My friend Heidi pinged me earlier in the week about hiking Black Crater on Saturday, so I jumped in with her group (4 people, 2 dogs). We wanted to start early (7:30 to stay ahead of the mid-day heat). This would be the … 6th? I think? …time I've hiked Black Crater and I have never timed it well. It's either early in the season and I have snow to contend with or I start too late on a hot day and ride the struggle bus all the way to the top.

But I finally hit this trail in those just right Goldilocks conditions. Recent deadfall had been cleared, the flowers were blooming, a light comfortable breeze passed through the trees, and clouds kept the sun from directly beating down on us. It's the first time I can say I enjoyed every step of this hike!

This is one of my favorite summits in Central Oregon – the colors of the volcanic rocks almost look unnatural, like a movie set.

We were down the peak by late morning, which was good because some of those clouds turned to rain later in the day, luckily once we were comfortably eating our late lunch of burgers and beers in Sisters!