[pct-l] r.e. Oregon Southbound

[Cari and Pete Tucker]

Hi Devon,

Sandals and I went southbound through Oregon at roughly the same time in
2010, when we were on a flip strategy to avoid high snow levels in the
Sierra.  Although it was a pretty high snow year in Oregon as well, we got
through OK, but you're right to be concerned about snow in a couple of
areas.

We roadwalked from Lolo pass to government camp to avoid the snow on Mount
Hood.  We were then snow free until just south of Ollalie lake, but from
that point on were in snow most of the way to Sanitam pass.  In that
section we dropped down to a lower, parallel trail (passing Marion Lake) to
avoid the extended traverses along North Cinder Peak and Three Fingered
Jack.  The Sister's wilderness was still snowed in, but relatively easy due
to the moderate terrain.  We encountered an additional day of snow south of
Shelter Cove (Diamond Peak, Cowhorn Mountain), and took the Diamond Lake
alternate to avoid Mt. Thielson.  The trail up to Crater Lake had just
barely melted out when we arrived around July 20th, and the last
significant snow we hit was on the north face of Devil's Peak, about 20
miles south of Crater Lake.

Starting at Crater Lake in late June, you'll probably hit snow on both
sides of Devil's peak.  Things will probably get better south of Fish Lake,
although I can't say for sure, since it was late July by the time we got
that far south.

Be sure you have a GPS loaded with Half Mile's PCT track, as it is very
hard to naviage on map and compass in the woods, and it takes only a couple
of inches of snow to make trail finding impossible.  We also carried ice
axes and microspikes, and used them in most of the snowbound areas noted
above.  And be sure to take a headnet, as the mosquitos will be out in
force at that time (Sandals and I decided that mosquitos should be the
official Oregon state cloud).

Lastly, beware of zero days in Bend.  Sandals and I loved the area so much
when we bailed off the trail to buy a GPS that we ultimately ended up
buying a house in nearby Redmond. We'll be moving there later this year . .
. . . .

-Sheepdog


On Apr 2, 2012, at 11:55 AM, Devon Taig wrote:

> I'm planning a 5 week southbound trek across Oregon (border to border)
> beginning the last week of June.  I'm concerned about snow though in the
> Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson Wilderness area and am thinking I might need to
> change my plans a bit.  An option might be to start near Crater Lake then
> walk to California, then come back to the Oregon/Washington border and
head
> south from there.  Does anyone have experience with snow issues through
> Oregon?
>
> River