[pct-l] 78% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout Lake

[Bob Bankhead]

As I recall, the alternate road walk from Cascade Locks to Panther Creek is
14.7 miles. The PCT route 35.5 miles, so you're really only saving 20.8
miles.

Stevenson is 3.2 road miles from Cascade Locks. You should be able to
purchase almost everything you'd need there, and there is a P.O. A better
option is to go another 4.5 miles and resupply via the P.O. in Carson, but
there is little else in Carson. That would save you carrying resupply weight
for the first 7.7 miles of the roadwalk.

When my daughter and I did this section, my wife met us at the PCT crossing
of paved Road 23 (83 trail miles from Cascade Locks). There's not a lot of
traffic along those forest roads. As stated below, it's a long way to Trout
Lake, although it's a great little town.....with a P.O. (for now).



-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Scott
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 2:21 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] 78% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout Lake


What some folks do is skip the 34 miles between Cascade Locks and Wind River
Rd and just walk Wind River Rd to Panther Crk Rd to the PCT at Panther Crk
CG. You can shave a 34 mile day off that way. This doesn't work for the
purist! :)

If you're considering Trout Lake, you really need to think twice about that
decision. It's roughly 20 miles off-trail on a forest service road; getting
a hitch by most accounts will be a major pain. Subjective testimonials of a
few folks saying they had no problem should not be confused with the reality
of it. Only 6% of hikers in the past have used Trout Lake and for good
reason.