Oregon Hikers

Saturday 10/26 I hiked up PCT from Santiam Pass towards Three Fingered Jack. Didn't make note of where I hit snow, but I'm guessing about 5800'. Firm, has seen much travel, easy to follow. I left trail where PCT levels off and traverses the west face of Jack. I have no doubt the trail is easy to follow all the way to the north ridge of Jack. Snow down in Canyon Creek Meadows is spotty; I'm sure the hike from Jack Lake would be no problem, and I'm fairly confident the road would be clear too. It did snow a bit Saturday, but I don't think it amounted to much.

Oct 26-27: Jefferson Lake Trail to Table Lake (5470'). Snow on trail encountered at ~5000' and about 70% coverage at the lake. Nearly 100% coverage above 6000'.

11/1 Indian Heaven:
A little bit of snow at the top of East Crater trail (in the shadow of East Crater), solid and easy. PCT clear from Junction Lake to Deer Lake. Indian Heaven trail near Clear Lake has some snow. Lemei Lake trail from Clear Lake to Junction Lake is either snowy and icy, or very muddy... slow going but doable.

It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend up in the mountains.

teachpdx wrote: ↑

November 1st, 2019, 6:53 pm

It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend up in the mountains.

Wow, no kidding. Almost felt like summer today.
Amazed at how bare St Helens was today. There was more snow on the mountain in June! After all the snow we got this fall, starting in September, I never would have guessed it would be nearly gone by early November.

Mt Hood from Top Spur to McNeil Point junction:

Pleasant hike all of the way. One would definitely want spikes by the McNeil Point junction.

We overnighted just short of the junction. It was colder at the Top Spur trailhead both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Going beyond McNeil Point on Timberline Trail started to get real dicey due to the amount of packed snow, ice rivers (both rivers and ice on the trail) and the steep angle of the packed snow on the north face.

I'm not sure that I have ever seen less snow on Mt Hood. This shot taken from TDH today, 11/05/19

ghsmith76 wrote: ↑

November 5th, 2019, 4:33 pm

I'm not sure that I have ever seen less snow on Mt Hood. This shot taken from TDH today, 11/05/19

Wow, that really is paltry there on the south side. Definitely more coverage on the north side, from what I've heard.
Maybe I could attempt the high loop route between Paradise Park and Timberline later this week. Hmmmmmm...

The weather inversion we have been in for a few days is dramatic up there. It was near 60 at the top of TDH when I came down today.

teachpdx wrote: ↑

November 5th, 2019, 5:08 pm

Maybe I could attempt the high loop route between Paradise Park and Timberline later this week. Hmmmmmm...

Well I did it!

Timberline/PCT passable to Paradise Park.

Paradise Park is surprisingly still pretty clear, only a little difficult on the trail near Lost Creek.

Less snow heading over Mississsippi Head and above Zigzag Canyon than I’ve seen in August/September.

teachpdx wrote: ↑

November 9th, 2019, 5:44 pm

teachpdx wrote: ↑

November 5th, 2019, 5:08 pm

Maybe I could attempt the high loop route between Paradise Park and Timberline later this week. Hmmmmmm...

Well I did it!

Timberline/PCT passable to Paradise Park.

Paradise Park is surprisingly still pretty clear, only a little difficult on the trail near Lost Creek.

Less snow heading over Mississsippi Head and above Zigzag Canyon than I’ve seen in August/September.

Oh, we must have nearly met.