Hiking Elopement on Broken Top, AKA Oregon’s Very Own Patagonia

Photographing an elopement on Broken Top in Central Oregon has been a dream of mine for years. But never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be lucky enough to capture not only a fellow photographer, but a friend too (and her amazing hubs)! 

If you want to elope on Broken Top there are a couple of things you should know. One, you must obtain a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit…which can be a little tricky! They are released 10 days prior and then again two days prior to the date that you want. The permits are available at 7am and I recommend that you have multiple people try for them. I originally tried at the 10 day mark and they were gone instantly. We had seven people trying on the two day release and only one of us was successful. Moral of the story is don’t be afraid to ask for help and also to be flexible with your date, if possible. Good news is at this time you do not need any other permits. The second thing you need to know is that you must have a 4WD vehicle if you want to drive to the trailhead. There are parking options down towards Todd Lake, but it adds on about four additional miles on a dusty road…no thank you! The road is aptly named “The Worst Road in Oregon” and let me tell you-IT IS SO MUCH FUN TO DRIVE!!! Not going to lie, I was pretty excited to drive everyone up and back! Hyga, my 4Runner, just loves going off-roading (and so do I)! 

The hike to Broken Top is a 6 mile in/out hike with roughly 1,400 feet elevation gain. The top of the mountain can be pretty breezy and chilly, so make sure you come prepared! No Name Lake is a wonderful lake to take a dip in…if you are super adventurous. It is completely fed by snow melt, in fact there were still sheets of ice on one side of the lake. While Taylor had her makeup touched up, Austin was brave enough to take a little dip! Don’t just stop at the lake though, there is a trail that takes you to the views of your dreams. Climb that last bit…and I get it, it is the last thing you want to do after that hike, and you will have views of the Three Sisters-so close you feel like you can reach out and touch them! Be careful up here, because there are cliffs everywhere. 

Our day started nice and mellow, munching on Acai bowls from Fix and Repeat while Meaghan with Fleurt Beauty Co. started on Taylors hair and makeup. Gotta give my babe Meaghan a shout out-she is hands down the most committed hair and make up artist for adventure elopements! We packed our packs, made sure we had a way to hook the dress and tux on, threw in some food and away we went! There were lots of stops along the hike (for them-to take in the views, for me-to catch my breath…that gear is heavy! Lol!). My favorite part of a hike is hearing my couples excitement when they reach the destination. We live in such a gorgeous state, and it just fills my heart to experience its beauty with my couples…often their first times at a location. 

Once we arrived at No Name Lake, we sat and just took the views in, had a snack and then started getting ready. That meant hair and makeup touch ups for Taylor and a quick dip in the lake for Austin. And then, while facing away from each other, Taylor and Austin got ready for their first look. After their first look and portraits by the lake, we trekked up the last climb so that they could say their vows while the sun was setting. It was truly stunning and I think Taylor said it best. She said “Broken Top is like Oregon's very own Patagonia.” I couldn’t agree more!! When the sun dipped down, we headed back to the lake to change and clean up and then hiked back in the dark. 

I never take my job for granted. The fact that my couples trust me to capture their most special moments is never lost on me, I just never comprehend how much it fills my soul too. I will treasure this day forever.

Are you ready to plan your epic mountain elopement? Let’s do it!