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Past Activity

Gold Lake-Maiden Trail-PCT loop

  • Start date: 01/21/2019

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 01/21/2019

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

WEATHER UPDATE: THERE WILL BE RAIN THIS WEEKEND WITH SNOW LEVEL LOWERING TO 5K FEET SAT. NIGHT AND SUNDAY, THEN LOWERING FURTHER (BUT WITH LESS PRECIPITATION) SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING. I SUSPECT A LOT OF SNOW WILL MELT AND THEN FREEZE WITH 6-12 INCHES NEW SNOW ON TOP. TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 20s MONDAY WITH SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE, BUT WE MAY ENCOUNTER HEAVY, WET SNOW AT OUR TOP ELEVATION, 6370 FEET AND PERHAPS ICY CONDITIONS THE FIRST AND LAST 3 MILES. This is a great loop from Gold Lake to the Maiden Peak Trail to where it connects with the PCT. I soloed the loop back to Willamette Pass last spring, and most of it was unbroken. Climbing is significant from Skyline Trail junction to well along the PCT to Maiden Peak Shelter (700'), which is a great place to have lunch. Then it is along contours and climbs (370') before descending to Upper Rosary Lake and back along the PCT, going across the bottom of Willamette Pass Ski Area back to Gold Lake (we are allowed to do that, I checked.) Whether we can do this depends a lot on the snow conditions. If we are breaking trail all the way to the PCT and Maiden Peak Shelter, we will instead return the way we came, at least on broken trail, for 11.4 miles RT. If the snow is great and people feel up to it, we could go back via Tait’s Loop, but I don’t see that as a realistic goal. Another turn around point would be the Skyline Trail or even use that to cut off more of the loop, although I’d like to reach the shelter. Be flexible for this one.

  • Event Leader: Mike Smith

  • Event Leader Phone: 520-488-9569

  • Event Leader Email: mssq@comcast.net

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: Lane Community College, parking lot nearest stoplight

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 130

  • Season: 2019

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Weather-appropriate layers for a long snowshoe. Snowshoes. Food, enough water (you will need it whether or not you are aware of it. Many of us elderly have a blunted thirst drive) and essentials. Sunglasses and sunscreen.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 12.5

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 1400

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Four of us did the whole 13.4 mile loop with perfect weather and broken trail the whole way. We saw nobody going to Maiden Peak Shelter, then we saw several in the shelter and many more coming as we snowshoed south along the Rosary Lakes. There were a few places where the leader elected to “snow whack,” where the shortest route was the easiest route. We saw all the Rosary Lakes at one viewpoint, which I haven’t seen before. Good Loop, tough hike, great group!