Hey everyone,
My girlfriend and I just had a pretty rough first attempt near Monument 78. There was a lot of snow, and even with maps/compass and GPS, it really slowed us down. On top of difficulty navigating, the snow was soft and slushy, making travel difficult and dangerous for us. We pressed on and ended up at high elevation in N. WA after sunset when it began storming. We pitched our tarp on a pretty sharp pitch, and waited it out. The next day, after the rain and with high temps, travel was even more difficult. We hiked back, because after several falls, it just wasn’t worth the risk.
We want to proceed, but away from snow. If we get to Seattle (or any other big city), where should we head? Where can we meet up with the PCT and not have to worry about hiking in snow on mountains, and using our ice axes continuously?
Would truly appreciate any tips on where to go, and an idea of how to get there.
Thanks much
JRH