Mt Adams Wilderness Overnighter - Wildflowers at Peak
Posted: July 25th, 2020, 4:36 pm
Yesterday I completed an overnighter in Mt. Adams Wilderness on PCT from Williams Mine TH and finishing off-trail by hiking above Crystal Lake. Wildflowers and views galore. Apologies for no pics - forgot to put memory card in camera and left cellphone in car. Here’s a quick summary by category:
Trail Condition: Excellent. Grading is gentle so perfect for uphill backpacking; maybe a little slow on the rise overall and long of foot. Had thought about looping back via Riley but wildflowers/views so great on PCT returned same way. Due to fires trail is open to sun most of the time - advise avoiding hot days or start early.
PCT side note: like many provisions regarding Covid 19, there is some confusion regarding PCT thru-hikers for 2020. The PCT Association since Mid March has discouraged thru travel on PCT. The USFS has communicated that a 2020 PCT thru-permit did not allow access to currently closed areas, like Yosemite, or state parks (that have since reopened). If you didn't start your thru hike on your exact permitted day it was rendered invalid, and that was only for a single, continuous trip. The PCTA asked trail angels to take the year off. The bottom line is thru PCT traffic likely will be quite low this year, making local PCT travel, which the PCTA encourages, a prime choice for 2020. On Thur. I encountered only 3 fellow hikers, one being an exceptional PCT thru-hiker who was packing in 30-40 miles a day and would be soon be done. On Fri. I encountered 10 other hikers with no thru hikers.
Roads: just fine. All paved except for good gravel last 1/4 mile. Passenger car okay. (If anyone can pipe in on condition of FS 8031 up to Stagman Ridge that would be great.)
Map Story: FS Interactive Map shows Riley Cutoff Trail 64A and it is signed too. Yet FS Onine Topo map omits this trail.
Wildflowers - most are just before, at, or just after peak. Horseshow Meadow is a sea of paintbrush. Fireburned areas are lush green with an amazing array of blooms. It goes on for miles.
Mosquitoes: Bad on day one; terrible around Crystal Lake. I camped well above Crystal Lake to find a breezy spot. Not bad at night or day two as winds picked up. I used herbal repellent.
Water: plenty now. A couple of streams south of the Riley Cutoff - may dry up later. Best source is near the origin of the White Salmon river! About 2.5 miles up from the TH gushing out of the hillside - take a very short path downhill off PCT just before a sharp switchback (at about 5000ft; there are some campsites here too). The topo map actually suggests this is near mile 43 of the river and indicates river intermittent until about mile 44 which is the true origin. After that next water is had by short detour to Horseshow Meadow, but it is slightly milky.
COMET NEOWISE: I managed to see it - barely with my old naked eyes knowing it was a bit under Big Dipper and by looking indirectly at it. Quite clear in my small field binoculars. A treat. Sunset before was long fiery scene. Couldn’t ask for more.
Equipment: Tried new water treatment - Survivor Water Filter. Three part filter: sediment & bacteria, then charcoal, then virus. Worked well and you can backflush it. Army green and logo motif are a bit GI Joe but they seem to provide good service.
Also a new plastic holder for my stove fuel canister - $6 thru Amazon. Worked nice. It folds up.
Trail Condition: Excellent. Grading is gentle so perfect for uphill backpacking; maybe a little slow on the rise overall and long of foot. Had thought about looping back via Riley but wildflowers/views so great on PCT returned same way. Due to fires trail is open to sun most of the time - advise avoiding hot days or start early.
PCT side note: like many provisions regarding Covid 19, there is some confusion regarding PCT thru-hikers for 2020. The PCT Association since Mid March has discouraged thru travel on PCT. The USFS has communicated that a 2020 PCT thru-permit did not allow access to currently closed areas, like Yosemite, or state parks (that have since reopened). If you didn't start your thru hike on your exact permitted day it was rendered invalid, and that was only for a single, continuous trip. The PCTA asked trail angels to take the year off. The bottom line is thru PCT traffic likely will be quite low this year, making local PCT travel, which the PCTA encourages, a prime choice for 2020. On Thur. I encountered only 3 fellow hikers, one being an exceptional PCT thru-hiker who was packing in 30-40 miles a day and would be soon be done. On Fri. I encountered 10 other hikers with no thru hikers.
Roads: just fine. All paved except for good gravel last 1/4 mile. Passenger car okay. (If anyone can pipe in on condition of FS 8031 up to Stagman Ridge that would be great.)
Map Story: FS Interactive Map shows Riley Cutoff Trail 64A and it is signed too. Yet FS Onine Topo map omits this trail.
Wildflowers - most are just before, at, or just after peak. Horseshow Meadow is a sea of paintbrush. Fireburned areas are lush green with an amazing array of blooms. It goes on for miles.
Mosquitoes: Bad on day one; terrible around Crystal Lake. I camped well above Crystal Lake to find a breezy spot. Not bad at night or day two as winds picked up. I used herbal repellent.
Water: plenty now. A couple of streams south of the Riley Cutoff - may dry up later. Best source is near the origin of the White Salmon river! About 2.5 miles up from the TH gushing out of the hillside - take a very short path downhill off PCT just before a sharp switchback (at about 5000ft; there are some campsites here too). The topo map actually suggests this is near mile 43 of the river and indicates river intermittent until about mile 44 which is the true origin. After that next water is had by short detour to Horseshow Meadow, but it is slightly milky.
COMET NEOWISE: I managed to see it - barely with my old naked eyes knowing it was a bit under Big Dipper and by looking indirectly at it. Quite clear in my small field binoculars. A treat. Sunset before was long fiery scene. Couldn’t ask for more.
Equipment: Tried new water treatment - Survivor Water Filter. Three part filter: sediment & bacteria, then charcoal, then virus. Worked well and you can backflush it. Army green and logo motif are a bit GI Joe but they seem to provide good service.
Also a new plastic holder for my stove fuel canister - $6 thru Amazon. Worked nice. It folds up.