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Fall colors on the PCT near Mt. Adams

Posted: September 10th, 2021, 5:44 pm
by Don Nelsen
This was a hike we decided to do escaping the forecast hot weather but it didn't turn out that way. Still, the scenery was great, albeit somewhat obscured by wildfire smoke.

It was already about 65 when we arrived at the Williams Mine TH on the PCT, a mile or so up a spur road near MP 43 on road 23, roughly 15 miles north of Trout Lake.

The first part of this hike is through a delightful mature forest and the trail is in great shape and an easy grade. After about two miles, we entered a burned area from a fire, perhaps ten years ago. The huckleberry plants and many of the understory have returned but not the weeds like some of the gorge trails at lower elevations.

The fall colors were really nice and made up for the burned forest.

We topped out at the upper junction of the Stagman Ridge trail, enjoyed a well earned lunch and headed back down.

We met a half dozen PCT through hikers and enjoyed a few minutes of conversation with them, congratulating them all for their toughness and perseverance.

A few photos:
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11.2 miles RT, 1900' EG hike # 85

Re: Fall colors on the PCT near Mt. Adams

Posted: September 12th, 2021, 8:03 am
by justpeachy
Nice! We hiked up Stagman Ridge last year on 9/27 and sadly only saw one or two patches of color. But we DID get lucky and had one of that rarest of combinations: fresh snow on the mountain on a bluebird weekend day.

Image

Re: Fall colors on the PCT near Mt. Adams

Posted: September 16th, 2021, 6:43 pm
by Chip Down
I didn't remember that snow event, but sure enough, my pics show some fresh white on the 28th and 29.