[pct-l] PCT in spring

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Ryan,

Mid-March is far too early for Oregon unless you have the time, patience,
experience, and equipment for 350-400 miles of snowpack.  The “pack” of
thru-hikers us usually in Oregon in August, and even then -- depending upon
the year -- there can be lots of residual snowpack.

The mosquitoes follow the receding snow.  There’s usually an interesting
situation at that time:  Hiking over 4’ of snowpack in shorts and a
tee-shirt, sweating in the sun, and being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

Here’s a photo of snow where the PCT crosses Oregon’s Santiam Pass in May
of a moderately heavy snow year.
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=335261

Enjoy your planning,

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 2:41 PM, Ryan Alcantara <bobchees3 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I was wanting to hike the oregon section soho in mid March. Is this
> possible or will snow/mosquitos be an issue?
>