[pct-l] Canada

[Keith Kurko]

Weathercarrot and Jason,

Jason's Option #1 below is known as the Boundary Trail.  It is magnificent,
but isolated, and does not get a lot of maintenance until you hit Ross Lake.
Friends of mine hiked it a number of years ago and encountered over 100 down
trees on the downward trail between Elbow Basin and Ross Lake.  I would
recommend calling the US Forest Service in Winthrop Washington (they are the
station responsible for its maintenance) to see when the last time it was
maintained. 

Jason's Option #2 below is to follow the USA's newest National Trail (signed
into law in 2009), The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (see
http://www.pnt.org/), by going south on the PCT past Hopkins Pass and then
heading west either from Holman Pass or west from Rock Pass (not labeled on
some maps) through Sky Pilot Pass (love that name) and Devil's Dome to Ross
Lake and Highway 20.  This latter route would be about 45 miles one way.
>From Monument 78 back to Hart's Pass is about 35 miles, but it is another 30
mile hike further south to Rainy Pass and Highway 20.

I have hiked the Boundary Trail west from Castle Pass to Ross Lake.  I have
never hiked this part of the new PNW trail, but I have seen it from a
distance, and friends of mine have hiked it.  It too looks magnificent, and
you see and stay in more high country going this way rather than taking the
Boundary Trail.

And taking the new PNW trail would indeed get you to Highway 20 in fewer
miles.



Keith Kurko
Seattle, Washington


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Jason M.
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2012 11:28 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Canada

1) there is a high route that breaks west at Castle Pass and works its way
down to ross lake, the east bank trail will eventually get you to the
highway

2) option 2 breaks west at Holman Pass, from there there are a couple of
high routes and a low route, 2 go to the highway and one to the lake

Jackass


On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 1:03 AM, Weathercarrot -
<weathercarrot at hotmail.com>wrote:

>
> I was going to ask about this anyway, and it sounds like now's a good 
> time. Usually when people decide to turn around at the border, they 
> hike back to Harts Pass and try hitching from there. Occasionally we 
> hear about the Ross Lake option, which interests me.  One huge 
> advantage is that you get to see new territory, plus it dumps you on 
> the highway a bit closer to Seattle compared to where a Harts Pass 
> hitch would take you.  Anyone know the details/directions?  Thanks,
>
> wc