[pct-l] PCT-Eagle Creek Loop

[ronyon at comcast.net (Ron Smith)]

You won't have a problem hiking from Cascade Locks to the Eagle Creek
trail, but you'll certainly hit snow at around 3000' after that. My
guess it that you'll hit deep snow before you're anywhere close to
Wahtum Lake, even in this low-snow year. I haven't been on any of
Wahtum's access trails this season, but went up Dog Mountain (2900')
last Saturday and encountered snow at the top. As I looked across the
Columbia at the Eagle-Benson area, it looked like there was still
significant snow above 3000'. However, if you have cabin fever, you
should go ahead and hike in as far as you can before you hit snow. This
trail is so scenic that I never mind hiking back out the same way. There
should be several good camping spots before then, if you have camping in
mind. I don't like any of the camps along the creek, since they're
overused, but the 7.5 mile camp is nice and probably snow-free. There is
also another camp farther up at the junction with the Tanner trail. I've
spring-hiked this trail 7 or 8 times and have actually made it to Wahtum
twice, the other times being turned back by snow. One problem with
Wahtum any year is that it sits in a shadowy area and can be snowbound
well into June.
Once Wahtum is snow-free, there are two loop trips that will take you
right back to your car. The first is taking the Eagle Creek trail to
Wahtum Lake, then returning via the PCT then Ruckle Creek trail. This
takes you over the Benson Plateau, then down a very steep Ruckle Creek
trail, which connects back to the Eagle Creek fish hatchery. Just avoid
hiking UP this trail. The other loop trip is taking the Herman Creek
trail to Wahtum, then returning via the PCT to the Herman cutoff.
The Eagle-Benson trail probably isn't a good one to take this time of
year.
-Ron

> From: "Tom" <weir@turbonet.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] PCT-Eagle Creek Loop
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <000401c517c7$2af5a6c0$d770e4ce@Weir>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> With the extremely low snow pack in the Pacific Northwest this year,
is it
> possible to hike south on the PCT from Cascade Locks to the Eagle
Creek
> Trail at this time?  I want to make a loop hike on the PCT-Eagle Creek
> Trail.  I don't mind a little post holing, but not for mile after
mile.  I
> know there are a lot of Portlanders on this list ; anyone been out
that
> way
> recently?
> Tom