[pct-l] Timberline trail conditions

[Bob Bankhead]

Steel-Eye can't be far wrong. My wife and I went up the Eagle Creek Trail
all the way to Wahtum Lake this weekend. The first snow across the trail was
at 3700 feet, about 100 vertical feet below Wahtum Lake. It's patchy, but
you can get through without any trouble. The trail itself was very wet.

Wahtum Lake was ice-free and beautifully green, as usual. The real on-trail
snow began at the lake at the junction of the Eagle Creek Trail 440 and the
PCT from Indian Springs. The snow was virtually solid from there, and about
18 inches deep. We had intended to take the Wahtum Express Trail up to the
PCT at Chinidier Mtn, but I lost it after about 200 yards in big snow
patches. We came back down the ECT to our car.

We met several hikers who had come up the Ruckel Ridge Trail 405 onto the
Benson Plateau. They reported about 2 miles of solid snow (2-3 feet deep)
under the trees across the Benson Plateau and patches of various lengths on
to Wahtum Lake.

Wandering Bob




-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of CHUCK CHELIN
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 12:30 PM
To: Austin Williams
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Timberline trail conditions

Good afternoon, Austin,

Timberline Trail, Trail #600, circumnavigates Hood varying from about 3000
ft. elevation at the Sandy River crossing up to over 7000 ft. on the east
side below Cooper Spur.  It averages about 6000 ft. an elevation which can
be seen in the photos at  http://www.timberlinelodge.com/conditions/

My best guess is it will be 80% or better covered with snowpack.

There have been closures of parts of Tr. 600 in the last few years due to
fire damage, washouts, down timber, etc.  Even in a dry year crossing many
of the glacial out-flow streams can be challenging.  The local USFS people
will probably discourage a circumferential hike, maybe even in late summer
after the snowpack is off.

Enjoy your hike,

Steel-Eye

-------------
On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 12:02 PM, Austin Williams <
austinwilliams123 at gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone know if timberline trail is in passable condition (ie: not 
completely buried under snow)?