Rough PCT Itinerary, Seeking Input

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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sparklehorse
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Re: Rough PCT Itinerary, Seeking Input

Post by sparklehorse » May 27th, 2019, 4:20 pm

I’d vote for the Three Sisters loop over the Mt. Hood trip for a beginner. It’s a bit longer but the creek crossings are super easy by comparison and the trail has much less verticality to it. A lot of ups and downs on that Timberline Trail. Plus the Three Sisters includes a nice stretch of the PCT - that whole section up and over Opie Dilldock Pass is really something. But it is 50+ miles and certainly NOT that easily done in three days, unless you’re very fit. I’d give it four days minimum for a beginner, and be sure you get out on some local trips with your gear so you know what’s working for you, what isn’t, how much food do you really need, how much clothing, etc. Most beginners pack WAY more stuff than they need. How are your feet & shoes? Prone to blisters? If so learn how to deal with them because they can make a long trip miserable if you don’t know how. Another thing to consider is that in late July an alpine trip most anywhere in the Pacific NW won’t necessarily be snow-free. It depends on the snowpack and the weather between now and then. August is a safer bet with regard to snow. Snow can slow you down if you have a lot of it to contend with, not to mention making navigation more difficult. Take and know how to use a topo map and compass. Take and know how to use a GPS or else a smartphone with a good topo map application and maps downloaded to it prior to the trip. If you take a smartphone take a spare battery to re-charge it as it doesn’t take very much map use to run the battery down. Put your phone in Airplane mode so it’s not constantly wasting juice looking for a cell tower it can’t find because you’re out of range, and turn the phone off when you’re not using it. Here’s a Three Sisters Loop trip report from late July from several years ago. Pictures aren’t working but the story is from the same time of year as you’re planning and she encountered quite a bit of snow:

viewtopic.php?t=5671

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Last edited by sparklehorse on May 27th, 2019, 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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You have to milk the cow a lot to make a bit of cheese.
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User avatar
sparklehorse
Posts: 827
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: over the hill
Contact:

Re: Rough PCT Itinerary, Seeking Input

Post by sparklehorse » May 27th, 2019, 4:33 pm

Jerry did a great job on the Three Sisters Loop page in the Field Guide:

https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... sters_Hike
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You have to milk the cow a lot to make a bit of cheese.
~Henri Cartier-Bresson

Smugmug / Facebook

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