[pct-l] Really small part of the trail I50 to I80

[enyapjr at comcast.net]

Hi Mark,

Echo Lake is slightly higher, ~325', than I-80 or Soda Springs (I'd get off 80 at the Soda Springs exit on old Hwy. 40 - catch the PCT just East of the ski area; skip doing the short I-80 to Soda Springs stretch) - so not much difference in difficulty whether going nobo or sobo...  

Check out Bearcant's elevation profiler (click on Section K): <http://www.bearcant.org/elevation.php>...
(You will also have to click on Section J to see Echo Lake mileage and elevation on far right)

Since you're going with your 11 year old son, might I suggest you go sobo...  Finish off with the boat ride / ferry to Echo Lake Resort (now called "Echo Chalet") - saves about 2.5 miles (?) hiking - plus he'll get a kick out of it...  Sit back and take in the views as you finish off the trek...
Echo Chalet: <http://www.echochalet.com/>...  I do NOT know the people that run it now (they've run it since 1984 per website) nor have been there since the late '70s - maybe someone else on the list can chime in on what they think of the business mthe last few years...

Hope that helps...  Happy trails!!!
Jim