Time of year to hike each section

Consideration of the time of year to hike each section is also an important difference between (single-year) through-hikers and MYTH hikers.

Through-hikers typically start at the Mexico border in March or April and finish at the Canadian border in September. Or start at the Canadian border in July and finish at the Mexico border in November. Some try to hike continuously in sequence along the route, which demands hiking some sections in times of year that are considerably more difficult or taxing than others. (Particularly the High Sierra while still snow-covered in early summer.). Depending on snow conditions in a given year, many through-hikers “flip-flop” or jump around to hike some sections or entire states out-of-sequence to enable hiking some parts in easier times of year.

As a MYTH hiker, one (spectacular) advantage is the flexibility to select which month or time of year to hike a given section. This has large implications for the difficulty of hiking and enjoyment. I have liked hiking the hottest “desert” parts of the PCT in Southern California early in the spring, the High Sierra during the optimal time in late August, Washington state during the least rainy parts of the summer, and parts of Oregon in September or October when there are no bugs, cooler temperatures, and maybe even some early-Fall snow on the ground for easier water sources.

Some of the factors that go into choosing a time of year for a given section are:

• Snow cover. Hiking along a snow-covered trail is slower, more demanding, and requires better navigation skills depending on the depth of cover. Depending on the winter snowfall, much of the PCT is typically snow-covered through June and parts can even be snow-covered in July. For more gentle terrain, I have enjoyed hiking on late-Spring or early-Fall snow, especially where the snow is shallow enough to follow the contours of the trail (even 8-12 inches of snow can still reveal the trail outline due to flatness, vegetation, etc.) However, parts of the trail that are steep traverses or mountain passes can require more technical skills and equipment for safety, including ice axe and traction devices on footwear. People who have the mountaineering experience can be quite safe. For myself, if I have to traverse across a steep and slippery snow slope where a slip could send me crashing down into rocks or trees far below, I just won’t do it. At least a few people that I know about have died slipping and sliding down an icy gully or chute to land far below. I have been very cautious and stopped short of some traverses in favor of long detours back the way I came to trailheads or roads. Also, if snow is melting but still deep, crossing streams can be dangerous if you are five feet above the water on a snow bridge that could collapse and send you falling downward. Snow cover is one of the most important factors for me, after experiencing some early-summer snow in my early years of hiking the trail that really made me nervous or feeling over my head. This will be a very individual factor for each person, and it may take a number of years and experiences to really gauge what is comfortable and safe.
• Tree falls. In early season trees that have falling across the trail during winter storms can be numerous, and some sections are either notorious in general or impacted by specific storms. Waiting until later in the season until trail maintenance crews have removed these tree falls can make hiking much easier and faster — surprising how much getting through many tree falls can sap your physical and mental energy.
• Stream crossings. Streams swollen with early-season snowmelt can make fords difficult. The most difficult are in the High Sierra, where early-season hikers may have to cross in icy-cold water up to their chest or even swim across. This makes some crossings a major production — to warm up on the other side.
• Water. In some sections many water sources dry up by early summer or mid-summer — those with many non-permanent “seasonal streams.” This means carrying more water longer distances between permanent sources. Early season or late season snow cover for melting and drinking can mitigate some of the dryer sections.
• Bugs. Oh, to be hounded by a thick swarm of mosquitos all day in Oregon, unable to even eat or drink through your head-net! Anywhere with stagnant ponds or melting snow is especially bad. I much prefer late-season or even early Fall after the first snowstorm — all the bugs are gone!
• Wildfires. More and more over the past decade, I have noticed more sections of trail being closed by authorities due to a nearby wildfire during fire season — August and September. Now sometimes even in July. So by waiting until later in the season, you run greater risk of having your planned trail closed. Or simply breathing smoke-filled areas on your hike from far-off fires. I can recall several sections in different years where for several days or for the entire section, I could barely see across valleys or gullies due to smoke from far-off fires. Eyes water, throat is irritated, strength is sapped. And if a fire starts nearby, the smoke from far-off fires masks what could be an important alert signal about nearby emerging danger.
• Weather and temperatures. Of course, time of year will affect the overall expectations of weather and temperatures. I also try to avoid times of year where it gets really hot — where it could be in the upper 80s or 90s on the trail midday. Its just too hot for me, I usually take a long siesta to avoid the heat of the day. For example, the northern Sierra from Donner through to Lassen national park and beyond (the infamous Hat Creek Rim before Burney Falls) can get really hot in the middle of the summer, and is more pleasant in early summer, or even late spring in years with only moderate winter snowfall where the snow melts early in the season.

Over the years I have used the “Weather to Go” sections of the PCT Guidebook series published by Wilderness Press that was originally written by Jeffrey Schaffer and Ben Schifrin in the 1980s thru 2000s, and then primarily taken over by Laura Randall and Jordan Summers in recent years. (These books are definitely “old school” given the way people hike the trail now with phone apps, but I still use them and carry the pages torn from the books in my pockets on every PCT hike.) I have found these guidebook passages to be a good guide to thinking about time of year for different sections, along with my many personal and difficult “learning” experiences hiking some sections during the wrong time!

I am copying these “Weather to Go” passages below, from earlier guidebook editions that were made available to the public domain by Wilderness Press as free PDF downloads. (For the old OR and WA guidebooks, the “Weather to Go” information is contained within the “Problems” paragraphs.) The most recent editions are really great and I would encourage people to buy these books for their many features, including mile-by-mile narratives, pocket-friendly maps, notes on water sources, and get-off-the-trail escape routes and roads for emergencies.

“Weather to Go” Passages in PCT Guidebooks by Wilderness Press

CA Section A Mexico Border to Warner Springs. The best time to hike is in late April and early May—biting winter winds and snow flurries in the Lagunas are usu- ally gone, but extreme heat hasn’t yet devel- oped in the San Felipe Hills. Thankfully, this is also the optimal time window for most south-to-north thru-hikers to begin their journeys. By late May, this section’s lower reaches can be uncomfortably hot.

CA Section B Warner Springs to San Gorgonio Pass. Traversing the lower, dry chaparral in the southern half of this section is most enjoyable before mid-May. Afterward, it is uncomfortably hot, with springs and creeks rapidly diminishing. The heights of the San Jacinto Mountains, however, can still con- tain deep snowdrifts and further snow- storms (however brief) can threaten until late May of most years. San Gorgonio Pass, at the end of this section, is uncomfortably warm except in winter

CA Section C San Gorgonio Pass to I-15. The San Bernardino Mountains customarily offer clear warm weather and snow-free trails throughout May and June. By then, however, the lowlands at either end of this section—especially in Mission Creek at the start—typically have daytime temper- atures in excess of 100 degrees. March and April are the best times to explore those areas, if you aren’t thru-hiking.

CA Section D I-15 to Agua Dulce. Mount Baden–Powell and the other San Gabriel crest peaks usually main- tain a heavy snowpack until mid-May. But May is otherwise the nicest time to traverse this section. Before then, expect most of the trail to be snowbound. By June, the trail’s lower reaches, at either end of the section, can be oppressively warm.

CA Section E Agua Dulce to Highway 58. The second half of this section, north of the California Aqueduct, skirts the summer sunbaked Mojave Desert. Ideally, you’d walk here in April, after win- ter’s incessant frosty winds and at the peak of wildflower displays, but before the 100+-degree days of June. Because most thru-hikers will come here in late May, expect hot, sunny days up to 100 degrees, tempered by cool evenings and pleasant spring conditions in the higher elevations.

CA Section F Highway 58 to Walker Pass. Because much of this section is exposed, it can be hot; the beginning can be very windy. The terrain you cover receives snow in winter, with the higher elevations blanketed. Early-to-mid spring and mid-to- late fall are optimal times to enjoy your trek here. Most thru-hikers arrive at the best time.

CA Section G Walker Pass to Mt Whitney. Though you begin this section a mile high in elevation, your start is on the desert (east) side of the Sierra and, there- fore, very warm in summer. Summer tem- peratures moderate after Kennedy Mead- ows, and can be cool (even snowy) as you climb to higher elevations. Mid spring (or late fall) is best for the first part of this sec- tion, and summer, after snowmelt, is ideal from Kennedy Meadows north. Afternoon thundershowers are common in the Mount Whitney area.

CA Section H Mt Whitney to Tuolumne Meadows. High Sierra weather is mostly dry from June to September—especially in September—but afternoon showers are fairly common, and it may even rain at night.

CA Section I Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass. Generally don’t hike before mid-July for three reasons. First, streams can be swift and deep before then. Second, parts of the PCT may be quite snowbound. Third, the final descent to Sonora Pass, when the snow is icy, can be dangerous. Major snowstorms usually don’t occur until mid-October or later.

CA Section J Sonora Pass to Echo Lake Resort. This section of the PCT gener- ally is mostly free of snow from about mid-July through mid-October or later.

CA Section K Echo Lake Resort to Interstate 80. This section of the PCT gener- ally is mostly free of snow from about mid-July through mid-October or later.

CA Section L Interstate 80 to Highway 49. This section of the PCT gener- ally is mostly free of snow from about mid-July through mid-October or later.

CA Section M Highway 49 to Highway 70. This section of the PCT gener- ally is mostly free of snow from about early July through mid-October or later. The sec- tion’s north and south ends, being appre- ciably lower, usually can be hiked from May well into November.

CA Section N Highway 70 to Burney Falls. At higher elevations within and south of Lassen Volcanic National Park, it is best to hike after mid-July to avoid snow and mosquito problems. Along the sec- tion’s southern few miles, and along the entire stretch north of the park, one can hike from April through November. Overall the best time to hike all of Section N may be from mid-September to early October, when summer’s oppressive heat is gone and the first major snowfall has not yet occurred.

CA Section O Burney Falls to Castle Craigs. With most of the trail below 6000 feet, this section of the PCT can be hiked relatively snow-free from late June through early October. Stretches under 5000 feet can be hiked from about May through October.

CA Section P Castle Craigs to Etna Summit. The higher elevations can be snowbound well into July, but overall most of the PCT in this section should be snow- free by early July. Serious snowstorms can hit in September.

CA Section Q Etna Summit to Seiad Valley. The higher elevations can be snowbound well into July, but overall most of the PCT in this section should be snow- free by early July. Serious snowstorms can hit in September. The lower northern stretch, along Grider Creek, is a pleasant, short hike in itself, and can be done from about April through November.

CA Section R Seiad Valley to I-5 in Oregon. This section’s PCT can be snow- bound at higher elevations before early July. However, one could start in mid or late June and bypass snowbound portions of the trail using nearby roads that parallel the trail. Serious snowstorms can occur by late September or early October.

OR Section B Interstate 5 to Highway 140. In this section you’ll have to hike up to 22 miles between on-route water sources. If you intend to do this hiking section, then try to do it in June, when snow problems are minimal, yet seasonal creeks are flowing.

OR Section C Highway 140 to Highway 138. Sky Lakes Wilderness is an area of abundant precipitation and abundant lakelets . Both combine to ensure a tremendous mosquito population that will ruin your hike if you’re caught without a tent. However, by mid-July the mosquito population begins to drop, and by early August a tent may not be necessary. Since Crater Lake National Park lacks ponds and lakelets and also has a paucity of flowing streams, you would expect it to also be mosquito-free, right? Sorry, it isn’t . This is because the lake’s rim receives a yearly average of 48 feet of snowfall, and the result- ing snowpack provides moist, mosquito-bearing ground through most of July . This same snowpack also can make hiking difficult before mid-July, but in early August, after the snowpack has disappeared, drinking water may become scarce . From midsummer onward, the stretch from Red Cone Spring to Section D’s Thielsen Creek, a 21-mile stretch, may be dry.

OR Section D Highway 138 to Highway 58. No description.

OR Section E Highway 58 to Highway 242. Long-distance PCT hikers seem to agree that the trail’s worst concentra- tions of mosquitoes are found either in Sky Lakes Wilderness in Section C or in the lake-and-pond-dotted south half of Three Sisters Wilderness . Therefore, bring a tent and plenty of mosquito repellent if you are hiking through this section before August.

OR Section F Highway 242 to Highway 35. No description.

OR Section G Highway 35 to Interstate 84 Bridge of the Gods. No description.

WA Section H Interstate 84 Bridge of the Gods to Highway 12 White Pass. No description.

WA Section I Highway 12 White Pass to Interstate 90 Snoqualmie Pass. Mosquitoes can be especially bad in the marshy terrain north of White Pass . On the crest-top route between Government Meadow and Stampede Pass, though, water is scarce, partly because logging has obliterated some springs . By mid-July, only one reliable water source can be found for the last 23 miles of this stretch, and even it is somewhat inconvenient . In early season, snow clinging to north and east slopes between Bumping River and Blowout Mountain can make carrying an ice ax worthwhile.

WA Section J Interstate 90 Snoqualmie Pass to Hwy 2 Stevens Pass. Snow typically lingers through mid-August on some of the steep traverses during the first 15 miles, making for some treacherous gully crossings.

WA Section K Hwy 2 Stevens Pass to Hwy 20 Rainy Pass. This section is located in the central part of Washington’s North Cascades, a part of the greater Cascade Range, extending roughly from Snoqualmie Pass north to the Canadian border, and composed largely of granitic and metamorphic rocks . These rocks aren’t the problem, but the snowfall they collect is: the North Cascades accumulate more snow than anywhere else in the United States . In the 1998–99 weather season, the Mt . Baker Ski Area, lying west of the PCT, received a world record 1140 inches of measured snowfall . What this means for you, the trekker, is that even in a normal year, you may encounter a lot of snow-covered trail, which slows you down and sometimes causes you to get off route . Don’t try hiking across snow in a whiteout; you may get lost .

WA Section L Highway 2 Rainy Pass to Canada Border (and Manning Park). Very early and very late season hikers should be ready for treacherous, precipitous snow slopes, avalanche hazards, and dangerously exposed hiking along parts of this PCT section .