It appears the PCT is closed near Harts Pass near Canada. I’m reading the news release from:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka/needlecr-fire.html
The Needle Creek Fire, located about 10 miles northwest of Mazama WA, grew substantially on Wednesday afternoon, and has now over 3000 acres.
…
The Harts Pass Road is closed at Lost River. Trails in the area that are closed include…The Pacific Crest trail from Cutthroat Pass to Harts Pass.
cal
I called the number listed in the press release and the office confirmed it is under fire and that PCT hikers cannot continue on the trail very far past Rainy Pass/Highway 20. Alternate routes still exist but entail road walking quite a ways toward Ross Lake, good maps, and up-to-date knowledge of which trails are not yet affected by the fire. They repeated over and over, do not attempt to hike the PCT in the fire area and please try to get the word out!
cal
The forest service posted an alternate route at Rainy pass to get around the fire. It involves walking ~18 miles west on highway 20 to the signed Canyon Creek Trailhead’s parking. Then taking the Jackita Ridge trail (#738) to the Devils Pass trail (#752) and following that to Holman Pass on the PCT. I ended up walking a good portion of this detour earlier today and had no problems. Highway 20 has adequate shoulders. The total mileage for the detour appears to be just slightly less than the mileage on the PCT (but the trail is steep).
The Needle fire continues to grow and now exceeds 10,000 acres and is still zero percent contained.
cal
As a final post, Dad finished his hike earlier today. He reported the most difficult trail finding on the Needle Fire detour was just past the signed Devils Pass 15 miles from highway #20. At Devils pass the sign points to the right for Holman Pass and this is correct. But shortly after that there is a fork. A main trail goes to a spring and camp and a harder to see trail goes off to the left and toward Holman Pass and the PCT.
The Crater Mountain trail takes off from the main trail 4 miles from #20 but it is fairly clear at that point to go straight ahead and not take the sharp left. A sign at the Canada border confirms Marge’s post that PCT hikers are allowed to complete their hikes through the closed Manning Park. The visitor’s center at Manning Park was closed today so that register was not accessible, but another register exists at the lodge.
Of course the fire could change anytime, so it is best to check in with the web site listed in the original post to assure the main trail is still closed and this detour is still open.
cal