[wbs]

Trip planning for mid-Sept. PCT, north to south,Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass section. One way, two vehicles. 4 or 5 or 6 or days? What do you guys think? I guess that's a loaded question depending on intended mode of travel and lightness of load (e.g food), weather delays, beestings, Bigfoot, etc... Of course sidetrips, layovers, peakbags along the way; or marathon adventure-race milage crunching mode would alter the recommendations. To better give you an idea; likely our group of three will prefer to leisurely backpack - were on vacation after all - why rush it. Were thinking similar milage each day also. Thanks for any feedback. First time in some years since I've had time off to do a multi-day bpack. -Brad

[wbs]

well, just doing a bit of research I see Stevens to Snoqualmie is roughly 68 miles. Guidebooks tend to recommend 6 days. I guess the itinerary will be loosly based around that. But I'm still interested in others personal reflections on this swath of the PCT if anyone on the board has done it (*and I know your out there lurking

[Seracer]

I would give myself 5 days. That's about 14 miles a day. The first stretch from Stevens to Trap Lake is pretty easy. The pull over Trapper Pass into Surprise and Glacier Lakes is not bad, but it's a preview of the rest of the trip, up and down a lot. Up around (and over) Suprise Mtn., down to Deception Lakes and Deception Pass, up over Cathedral Pass, down to Waptus Lake, up over Escondido Ridge, down to Lemah Meadows, up over Chickamin Ridge and a final wonderful traverse above Alaska Lake, Joe Lake, etc to Ridge Lake, the Kendal Katwalk and a drop to Snoqualmie Pass. It's just a lot of gain and drop in elevation, every day. It can also be a pretty dry trail around Escondido Ridge, so carry extra water there. Make sure and take the little side trip to Spectacle Lake. It's only a 1/4 mile or so, but it is perhaps the most beautiful peice of water on the trip, and a fabulous swimming spot on a hot day. Good luck!

[Timber Cruiser]

I did it once back in the 60's and took ten days. We had a layover day in the middle of it and a couple of short days on either end for travel to and from the trail heads. There are so many side trips to do that I can't see shortening it if you have a week off to do it. Not sure about some of the sites we camped at anymore, especially on the southern end of the trip. Ivanhoe had a shelter at the time, and only one really good spot to camp in that I remember. Great place to cliff dive. We spent a long day hiking from there to Goldmeyer Hot Springs. Camped on the other side of the river from the miner's shacks and had the springs to ourselves after the hippies moved out that night. Spent the last night at Snow Lake. Not that many great sites there even back then. Can't imagine what it would be like now. The old guard station was full of garbage. I'm sure it's cleaned up now. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I might burn more miles per day on the southern end than I did back then.

[Darth Hiker]

I've also done it in five days. It certainly wasn't leisurely and it won't give you much time for any side trips, but it seemed to work out better that way in terms of finding nice places to camp. We had in fact planned on doing it in six. It could be pretty tough if you're not in decent shape though. It was a bit too much for one out-of-shape person in our party: he was limping for a couple of months after it. I would prefer to average about 12 miles a day in that kind of up and down terrain, but it just didn't work out that way. In any case, it's a wonderful way to lose 10 lbs. in five days!

[Riverside Laker]

3.5 days, and I did the trip with a 60 year old woman. Course, she started in Mexico the previous March.