[pct-l] Sno-Pass to Steven's Pass

[Eric Lee (GAMES)]

David wrote:
>
Hello folks. We're considering hiking the PCT from Snoqualmie to Steven's
pass in Washington, about 70 miles, the first week in August. Has anyone
been on that route recently and, if so, how was the snow (e.g., at Kendall
Katwalk)?
>

One good place to get information about the condition of the PCT in Washington is the Washington Trails Association web site (www.wta.org).  If you go to "Find A Hike" and then "Freshest Trip Reports", you'll get an idea of how things are looking in the area and you might even find reports from the PCT itself.  Though admittedly it's a lot easier to gather useful information from the trip reports if you're actually familiar with Washington geography.

The most relevant report I see on there is someone who headed up the PCT from Snoqualmie on 7/5.  At that time, the trailhead parking lot was still under snow, then the trail was mostly clear for a couple of miles, then it was patchy snow, then solid snow about a mile from Kendall Peak.

I was just up in the area today (though not on the PCT) and there's still lots of snow under tree cover and on north-facing slopes starting at roughly 4000 feet.  Lots of ice on the lakes, too.

However, you still have three weeks and the weather is warm.  I'd expect that by the first week of August, that whole section of the PCT is going to be mostly clear, though some lingering snow patches are likely.  As usual, a lot depends on the weather we get between now and then.

Eric