[pct-l] May 29 SOBO

[Bob Bankhead]

If I remember correctly, the Harts Pass Road is about 18.7 miles just down
to Mazama, and another 0.3 to the Winthrop highway so it's a push on mileage
to just go on to Rainy Pass with much better road access. There is a large
picnic area directly across the highway at Rainy Pass, and a huge parking
lot with a vault toilet just down the highway (east) about 1.2 mile. The PCT
crosses the highway at Rainy Pass and runs east along the south side of the
highway before turning south to Stehekin.



-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Ed Jarrett
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 1:08 PM
To: PCT List
Subject: Re: [pct-l] May 29 SOBO

You might consider walking the road up to Harts Pass.  That would be a
shorter option and the roads are usually closed to vehicular traffic rather
than foot traffic.

> 
> I called the Methow Valley Ranger District this morning. Looks like I 
> might be doing an out and back to the Canadian border from Rainy Pass 
> instead of Harts Pass unless I want to wait until July as Ned 
> suggests. That will be
> 60 miles one way instead of 30 but from what I can glean from trip 
> reports the grade is fairly gentle, at least for the half closest to 
> Canada. The ranger was helpful and indicated that the Harts Pass Rd is 
> typically closed at Mazana, 3 miles from the national forest boundary, 
> until the beginning of July. This still seems like a good option that 
> let's me do the entire trail so for now this is my plan.