South Bound - Pacific Crest Trail

imported
#1

I have two months off this summer and would like to do a section of the PCT. I was planning on hiking from Kennedy Meadows to as far as I could get. However, I have heard that the snow has been really bad and I am now thinking about hiking from Hart’s Pass and hiking South. I would like to leave on June 15th and I need to be back by Aug. 15th. Does anyone know what the snow is like in the Cascades? Also would you recommend this over Kennedy Meadows, or do you think there is a different section I should hike. Thanks for your thoughts.

Brian

Brian

#2

There’s still a ton of snow in WA & OR at elevation. The PCT-l has a few threads discussing this topic.

For June & probably much of July, much of the PCT at higher elevations from Kennedy Meadows all the way to the Canadian border will still be buried.

One option is to hike from Campo NOBO and deal with the heat in the desert. I’ve noticed that the speed hikers who have started @ the Mexican Border in early June have often lucked out with what’s called ‘June gloom’ in SoCal - a cool fog bank that sometimes rolls in from the coast.

You might want to contact Saufley about the feasibility of starting from Campo in June:

freebird

#3

Right now the snow is roughly as deep in WA as it is in CA, and it will probably melt at a slower rate. If i were you, i’d start a little bit south of Kennedy Meadows and get your hiker legs going for a week or so, then arrive at Kennedy Meadows and just go for it. There will likely be several others heading nobo from there around then.

markv

#4

Thank you for your input, I think I will start at Agua Dulce. It seems to make the most sense.

Thanks again
Brian

Brian