[pct-l] Snow inthe cascades.

[mceverj at qwest.net (Jim McEver)]

More snow info for the Oregon Cascades. Just back from a solstice trip
thru Jeff Park (from Whitewater Creek TH) to Olallie Meadows with my
son. Spent a couple of days just hanging and exploring in Jeff Park
before hiking out to the north - absolutely magnificent.

Lots of snow from just below the PCT/Whitewater Crk Tr jct to just
before Ruddy Hill. The lakes in Jeff Park are just beginning to melt out
- barely any open water at present. Some tree islands have melted out,
so we were able to sleep on terra firma instead of snow, but in general,
there is still 3 to 5 feet on the ground, much more above. The snow is
well consolidated and easy traveling. Some sun cups are developing, but
not too bad at this point. By the time we were to Pyramid Butte, snow
was getting patchy, and the trail to snow ratio was shifting to the
trail's favor. Even the patchy stuff was gone by the time we got to
Upper Lake.

The tread is in pretty good shape. There are a few blowdowns along the
way, all north of Park Ridge, but nothing to give a hiker pause. Several
would have presented some significant obstacles to equestrians, however.

We didn't get into bugs until we dropped into the Pyramid Butte area -
they were pretty bad from there on, although they did fall off pretty
dramatically once we got to the dry stretch north of Olallie Lake. They
were also out pretty bad around Olallie Mdw, but not so bad as above.

I was expecting the entire distance from Breintenbush Lake to be like
the section from Olallie Lake to Olallie Mdw - pretty boring. However,
the few miles winding amongst the lakes between Breitenbush and Olalllie
Lakes was just delightful. Lots of small lakes and ponds, and open woods
and meadow - it's aspect was very similar to krumholtz with small trees
and lots of open areas.

All and all a great trip, albeit much to short.

Jim McEver

On Sat, 2004-06-19 at 14:49, Judson Brown wrote:
> I can speak for the Oregon Cascades, as well. Heavy snow above 6000-6500 in
> the 3 Sisters area.
> 
> Judson
> Ashland
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
> [mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of Joanne Lennox
> Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 1:08 PM
> To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Snow inthe cascades.
> 
> 
> Well, the sun finally came out and I can see the mountains which are covered
> with thick new snow down to about 5,500 in the Darington,  NOrthWest
> Cascades areas.  Mt Chaval which tops out at 7,000 ft is plastered and the
> snow goes out of sight before an intervening ridge obscures the new snow
> line.  May be less snow to the East where the PCT is rerouted, but here it
> looks like the snowpack is still at 5,000 feet or below on the NOrth side of
> the peaks.
> 
> Goforth
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