[pct-l] A ride from Seattle to Harts Pass?

[Eric Lee]

James wrote:
>
Anyone available to give a ride to Harts Pass July 15-17?
>

Harts Pass is still buried under several (maybe 8-ish?) feet of snow and
won't be accessible by car any time soon.  The closest you're going to get
is Rainy Pass on Highway 20, which is open.

Just checking - are you aware of how much snow is still in the North
Cascades?  I was just up there today dropping someone off and there's still
a ridiculous amount of snow above 4,500 to 5000 feet or so, depending on
location.  Basically everything from Rainy Pass to the border is still under
snow, and the terrain up there is not forgiving in those conditions (lots of
steep side traverses with high potential for fatal falls).  If you're aware
of that and are prepared for it, then great!

Probably your best bet if you want to get to the border with a minimum of
work for the start of a southbound thru-hike is to do what the guy I dropped
off today is doing.  He's going north on the Ross Lake East Bank trail then
will cut over to the PCT at or near the border and head south.

Even better would be starting at Old Station in northern California and
heading north, then flipping from the northern border back to Old Station
and heading south to finish.  If you're not philosophically committed to a
contiguous thru-hike that's probably the plan with the highest odds of
success based on what we know right now.

As for the ride, I'm not sure yet if I'll be available.  Follow up with me
privately if you still want it.

Eric