This morning I hoped to get up early, but my efforts were useless. Plus, realistically, there wasn’t much point in hiking before dawn. Snow is slow enough on its own. I certainly don’t need to make it even slower walking in the dark. I’m glad I continued last night and got more miles. It was definitely worth it, even if it was slow.
It was very cold this morning! My shoes were frozen.
When I left camp this morning I was very glad to have the waterproof sealskin socks. They were a little damp but still much more comfortable than anything else. Walking for 14 hours through snow and sleet would be brutal without these. I don’t know how I did it in the past! I could never go back. This morning when I started walking I was able to continue following footprints through the snow. And this section of the trail was more wooded, so there were fewer areas where the tracks disappeared.
Entering the obsidian falls area.
It was a slow start to the day, but I was definitely moving faster than last night. It’s just hard to be able to manage only 2 MPH when I’m pushing myself so hard and trying so much harder. I guess that’s the great irony of snow travel. Unfortunately, when I had gone about 5 to 6 miles during the day, the tracks I had been following veered off course. In fact, I passed the obvious spot where the hikers had camped last night or the night before. So they must have turned off the PCT to get a spike or something! Because the footprints simply went into the woods and up a steep hillside.
Snow sections like this tended to have a lot more accumulations and deeper portions.
It was a shame to work with poles again. And the next section of the trail had a lot of open areas, which usually have deeper packed snow. For a couple of miles I walked mostly in snow that was just below my knee. I almost ran over my sealskin socks! Which are super tall. Those areas were tedious and I had to work hard to be patient. Fortunately, the trail changed and gave me a break quite frequently. Funny how 4 to 6 inches of snow can become a luxury. Even 6-8 inches doesn’t seem so bad nowadays!
It was a slow but amazing start to the day.
The morning stretched into the afternoon. Which then also bled until the afternoon. Those first 15 miles of the day might as well have been a marathon! It was discouraging to move so slowly. But at least I knew that I would eventually descend below 6,000 feet and conditions would improve to some extent. And about 22 miles into the day, I would pass the junction toward Elk Lake. Which is closer to 5000 feet! And I’ll stay at that elevation for the next 20 miles after that. Which should hopefully mean an easier section of the trail.
Obsidian falls.
Somehow the day went by quite quickly even though the walk was so tedious. And as I got further down in elevation, conditions improved dramatically. It was a relief to enter sections of the trail that had 4 inches of snow or less. It has become incredibly easy to follow that path. Especially with how little melting has already occurred.
It’s funny that it’s warm enough to walk around in my shorts and hoodie, but I need tall, waterproof snow socks.
Honestly, today I started to get quite worried about the state of the snow. I was hoping things would melt faster than this. Today got me thinking that maybe the snow melting will take even longer than I had initially thought. And you could be trudging through snow for most of the rest of Oregon. I can at least go about 30 miles a day anyway. But these 30’s are taking just as long and are just as hard as 40 miles a day. This will get tiring very soon.
I really liked this section of the trail. The snow complements the mountains very well.
I’m the only footprint in the snow now! This morning, after a few kilometers, all other tracks disappeared.
By around 4 or 5pm it had dropped enough to enjoy much less snow accumulation. I finally got close to 3 MPH again as well. Which was a huge relief! I’ll be passing the crossing to Elk Lake early in the afternoon and it would be great to get there before dark. Looks like Sprinter is going to come in and meet me at the trailhead with some resupply. Saving me about a mile, walking both ways to get to the parking area. Since I’m moving a little slower, I’ll need a little more food to get through tomorrow night. It’s ridiculously nice of Sprinter to help me this way.
A mountain lion stamped in the snow.
Finally, as I approached the Elk Lake crossing, the conditions became fantastic. The snow was almost over and I was flying. It felt so good to move! And even better going about 3.5 MPH on a nice pine tree covered trail. This section was absolutely lovely.
The burned sections of the trail have been some of the best in terms of snowmelt.
I ended up reaching the trail junction just as the Sprinter approached. He brought me a ton of food and drinks, which was amazing. Some things for now and others to take with me. I sat on a rock and stuffed my face with delicious food. Then I drank some caffeine to get me through the rest of the night. Because trail conditions have improved so dramatically, I hope to put in more miles tonight.
What an exceptional way to end the day. The sunset over this epic mountain.
Another glorious sunset for the PCT.
It would be wonderful to take advantage of the snow-free trail. It looks like I will be well below 6,000 feet for the next 20 miles. So all my walks this afternoon should be a clear trail! And tomorrow morning I’ll be able to enjoy more snow-free trails before climbing back up to over 6,000 feet. So I had plenty of food and drink and prepared to spend a long rest of the night.
An easy way to know that Sprinter is present!
Once I was done and said goodbye to Sprinter, I simply continued down the trail. I would be enjoying a mostly flat and downhill section for the next hour or so. Then towards the end of the night a super gradual climb would begin. Overall, it looked like it was going to be a great evening. It’s funny how certain trail conditions can make you feel so grateful for other trail conditions. All the snow has made a regular section of trail a huge blessing. In comparison, the hike seems very nice and easy.
Bear footprints in the snow. I’ve been seeing clues constantly.
Just when I said goodbye to Sprinter it was already dark. So I spent the rest of the afternoon walking with my headlamp. I didn’t really care. That’s just my daily routine, really. I was well fed and highly caffeinated and the next few hours passed very quickly. It took 10 hours to cover the first 22 miles of the day. So it was really fun to go another 12 miles so fast. Since I was feeling so energetic, I decided to continue until 10:30-11 pm Which ensured I got a little over 34 miles for the day. Not bad at all considering the current snow conditions.
Once I finally stopped, I quickly prepared myself. I really wanted to take off my sealskin socks. I guess I probably should have taken it off this afternoon when I came out of the snow. But my shoes were soaked, so the socks helped keep me warm. After getting everything situated, I took off my wet layers and got comfortable. It’s great to be able to walk in the snow all day and still end the day nice and warm. That has been a true blessing.
My first blister of the year! And it’s on my leg thanks to the sealskin socks.
I didn’t spend much time preparing at camp. I just ate something and then charged my electronics. Then I set up my stove to make a hot mocha in the morning. After doing my stretches, I just rolled over and tried to call it a night. This morning when I woke up, my shoes were so frozen that it was almost impossible to stand up. I really hope that won’t be the case tomorrow morning!
If you enjoyed this blog and would like to support my hike by buying me a soda or snack along the way, there is a «Tip the Author» button below! It links directly to my Venmo. All support is incredibly appreciated!
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!
For more information, visit the About page of this site.
