Calendar

Past Activity

PCT-Rosary Lks-Tait’s Loop

  • Start date: 02/10/2018

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 02/10/2018

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

This may be the last Snowshoe for the year in the Willamette Pass area. We will be starting at the PCT trailhead, where there is likely to be decent snow. However, there are separate bare regions on the trail and other areas are low snow conditions, so rather than putting snowshoes on only to take them off, I would plan on hiking the first two miles. We will need snowshoes after that, going by the three Rosary Lakes and then climbing up to Tait’s Loop trail for lunch on the overlook over Middle or Lower Rosary Lake. After lunch, we will head back down the Tie Trail to the PCT and back out, shedding the snowshoes at the bare region and hiking out. On 3 February, the conditions were good for snowshoeing (did not remove them at all) and above 5800’ (between Lower and Middle Rosary Lakes) the snow was about 2-3 feet deep. Up on the Loop, it should be even deeper. Plan on no significant precipitation, have sunscreen, a way to affix snowshoes to your pack if you wish.

  • 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: 2018

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Bring pad to sit on and poles are recommended. Sunscreen is important even if cloudy. Something to affix the snowshoes to your pack if you wish. Food, other essentials, plenty of water and snacks.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 9.5

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 1300

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

The trip went mostly as expected. We began the hike in 27 degree weather and walked just over 2 miles on the PCT on mostly bare ground, a significant change in the past week. We then were able to snowshoe on icy crust to Lower and the other two Rosary Lakes. We ascended to Maiden Saddle and then to Tait's Loop, where we had lunch. Unfortunately, on the Tie Trail descent back to the PCT we had to take off the snowshoes for about 200 yards before putting them on for semi-marginal conditions for another 200 yards. We then had adequate snow back to the PCT and then to the area where we had put them on earlier. It was good to get out, and while I liked it up on the Loop, I was sad to see so little snow.