Making the most of any season

[Charley]

My hike yesterday viewtopic.php?f=8&t=31153 got me thinking about how uncrowded our trails currently are, in spite of the calm, balmy weather and lack of snow on trails. It's a shame that people aren't out hiking as much as they do in the warmer months. There are plenty of accessible, scenic trails, and people are missing out on great days in the mountains!

Since moving here 16 years ago, I've often thought of how our mountains' meteorological seasons often fail to follow the cultural or social script for seasonal activities.

Examples:

• mountain bike racing season starts in the late spring, while all the trails are a muddy mess, but the racing season doesn't run deep into the fall, when trails are often perfect

• skiers are out in droves in November and December no matter the crowds or quality of snow, but they stay home in March-May, when snow storms can pile up tons of cold snow, and the lifts aren't even crowded

• in the early spring, we get tons of questions from people interested in hiking the Timberline trail in May and June, when its covered under tons of snow, but it seems like it's only (or mostly) locals enjoying the trail in the fall, when the weather is great and the bugs are gone

After noticing this, I started to develop a habit of doing whatever seemed like the most fun, no matter what season.
Winter backpacking trips can be incredibly wild and uncrowded, like one I hiked around the Badlands Wilderness, in January 2014:

Spring skiing is likewise uncrowded, even though there's a good base everywhere, and warmer temps can make for easier, more predictable, and safer ski travel in the backcountry. My buddy and I enjoyed ski camping at Mt St Helens, in May 2022:

I know I'm subject to the cultural influences, as well: I realized that I'm really feeling the need to ski, because there's usually plenty of snow for that in December, and many other mountain ranges are now filling in with snow. But there's no point pushing it now, when the conditions don't really warrant, and there are still lots of snow-free hikes to take my mind off of El-Nino.

So, my point is just this: don't let cultural expectations hang up your hiking boots for you.

[Charley]

This is a related phenomenon:

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/u ... 20January.

This reminds me of how amazed I was to have moved so far north (I'm originally from Tennessee), and yet see wildflowers coming up in February here and in the eastern Gorge.

On the other hand, it points in the opposite direction from the examples I listed in my original post: those examples all involved our cultural expectations getting a leap on our season (people want to ski before there's snow, mtb before the trails are dry, and hike before the mountains are melted out). The coldest day of the year variation is earlier here than the east coast.

[retired jerry]

I just spent a couple nights up Badger Creek. No people. No snow up 7 miles to 3400 feet.

I love winter

[Chip Down]

When Saturday rolls around (as it tends to do every few days) I survey conditions and decide what's the best outdoor activity, without respect to what month it is.
I just can't fathom why people will say "yes, conditions are ideal for Activity X, but I won't engage in Activity X because my calendar says it's not the correct season".

[retired jerry]

yeah

for some reason people don't go backpacking in the winter (okay - short days, bad weather,...)

I spent a few days going up Badger Creek. I only saw one person driving by in a car.

It rained a couple times, but I was sleeping in my tent so it didn't matter

[Webfoot]

This is a related phenomenon:

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/u ... 20January.

The map didn't load in my browser for some reason but I eventually drilled down to this.

[leiavoia]

Does anyone here snow camp in the winter? If so, where do you go and what kind of gear do you bring?

I know some folks on the east side of the continent do this, but they have colder temperatures and lower elevations. The PNW has different concerns.

I would like to get out for backpacking trips in the “off season” but not sure where to start.

[retired jerry]

I snow camp occasionally, but mostly I avoid snow

In the field guide, "winter and spring backpacking" lists a bunch of good locations.

East of the Cascades is often good - much less rain, especially at lower elevation. Look at weather forecasts to find best locations for specific days. Sometimes it's very cold and/or difficult to drive to.

South sometimes has better weather, like the Rogue River. Later in the spring the Trinity Alps in northern California usually melts off sooner.

The Olympic Peninsula has low elevation places with little snow but it rains a lot. There's usually a few weeks of good weather.

7 day forecast - you can get a forecast at any location by clicking on map https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.p ... OlsaMhKjIU

10 day - https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/weather/10_day.cgi

snow - Adam's page - https://adamschneider.net/hiking/snow_depth.html

[Charley]

Does anyone here snow camp in the winter? If so, where do you go and what kind of gear do you bring?

I know some folks on the east side of the continent do this, but they have colder temperatures and lower elevations. The PNW has different concerns.

I would like to get out for backpacking trips in the “off season” but not sure where to start.

Locations:
I've snow camped around Oregon and Washington on occasion since 2009 or so. White River Canyon, Muddy River Lahar (Mt St Helens), PCT to Twin Lakes, and Mirror Lake have been great locally. Crater Lake, McKenzie Pass, and Steens Mountain are favorite regional destinations.

Steens Mountain:

Gear:

• For travel, I've gone with AT skis, Nordic backcountry skis, and snowshoes

• For shelter, I've used a tarp (sufficient but suboptimal), three season tent, or four season tent, depending on the expected weather. On one trip, wind bent the poles of a three season tent, so if it looks snowy or windy I'll take an old GoLite pyramid style shelter

• For stoves, there's a concern about cold temperatures affecting pressurized fuel canisters. However, since it's not actually that cold here, I have found a Jetboil or an MSR Wind Pro sufficient (i.e., an inverted canister has not been necessary)

• For sleeping, I have a Western Mountaineering 10F degree bag that is warm enough for me, while sleeping in longjohns, long sleeves, puffy jacket, hat and neck gaiter. I use a long closed cell foam pad for insulation, plus a NeoAir for comfort

I've camped in snowstorms and in clear, 6F weather. The only problems I've ever had were cold fingers, while photographing in the night or morning. Handwarmers and liner gloves helped with that.

Near Muddy River Lahar, MSH:

McKenzie Pass:

Different concerns, as compared to the East Coast:
Yeah it's different, though my understanding is based only on reading about snow camping on the east side of the continent.

The main thing I'd say are that it's often just way colder over there. That's good for things like fuel canister use, but bad for condensation building up in your insulation over a period of days. I haven't been out long enough to experience a real loss of insulation value- I think two nights is my max? And I avoid going out when it's rainy (rainy snow camping is the worst).

Another concern is avalanches: though technically that's possible anywhere with sufficient snow and avalanche terrain, I think most people hiking into the Maine woods are not going to be at risk.

White River Canyon:

Where to start:
I highly recommend going up White River Canyon during a window of stable, clear weather, with low temps below freezing. Not only does the canyon have great views, but it combines a feeling of wildness with a proximity to a maintained highway, and a safe approach. There are plenty of safe, flat places to camp, and you might even be able to get water out of the river, rather than melting snow. If you get halfway through the night and decide it's not for you, it's not a far or complicated walk back to the car.

One caveat- truly massive avalanches will occasionally sweep down into the flats along the river, in the upper parts of the canyon (upstream of the powerlines).

An example: viewtopic.php?t=30768

This one happened in late April, 2023, several days after NWAC stopped offering its daily avalanche forecasts. They actually posted a "Special Avalanche Bulletin" that very day, but it appears that the avalanche in question had occurred previously.

The treed western benches would seem to be very safe for an overnight stay, as long as you stay downhill of the Timberline Trail. If you'd like to go camping without any concern for avalanches, check the avalanche forecast, and go only when the rating is green or yellow. Alternately, go whenever, but just don't go down into the river flats near the end of the route. I've skied that every year since probably 2009 or so, and have yet to see an avalanche like this, so don't let my caveat scare you out of going.


White River Canyon:

The popular snowshoe routes to Mirror Lake and the Twin Lakes are free of avalanche risk. (The route up Tom, Dick, and Harry does pass through avalanche terrain.)

[retired jerry]

Sometimes the road to Ramona Falls trailhead is snow covered. Park near Lolo Pass road as far as you can drive in. Sometimes there's a closed gate at the bridge over the Sandy River. Lots of area to walk on and places to camp.

I camped in an igloo once. It was very cold outside but 32 F inside the igloo.