Calendar

Past Activity

Tait’s Loop via PCT

  • Start date: 01/20/2018

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 01/20/2018

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Plan: PCT to Tie Trail and up to Tait’s Loop to the overlook and back. If snow conditions are difficult on the Tie Trail, will go to 1 or more of the Rosary Lakes.
***WEATHER UPDATE*** expect that there will be 4-12 inches of snow based on different weather models. The higher we go, the more there should be, but it's possible we may have to abort altogether, although I don't think that likely. Freezing level should stay low for the next several days. Plan on suboptimal but acceptable conditions, but with some ice and bare spots. I wouldn't expect cold temperatures, but wet, sticky snow may be present in places.

  • 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: snowshoe gear, poles, sunscreen, chapstick, pad to sit on, layers, food and drink.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 7.5

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 1100

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Five of us did a hike that I hoped would work. I looked at a couple of weather models a week prior and thought there was hope for snow. Turns out I was right, but only in the last day or two would this hike have worked. There was plenty of snow in the PCT parking lot, so we parked across Highway 58 and walked across the snow covered road to the trailhead. Initially, there were about 2 inches of snow on the trail, but it was enough to snowshoe. About 1/2 mile short of the junction, the light snow on top was definitely covering ice and crusted snow below. We got to the Tie Trail up to Tait's Loop, and to my pleasure, the diamonds I had put up or checked were visible. Other than one error, we got to the top, and Tait's Loop, although there was a lot more debris on the trail that wasn't covered. We had lunch overlooking Lower Rosary Lake, then continued around the loop, back down the Tie Trail and back to the Trailhead. Zaffina Kramer is a new member, and this was her first snowshoe. She was a natural and did an excellent job.