PCT in Washington..Please help, need advice

imported
#1

I have a chunk of time in july (july 2-July 20) and I would love to get on the PCT. I Thru-hiked the AT in 2002 so I am familiar with the long-distance hiking thing. Only thing is that I have no idea what to expect on the West Coast. PLEASE take a few minutes and offer some advice…

1)How many miles is realistic in two weeks
2) What is WAshington like in July
-Bugs?
-Snowy Passes?
-weather
3)I keep hearing things about how the PCT trail terrain and grade is so different than the AT. How? Please explain…
4) Can i do more miles? from the pictures it sure seems like the terrain is far more radical on the PCT
5)suggested sections?
thought about the JMT, but kind of want to go near the north cascades. Is this an ok idea?

Any advice would be very appreciated :wink: thanks

Stillwater

#2

A huge length of trail is missing in WA due to 10 inches of rain in one day on the glaciers last October. Trail, roads, bridges were washed out resulting in a PCT reroute that is longer that the former trail. There is so much damage that the trail won’t be restored this year. Look at pcta.org for all the re-route info.

Now, back to your question, trail in WA has steep ups and downs on the volcanic mountains, tricky fords across silty water that makes rocky river bottoms difficut to see. The trailbed where constructed specifically for the PCT is graded for horses’ use to prevent erosion and is therefore a more gentle grade with switchbacks. Some of WA’s trail was pre-existing. Goat Rocks has the only signed stock passing areas I’ve seen with narrow trail perched on an edge with drop-offs on either side. Wow, cool!

I was there in late Aug-Sept so I can’t answer the bug question. You should follow weather this spring to watch melt-out and snow level on passes. Maybe that is a question for Monte on the pct-l.

Good luck.

Marcia

#3

I’ve done the Snoqualmie to Stevens (74 miles) sections in '01 and '02, and did the Stevens to Stehekin (~100 miles) section in '03. I’m doing all of Washington this year (Starting ~Aug 7). All three of my previous sections in Washington were done in August, but…with the early melt out that’s happening here this year, the Snoqualmie to Stevens part should be open by July with little problem. There’s ~13k of gain on that section - in 02 through hikers were doing that section in 3 to 4 days. 5 is a pretty comfortable pace for this section - lets you enjoy the scenery and lakes (Spectacle and Deep were my two favs - make these places to stay the night.)

Stevens north to Stehekin - I did that in 5 days in 03, but that was a little too fast, considering the ~17k of elevation gain. I’d recommend 6 to 7, especially since the detour is ~5 miles longer and has a couple thousand extra of climbing.

To answer specifically - Assuming you’re in good shape, with light / ultra-light gear

  1. 15 to 25+ miles a day, depending on terrain and your specific condition.
  2. I’ve never suffered too much with the bugs in July. There can be places, but my experience isn’t that it’s buggy all over. For the lower sections (under 6k), should be melted out by July, so probably little snow. Weather - hey, welcome to the Western Washington Rain Festival, Jan 1 to December 31. Go to weather.com and punch in Seattle and check the records and averages to get an idea on typical temps. Just so you know, even in July, it can rain for a week straight here. Temps typically in the 70’s for high, lows in the 50’s, but that’s a sea level. Probably 60’s and 40’s in the mountains.
  3. PCT is graded for horses. Typical MAX grade is 500 to 800’ a mile in elevation gain. Rumor for this not AT-er is that in places it’s hand over hand out there on the east coast. Nothing like that here.
  4. Can you do more miles? Depends on what you’re used to. Consider the elevation as well in your calcs. Get the PCT guide books and sum up the elevation changes and milage, then compare to your experience (I’m limited to ~1500’ of climbing an hour - so on the climbs, it’s about 2 to 2.5 mph, max for me). In places, you can fly on the PCT (Suiattle Pass to Stehekin, taking the Agnes Creek alternate, for example - 19 miles, all gently down hill - easy 3+ MPH terrain).
  5. Suggested Sections - Snoqualmie to Stevens (gotta’ vote for one I’ve done - See above on Spectacle and Deep lakes). Should be open in July this year. I’d also vote for Stevens up to Stehekin, but…there are higher pass’ there - might not open up until late July…Also, on that section, I’m voting for the section around Glacier Peak, which is the part that was pummeled and subject to the detour. You might want to start at the Columbia, head north the ~135 miles to White Pass, then mooch a ride around to Snoqualmie and hike north to Stevens. That’d be ~200 miles total, a very reasonable pace for 2 weeks - considering you’ll probably want to zero at some of the better spots.

Otto

#4

I grew up in Washington state and have worked on trails there since 1967. I have back packed and rode horses over thousands of miles of trail in the past 55 years. I have worked in the Okanogan, Wenatchee, Gifford Pinchot, and Snoqualamie National forests building new trails and cleaning up existing trails for over 25 years. I have camped out from the time the snow melts in the spring until snow flies in the fall. Here is a brief synopsis of my experiences. As a rule I have found that the trails in Washington State are among the best in the United States. However, I will have to amend that statement due to my experience last summer in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The PCT and the Icicle River Trail are good trails in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness but the remainder of trails that I experienced in the summer of 2003 have deterioraited drastically. As a rule the trail grade does not exceed 10%, however, there are a few exceptions but these are not very long. The terrain is much steeper that the Smokies but the actual trail grade is much more gentle and you can hike up to 30 miles per day if you are in excellent shape. However, if you want to enjoy the vistas and other amenities probably 15 miles a day would be sufficient.
Bugs are no worse in Washington than other places. During hot summer days black flies can be a problem but when it cools they go away. Mosquitos can be a problem but the only time that I can remember that they really bothered me was on the White River NW of Lake Wenatchee - these were ferocious.
In June and July wild strawberries can be found in open places. Later in July thimbleberries ripen. They are a red berry resembling a raspberry but are put together very loosely. Some places you can find salmon berries, I guess I’d describe them as a flesh colored berry again resembling a raspberry. Few and far between you will find wild raspberries and wild black berries. Beginning in August huckleberries will begin to ripen. These will be available until they freeze then they turn mushy. Once you experience huckleberries, blueberries will be second choice. :o) In high lodgepole pine forests there is a a small red berry that grows on a little bush about 4 inches high. The berries are very small and usually red but can be darker. I call them alpine huckleberries. It takes a ton of them to amount to anything but are very tasty.
Usually you can hike until October 1st. However, you probably will get snowed on a time or two before that, I have but usually only a few inches and it melts in a day or two. I suppose there is always the exception.
My experience is that weather is usually quite good through September but one year I can remember it rained every day for three weeks.
I hope this helps. If I can help in any other way please ask. Muleskinner
(A muleskinner is a person that drives and/or works with mules) (A mule lover - my own definition)

Muleskinner

#5

Wow, i am incredibly impressed with all of the responses. Thank you so much for your time and wealth of knowledge. Muleskinner I may be contacting you in the near future, your wealth of knowledge is amazing. Thanks

stillwater