New to this website/forum

[jeannette]

Hi All! I am a Washingtonian who has done a lot of backpacking and hiking in my home state. I am from the northern part of the state(Anacortes) . My hiking in Oregon has consisted of going around Mt Hood and hiking in the Gorge. I am considering doing the Oregon section of the PCT this summer and possibly just continuing up past through the Bridge of the Gods and heading into Washington. I am wanting to go South to North and starting at around Ashland.
In light of this, I have been thinking about taking the Amtrak, however I see the furthest it goes would be to Eugene and after that it veers way East of the PCT. I am stumped as to how I could get from Eugene down to Ashland and then over to the nearest TH of the PCT. So I wonder if anyone on this site might have any suggestions with regards to transportation logistics?
I am thinking of going around the 1st of July and I am wondering too what the snow conditions might be this year?
Also I plan on going solo and am wondering if there are any backpackers out there who might want to join me. I am a fit woman who is older but am told I seem much younger than my age. I would like to cover about 25 miles a day at least.
Thanks! I look forward to hearing back advice or suggestions

[retired jerry]

welcome

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Eugene/Ashland-OR-USA

greyhound Eugene to Medford, RVTD from Medford to Ashland

https://www.mtashland.com/getting-here/

maybe "snow bus" from Ashland to ski area except I bet it doesn't run then

July 1 probably not too much snow down south. Further north like Three Sisters or Mt Hood probably still lots of snow.

Be prepared for bugs - long sleeves and pants and headnet.

[Aimless]

July 1 probably not too much snow down south.

Current snowpack in southern Oregon is running about 115% of 'normal'. You'll probably encounter some snow well before you reach Crater Lake. Of course, unseasonably warm weather in the next three months could change that.

Be prepared for bugs - long sleeves and pants and headnet.

This is good advice. The good news is that if there's a lot of snow you'll miss out on the mosquitos -- which can be brutal down there wherever the snow is mostly, but not quite, gone. The worst mosquitoes I've ever seen were at Maidu Lake, north of Mt. Thielsen, around July 10. The air was alive!

[Tom of the Woods]

If you get to Ashland, one option might be to contact one of the mountain bike shops. They often offer shuttles for downhill riders from town up to the ski area or nearby saddles. Or Uber or Lyft .. they just started operating in Ashland.

I'd offer ya a ride myself but I'm unsure of availability.

July ... watch the snow levels around Devil's Peak. In 2017 I was messing around in the Seven Lakes Basin, just a day hike, and ran into a guy who'd had a "slip" coming down the switchbacks on the north side of Devil's Peak and slid some 200 feet on snow before managing to stop his slide. He was a little sore but it sure could have gone a lot worse for him. I would suggest checking the SNOTEL sites in SW Oregon (Sevenmile, Cold Springs, Red Mountain / Wrangle, and Annie Springs) plus watch the web cams for Crater Lake NP, especially Annie Springs / South Entrance and the Park HQ. My personal yardstick is to wait 'til all of the snow is gone in the center of the little circular area at the parking lot at NP HQ. There will still be some in the shade down in Sky Lakes Wilderness, sometimes mounds you'll have to scramble over, but as long as the terrain is flat, by that time of year, what snow is left is hard as a rock and you can just walk over the top of it, no snowshoes needed. On a slope, though, it's "slicker than snot on a doorknob" and if you start sliding, you can get real hurt at the bottom.

Warnings about skeeters are legit. In the area near Honeymoon Springs I've had them so thick I got claustrophobic even inside a bug suit. Soon as it is warm enough for snow melt they'll start hatching from the soil at the edges of the drifts. They stay seriously bad for about 2 weeks, then the numbers drop back to merely the stuff of nightmares. I like Sky Lakes in April if there hasn't been much snow so conditions allow, otherwise it is best avoided 'til late August and Labor Day weekend is better yet. I kid you not .. not in the slightest.

[jeannette]

Well, I did not make it to the Oregon PCT this past summer as I spent the summer on the WA PCT. I am still interested in the Oregon PCT and am wondering about starting at Fish Lake and heading North from there. My main concern is the mosquitoes. How bad are they in this section? I know it may vary depending on the amount of snow coming up this winter and probably the later in the summer is better. I am just wondering if they are bad on most of the Oregon PCT or like Washington, some places are worse than others. Thanks!

[Aimless]

... probably the later in the summer is better. I am just wondering if they are bad on most of the Oregon PCT or like Washington, some places are worse than others.

There is no "probably" about it, later in the summer is better. Aim for August, not late June or early July. The worst time is in the two or three weeks just as the final snow patches are melting or have only just melted recently - which varies from place to place. The southern part of the Oregon PCT, up to around Middle Sister or North Sister tends to be the worst in general, compared to the trail north of there.