[pct-l] Mt. Jeff. Wilderness -- current information?

[Susan Virnig]

This is the last section of the WA & OR PCT remaining for me!  (Started
section hiking in 1977 and finished WA by 1983, then took 20 years off to
get 2 graduate degrees and raise a child.  Been working on Oregon for 6
summers and am about to finish!)

 

I only have the stretch from Santiam Pass to the ridge just north of
Jefferson Park left.  I'll be going in up the Whitewater Trail to Scout
Lake, then dropping my back to hike north up to the ridge - have to hike the
WHOLE trail! - and then head south to the pass over several days.

 

Can anyone give me any information about trail conditions?  I assume there's
plenty of water and that the mosquitoes will be long gone by Sept. 30 when I
start this.  One person has told me that the Russell Creek ford was no big
deal, but the guidebook makes it sound pretty scary.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

--Susan from Spokane