[pct-l] Earliest start date from BLYC

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Running Beer,

If you have a look at the snowpack report at:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/westsnow.pl you will see that most of
Oregon has average or less snowpack – except for that one heavier blue
patch right on top of Big Lake – so the later in July you start the better.
Many hikers start from the Cal/Or border around that time, but that area is
functionally several weeks ahead in the snowmelt season.

Unfortunately, beginning at Santiam Pass, just north of Big Lake, the PCT
starts to climb to skirt the slopes of Three-Fingered Jack and Mt.
Jefferson, and there is a good possibility of finding considerable snow
pack until well down the north side of Park Ridge which is almost to
Breitenbush Lake.  After that you should be OK.

Washington seems to be a bit above average in snowpack, but the residual
should be manageable by the time you arrive in August sometime.

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 Tue, Apr 16, 2013 at 5:02 PM, Jules Schollum <dreamrun at outlook.com>wrote:

> Greetings all
>
> I am a foreigner who is coming back to the U.S this year to finish a PCT
> thru hike that i started back in 08 (no longer thru i guess). I made it all
> the way to Big Lake Youth Camp in Oregon but had to head home due to a
> family member becoming terminally ill. I am returning to where i left off
> and are wondering when the earliest people believe i could set off from
> BLYC given current snow conditions etc. I was hoping to start mid/late July
> but am unsure if last seasons snow will be melted sufficiently by then. All
> input appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Running Beer
>
> "Those who say that money can't buy happiness are clearly spending it on
> the wrong things"
>
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