roughly two miles off paved Jack Lake Road. If instead of turning on 1234 to the Jack Lake Trailhead, people wanting a different experience can continue on 1230 for seven miles to reach the Cabot Lake (Carl Lake) trailhead (the last two miles of this road is rough). 

The first mile and a half of this hike is through the recovering burned forest of the B & B complex fire of 2003, but after that, the hike is in old growth forest. Two miles in the trail passes an overgrown and uncleared spur that can take hikers to Cabot Lake, a lovely forest lake. The trail has numerous blueberry bushes and in the fall, interesting mushrooms. After a series of switchbacks climbing a ridge, the trail levels out and passes three small unnamed lakes until at five miles the trail reaches Carl Lake.

Carl Lake is a lovely, deep blue, glaciated, trout filled alpine lake. There are also many camping spots dotted around the lake for those who wish to spend some time enjoying the area. For those wishing more hiking challenges, past the south side of the lake is a trail that goes to Shirley Lake and beyond it, climbs to reach the Pacific Crest Trail. Two tenths of a mile south on the PCT is a spur trail trail west that hikers can use to summit South Cinder Cone. For those who do, the views toward Mt. Jefferson to the north and Three Fingered Jack to the south are truly outstanding. 

Day hikers can enjoy the entire trip from the trailhead up South Cinder Cone and back in 14.28 miles and see very few if any people.

If you've been watching from the sidelines, now's the time to lean in. It's officially the best time to buy this year. According to Realtor.com, this October will have the most buyer-friendly conditions of any month in 2025:

"By mid-October, buyers across much of the country may finally find the combination of inventory, pricing, and negotiating power they've been waiting for—a rare opportunity in a market that has been tight for most of the past decade."

So, if you're ready and able to buy right now, shooting for this month means you should see:

• More homes to choose from
• Less competition from other buyers
• More time to browse
• Better home prices
• Sellers who are more willing to negotiate

Just remember, every market i...

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There's a new divide in housing right now. In some states, buyers are gaining ground. In others, sellers still have the upper hand. It all depends on where you live. Curious what's happening in Oregon?

These 3 maps show how the split is playing out across the country. In each one:

• Darker Shades of Blue = Buyer friendly
• Lighter Shades of Blue = Seller strong

Inventory Sets the Stage

While the number of homes for sale has improved pretty much across the board, how much growth we've seen can look dramatically different based on where you live. And that impacts who has the leverage today.

This map uses data from Realtor.com to break it down:

• The darker shades of blue show where inventory has risen more than in other areas of the country. Buyers here have more to choose from and should have an easier time finding a...

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Take the Climbers' Trail to Reach Hayden Glacier

For Central Oregon hikers looking for something different that does not require a paid permit, the climbers' trail on Middle Sister is well worth it. Most hikers would start in the burned forest at the Pole Creek Trailhead located off forest service road 15 outside of Sisters (the parking at the trailhead requires $5 payment or a forest pass). After hiking the trail to the junction with Green Lakes Trail 17, trekkers continue on Trail 17 toward Park Meadow. Shortly after crossing Soap Creek is the junction with Camp Lake which hikers should take to reach the unmarked junction with the Climbers' Trail. If hikers miss this trail, it loops with another section of the Camp Lake trail near one of the branches of Wychus Creek which hikers to Camp Lake have to cross. Climbers don't cross the creek, but instead hike upstream toward Middle Sister. 

Regardless of the looped trail route chosen, they join on the moraine just under Hayden Glacier. Both are steep, difficult hikes with loose pumice and boulders to traverse. For those who plan on summiting Middle or North Sister, Hayden Glacier is just another geological feature to pass by before the summiting. For those not wishing to go further, the Cascade views from the glacier are amazing.

For those starting at the Pole Creek Trailhead and hiking to the glacier but no further, plan on a full day, climbing over 3100 feet and roughly 13 miles.

Mortgage rates are finally heading in the right direction – and buyers are starting to jump back in.

According to the data, buyer demand picked up considerably once mortgage rates hit a new low for 2025. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports that applications for home loans were up 23% compared to the first week of September last year.

If you've been waiting to sell, or your listing recently expired because the market was slower than you hoped it would be, now's the time to reconsider your move. Buyer demand is the highest it's been since July – and you don't want to miss this window.

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