Favorite snow camping areas, parking?

[TodF]

I'm wondering where folks' favorite snow camping areas are. By camping, I mean backpacking. Snowshoes. Super quiet winter wonderlands. I am also interested in campgrounds if they aren't near places frequented by snowmobilers and similarly noisy people.

I don't have a four-wheel drive vehicle, so extra points for trailheads accessible/safe for passenger cars (Honda Civic) for when my buddy with a Suburu doesn't join me. Overnight parking in winter is a whole new world for me, and I'm a little nervous about it.

Conversely, I bought/made a pulk (sled for hauling gear), so it would be nice to have snow from the beginning of the trail. Does that mostly limit me to Sno Parks with my passenger car?

Places I'm considering:

• I've done Elk Cove in early spring, parking at the TH near Laurence Lake, and that was great, but I would have had to carry the sled somehow for the first couple miles, and I'm guessing that the same would usually be true as long as the road to the TH was passenger-car friendly.
• White River Canyon seems like a likely spot to start from.
• The trail up to Gumjuwac Saddle (or even Lookout Mtn) from Robin Hood campground, although it seems like a heck of a workout.
• Trapper Creek Wilderness (again, wondering about the parking situation).

Thanks for any suggestions and info!

[miah66]

Some ideas:

http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide ... shoe_Hikes

[retired jerry]

sometimes it's snowy at Old Maid Flat. Lolo Pass Road to where it stops getting plowed. The road that goes over the Sandy River, and then over to Ramona Falls, sometimes the gate at the Sandy is closed.

Then over maybe as far as Ramona Falls. Or up towards Burnt Lake.

[Charley]

I don't have a four-wheel drive vehicle, so extra points for trailheads accessible/safe for passenger cars (Honda Civic) for when my buddy with a Suburu doesn't join me. Overnight parking in winter is a whole new world for me, and I'm a little nervous about it.

I've done lots of snow camping and skiing trips with my Honda Civic. Sno-Parks are well managed and numerous: they will provide you with at least several seasons' worth of destinations in the region which are perfectly accessible under normal conditions. Even a big storm up on the mountains usually gets plowed fairly quickly at the Sno Parks.

A few notes of caution:
1. Take all the advisable driving precautions. I eventually got snow tires (not studded, but snow gripping type), and used chains on the front wheels, when the snow was deep. Doubling up like that made the driving much safer and less scary! Carry blankets, snowshovel (you'll need one for camping, anyway), emergency radio, etc.
2. Don't expect the road to be nice and melted out in the morning when you head back down! Often the roads up Mt Hood are just a watery cake walk in the late morning and afternoons when Portlanders drive up. In the morning, though, these roads are icier. Those chains and traction tires really come into their own at this time.

I wouldn't bother with driving on unplowed high elevation Forest roads in the winter, unless you're okay with the possibility of getting snowed in the rest of the winter! You never really know what will happen overnight- a lot of snow can fall and impound your car practically permanently. For some of your possible trips, your car is below the normal elevations that get snowfall. . . but storms happen and sometimes they are a surprise. I'd hate to have my car stuck up at Laurance Lake till the snow melts out!

The sled is only necessary if you're bringing so much that you can't carry it. If your back is strong enough, ditch the sled. In an area like Gumjuwac Saddle, Trapper Creek (lots of trees, steep hiking) the weight and momentum of the sled will be a real pain. Unless you have a highly-engineered, rigid harness system, they'll dog you on the downhill, flop to the side on side hills, and generally be a nuisance. On the other hand, for a comfy, heavy-weight, but well appointed trip up White River Canyon (or up the broad, gentle road at Pocket Creek) with a pulk could be an asset. Go ahead, bring all that wine.

I think you'll find that the greatest limitation for your snow camping will likely be your navigational ability, and not your car. I've got strong map and dead-reckoning skills. I've been lost twice in my outdoor life, and both times were on snow covered roads up in the mountains (at Gumjuwac Saddle and at Crater Lake). I love ski camping and getting out there, but I'm a lot more conservative about trips that are single-track or bushwacking in the winter. There are a number of trails that people hike (Crosstown, PCT to Twin Lakes) that are easy to follow. Most other trail areas (Elk Cove, Trapper Creek, and Salmon-Huckelberry) are practically abandoned in the winter. If I can lose a full on road in the winter, I accept the possibility that I'll lose a trail much more easily. This is where a GPS system might come in handy. I still plan off trail and off road trips in the snow, but it's much more careful.

The snowshoe list on Oregonhikers is a useful start. I'll add a few destinations where I've snow camped or have seen people snow camping:
Pocket Creek (up the road there are several spots with views)
Barlow Pass area (down in the valley, at Devil's Half Acre)
Gates of the Mountain (up Newton Creek on Mt Hood - beware of avalanche danger)
Tom, Dick, and Harry has nice spots at the top (though it is exposed!)
Bennett Pass Road

Have fun!

White River Canyon:

[drm]

Trapper Creek Wilderness itself is not particularly good for snow camping. The terrain is really rough once the trails are covered and snopark parking is very limited and used by the cabin owners.

I did once ski up the 54 road and just camp on the road some miles up (on the way to the upper Soda Peaks Lake trailhead). Snowmobiles do not go that way, or at least didn't then. Where it starts at the end of Zydlo Road (Szydlo?) is not a snopark but nobody ever parks there that I've seen and there was room for me to park and cars could still turn around.

The snoparks north of Trout Lake make a good trailhead for snow camping in that the roads and trails from them serve lots of relatively flat and relatively open forest with occasional views. But then you have to park at the snoparks, which are often stuffed with snowmobile trucks on weekends. And even if you avoid areas where the snowmobiles will go right past you, you can always hear them, at least until the sun goes down. Then you have it to yourself.

[TodF]

I've done lots of snow camping and skiing trips with my Honda Civic. Sno-Parks are well managed and numerous: they will provide you with at least several seasons' worth of destinations in the region which are perfectly accessible under normal conditions. Even a big storm up on the mountains usually gets plowed fairly quickly at the Sno Parks.

Good to know; that makes me feel a little less nervous.

A few notes of caution:
1. Take all the advisable driving precautions. I eventually got snow tires (not studded, but snow gripping type), and used chains on the front wheels, when the snow was deep. Doubling up like that made the driving much safer and less scary! Carry blankets, snowshovel (you'll need one for camping, anyway), emergency radio, etc.
2. Don't expect the road to be nice and melted out in the morning when you head back down! Often the roads up Mt Hood are just a watery cake walk in the late morning and afternoons when Portlanders drive up. In the morning, though, these roads are icier. Those chains and traction tires really come into their own at this time.

Thanks. If I start doing more snow camping I think snow tires would be a good investment.

I wouldn't bother with driving on unplowed high elevation Forest roads in the winter, unless you're okay with the possibility of getting snowed in the rest of the winter! You never really know what will happen overnight- a lot of snow can fall and impound your car practically permanently. For some of your possible trips, your car is below the normal elevations that get snowfall. . . but storms happen and sometimes they are a surprise. I'd hate to have my car stuck up at Laurance Lake till the snow melts out!

Good point.

The sled is only necessary if you're bringing so much that you can't carry it. If your back is strong enough, ditch the sled. In an area like Gumjuwac Saddle, Trapper Creek (lots of trees, steep hiking) the weight and momentum of the sled will be a real pain. Unless you have a highly-engineered, rigid harness system, they'll dog you on the downhill, flop to the side on side hills, and generally be a nuisance. On the other hand, for a comfy, heavy-weight, but well appointed trip up White River Canyon (or up the broad, gentle road at Pocket Creek) with a pulk could be an asset. Go ahead, bring all that wine.

I went ahead and made a pole attachment system based on numerous internet guides; we'll see how it works. I think that trying to get everything I want to be comfortable in the cold (especially things like shovel, hatchet/ax, etc.) into my backpack would make for a bulky/heavy backpack, and I like the idea of more stuff with less work! Plus, the more I carry/haul, the more attractive I can make snow camping to people I might want to entice to join me. The wine would definitely help with that!

Another reason for the pulk is possibly carrying in some firewood. A fire in the cold would be very welcome, and I am very uncertain about my ability to find usable firewood in deep snow conditions.

I think you'll find that the greatest limitation for your snow camping will likely be your navigational ability, and not your car. I've got strong map and dead-reckoning skills. I've been lost twice in my outdoor life, and both times were on snow covered roads up in the mountains (at Gumjuwac Saddle and at Crater Lake). I love ski camping and getting out there, but I'm a lot more conservative about trips that are single-track or bushwacking in the winter. There are a number of trails that people hike (Crosstown, PCT to Twin Lakes) that are easy to follow. Most other trail areas (Elk Cove, Trapper Creek, and Salmon-Huckelberry) are practically abandoned in the winter. If I can lose a full on road in the winter, I accept the possibility that I'll lose a trail much more easily. This is where a GPS system might come in handy. I still plan off trail and off road trips in the snow, but it's much more careful.

I confess that I have become extremely attached (dependent?) to the GaiaGPS app on my iPhone.

I learned about the hazards of assuming that "trails" are usable in the winter last March when I did a loop of Newton Creek and Gnarl Ridge. The section of Timberline (600) that connects Newton Creek to Gnarl Ridge was unmarked, untracked, and on a steep incline for most of a mile, and it was one of the hardest miles I've ever done. Even with my GPS and always knowing where I was and approximately where the trail was, it was unnerving at times.

The snowshoe list on Oregonhikers is a useful start. I'll add a few destinations where I've snow camped or have seen people snow camping:
Pocket Creek (up the road there are several spots with views)
Barlow Pass area (down in the valley, at Devil's Half Acre)
Gates of the Mountain (up Newton Creek on Mt Hood - beware of avalanche danger)
Tom, Dick, and Harry has nice spots at the top (though it is exposed!)
Bennett Pass Road

Thanks!

[TodF]

Trapper Creek Wilderness itself is not particularly good for snow camping. The terrain is really rough once the trails are covered and snopark parking is very limited and used by the cabin owners.

I did once ski up the 54 road and just camp on the road some miles up (on the way to the upper Soda Peaks Lake trailhead). Snowmobiles do not go that way, or at least didn't then. Where it starts at the end of Zydlo Road (Szydlo?) is not a snopark but nobody ever parks there that I've seen and there was room for me to park and cars could still turn around.

The snoparks north of Trout Lake make a good trailhead for snow camping in that the roads and trails from them serve lots of relatively flat and relatively open forest with occasional views. But then you have to park at the snoparks, which are often stuffed with snowmobile trucks on weekends. And even if you avoid areas where the snowmobiles will go right past you, you can always hear them, at least until the sun goes down. Then you have it to yourself.

Thanks. Some good info.

[TodF]

sometimes it's snowy at Old Maid Flat. Lolo Pass Road to where it stops getting plowed. The road that goes over the Sandy River, and then over to Ramona Falls, sometimes the gate at the Sandy is closed.

Then over maybe as far as Ramona Falls. Or up towards Burnt Lake.

Where does Lolo Pass Road get plowed to?

[retired jerry]

I think they plow it to within a couple miles of the Sandy River crossing over to the campgrounds and trailheads. There are houses up to there. The road enters the National Forest there.

It's pretty low elevation so there's not a lot of snow. Often, there'll be snow as you cross the river and continue on to the Ramona Falls trailhead

[miah66]

The section of Timberline (600) that connects Newton Creek to Gnarl Ridge was unmarked, untracked, and on a steep incline for most of a mile, and it was one of the hardest miles I've ever done.

In March? In the snow?