Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon & Washington: From the California Border to Canada - Softcover

Summers, Jordan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0899978444 ISBN 13: 9780899978444

Publisher: Wilderness Press, 2020

Synopsis

Your hiking and backpacking guide to the PCT

In Oregon and Washington, the Pacific Crest Trail winds past rivers, peaks, forests, meadows, fascinating geological formations, and other natural wonders. Let our PCT gurus―Jordan Summers, Jeffrey P. Schaffer, and Andy Selters―help you with everything you need to know about this section of the 2,650-mile trail, which traverses 24 national forests, 37 wilderness areas, and 7 national parks. In Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon and Washington, you’ll meet up with the PCT at the California border and hike, climb, descend, and switchback your way to the edge of Canada.

Written by accomplished hikers who have each logged over 5,000 trail miles, this book helps you locate the trail and side trips, find water sources, and access resupply routes. Featuring a complete map of the route―Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon and Washington provides rich descriptions of the trail, tips on planning your hike, and information on the region’s natural history, geology, and ecology. You’ll also get important details on camping, permits, and the best seasons to go. Plan a day hike, a weekend trip, or an ambitious thru-hike. Let’s get going. The trail awaits!

About this title

About the Author:

Since he was six, Jordan Summers has had more fun sleeping on rock, snow, and dirt than any one person should be allowed, spending absurd amounts of time in mountains, forests, canyons, and deserts. Jordan’s newest guidebooks, Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California and Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon and Washington, are the result of Summers’ 4000+ miles trekking this national treasure. Jordan’s passion for the outdoors and love for the Sierra Nevada range combined to propel his motivation in writing guidebooks: “to help hikers of all abilities get out there, have a great time out there, leave no trace there, and come home safely from there.” Summers is an alumnus of the National Outdoor Leadership School, a Leave No Trace trainer, and a NOLS-WMI Wilderness First Responder. Jordan lives in the Sierra Nevada foothill town of Pioneer, California, and is a volunteer for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association and the Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

WA 14 at Bridge of the Gods to US 12 near White Pass

Because this is the longest section and because it has the greatest elevation change, it is the most diverse. It starts near the west end of Bridge of the Gods, which at 180-feet elevation is one of the lowest points on the official PCT (the lowest point―140 feet―is just 1 mile southwest of the start of this section). Near this section’s end, the PCT climbs to 7,080 feet―its second-highest elevation in Washington―before traversing the upper part of Packwood Glacier.

Between these two extremes, you pass through several environments. After starting in a lush, damp Columbia River forest, you climb usually viewless slopes; wind past an extensive, recent lava flow; traverse a lake-speckled, glaciated lava plateau; and climb to a subalpine forest. The trail then circles a major, periodically active volcano, Mount Adams; traverses high on the walls of deep, glaciated canyons; and finally climbs up to an alpine landscape at Packwood Glacier. Along this section, then, you pass through all of the landforms and vegetation belts that you see along the PCT from central Oregon to trail’s end in southern British Columbia.

Supplies

This section is long enough at 147 miles, and by this time, appetites are large enough that many hikers will want to resupply twice. That’s easy to do with a fill-up at Cascade Locks, along with a stop for more chow in pleasant Trout Lake. Hikers will be able to resupply again at White Pass at the end of this section.

Trout Lake is one of the many near-trail towns that take extra efforts to make hikers feel welcome―and properly fed. It’s a 13-mile hitch to Trout Lake on Road 23; however, several residents routinely assist hikers to and from this trailhead. (Remember to reimburse the driver with some fuel-money.) The Trout Lake General Store will accept and hold hiker packages at no charge. The store is also well-stocked with hiker-approved foods. The Trout Lake Country Inn and the Bear Creek Cafe will serve their fine foods and cold, hopped beverages to your table. There are several nice motels and inns that are not all centrally located. Ask for help and you’ll likely be shuttled to and from the one of your choice by one of the friendly residents.

At White Pass, you can pick up mailed parcels (US mail or UPS) at the Kracker Barrel Store (48851 US 12, Naches, WA 98937). The store has a gas station; some hiker staples, such as tortillas, cheese, Nutella, beer, and chips; and some quick, hunger-eliminating items, such as pizza, sandwiches, and snacks. And it surprisingly provides an espresso bar, showers, and a laundromat. For hot showers and a good night’s rest, treat yourself to a comfortable room at the adjacent Village Inn for about $125 a night. Hikers may also opt for a tent at White Pass Campground and a quick, chilly dip in adjacent Leech Lake.

Special Restrictions: The Forest Service would like to see you camp at least 200 feet from the PCT when you are in an official wilderness area. Unfortunately, topographic and/or vegetative constraints often make this rather challenging. Nevertheless, choose a site that will not negatively impact the environment or other trail users. Camp on durable surfaces such as mineral soil and practice Leave No Trace principles, respecting your fellow, and future, campers. Packers mustn’t let their animals graze within 200 feet of lakes, and, if they pack in feed, it must be processed so as to prevent seed germination. All these rules apply to all of Washington’s wilderness areas.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wilderness Press
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 0899978444
• ISBN 13: 9780899978444
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 344