This content was last updated on 2024 November 1st
Some people avoid backpacking during the spring snow melt because the compact snow on the trail can be wet, slippery, and icy, because melting snow makes the trail and campsites muddy, because melting snow makes the streams high and crossings more difficult, because snow bridges become dangerous, and primarily because they do not want to carry crampons, microspikes, ice axes, or other snow gear. So I wrote this for people trying to determine when they can safely begin a hike without that gear. All the information here pertains only to the PCT within Washington state.
It is impossible to guarantee that you will not encounter snow on the PCT at any time. This information is meant to be a good resource for general predictions of trail conditions. ultimately you are responsible for your own choices, preparations, and safety.
Personally speaking, If I'm going to leave any snow equiptment at home it will be traction devices not arrest devices. If you have traction but no arrest, you are betting your life that you will not fall. If you have arrest but no traction, then you are planning to fall, but still be safe. When the snow is slushy neither traction nor arrest work well, but that still leads me to the same decision.
For hikers, I think the Black Diamond Carbon Whippet is the perfect arrest tool to carry, as opposed to an ice axe.
I love this tool because its dual-function and you are more likley to have it in your hand when you need it. I was made aware of this tool by Ned Tibbits. (Normally I do not mention brand names, but only Black Diamond makes a Wippet.)
In case you encounter unexpected snow and have only trekking poles, it's a good idea to learn and practice self-arrest using a trekking pole.
It's not nearly as effective as an ice axe or whippet, but a good skill to have as a back-up.
Its folly to predict snow melt before the snow stops accumulating. That is typically by May 1st, but not always. The last snowfall of 2024 was June 16th.
There are weather stations near the PCT that have snow depth sensors and snow water equivelent sensors. These can be used to get a sense of snow depth, distribution (north-south), and melt rate. On May 1st you can compare current sensor data to historical data to identify a past year that is similar to the current year. That can offer a ball-park prediction of the current melt rate. As sensors at lower elevations zero-out it helps narrow the prediction.
The higher elevation sensors are:
I pay the most attention to the last high-altitude sensor to zero out. That is typically Green Valley.
Most of these snow sensors are on a southern slope and all are in full sun. So, even when all of them read zero, the trail is still mostly snow covered and it's still not safe to backpack without snow equiptment.
Zero day is when none of the sensors near the PCT detect any snow. On average, three weeks after zero day the entire PCT is snow-free enough to hike without any snow equipment. After zero day I start paying more attention to satellite imagery, reading trip reports on WTA.org, watching social media posts in hiking groups, and day hiking the PCT to see trail conditions for myself.
In 2024 Harts Pass zeroed on 6/16, Lyman Lake on 6/25, and Green Valley on 7/1. Then between July 15th and July 20th the trail went from about half covered in snow to almost entirely exposed. So like in the past five years, it took between two and three weeks after zero day.
EXCEPTION: The exception here is the high point at Old Snowy Mountain (7,200 ft). The last bit of snow to melt each year is on the NW slope of Old Snowy Mountain above the Packwood Glacier (I do not think this is technically a glacier anymore). That stretch of snow is almost melted about the time the snow starts falling again in the fall. It is easy to avoid this snow by using the alternate trail that goes up and over the snow patch on a higher rocky ridge (7,596 ft). About four weeks after zero day you can totally avoid snow on Old Snowy using that route. Before then you will encounter patches of snow before and after the alternate trail.
The sections typically clear of snow in this order:
1. Section I, North (Naches Pass to Snoqualmie Pass)
2. Section H, South (Columbia River to Williams Mine, Indian Heaven (Trout Lake))
3. Section K, North (Suiattle Bridge to Rainy Pass)
4. Section L (Rainy Pass to Canada)
5. Section I, Mid (Chinook Pass to Naches Pass)
6. Section I, South (White Pass to Chinook Pass)
7. Section H, Mid (Mt Adams, Williams Mine to Midway)
8. Section J (Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass)
9. Section K, South (Steven Pass to Suiattle Bridge, Glacier Peak)
10. Section H, North (Midway to White Pass, Goat Rocks)
The time span from all sections having significant snow to none of them is about 3-4 weeks.
In 2023 the PCTA added many new image overlay options to its ArcGIS (geographic information system) map. Two of those overlays are useful for monitoring snow on the trail, the NOHRSC data, and the Sentinel-2 images. Both layers are listed in the Imagery and Conditions portion of the overlay menu in the right pane.
I have not found the NOHRSC imagery useful for evalutating trail conditions because it is too low resolution. It's more useful for seeing snow depth and distribution long before the melt.
The Sentinel-2 images can reveal exactly where there is snow on the trail *If there is no cloud cover*. The S2 satellite scans the PCT in WA every 5 days. (The northernmost 10 miles of the PCT in WA is in a separate scan on a different timeline.) The images on the PCTA ArcGIS map update just as quckly as those on the Sentinel-2 hub or Copernicus browser.
In 2024 I used the S2 images to create a detailed account of when each section of trail emerged from the snow. That can be found here.
A great thing about getting on the trail early in the season is the long summer day. The summer solstice is on June 20th, offering hikers just under 16 hours of daylight from 5:08 AM to 9:06 PM. Unfortunately, the snow and slush typically do not melt off the PCT for weeks after the solstice. Another beneift of early season hiking is that water sources are abundant. A third benefit is warm nights.
The bad thing about getting on the trail early is the emergence of mosquitoes when water has melted and daytime highs are hot. The mosquito population starts big and tapers off thruout the summer. Only the females drink blood. They become lethargic at 60F and they are unable to fly below 50F. The Indian Heaven area is famously thick with mosquitoes. However, bugs are on trail all summer long so they should not be a primary factor in planning the time of your hike.
These pros and cons are reversed for late season hiking; fewer bugs, fewer water options, less daylight, cooler temps.
The two issues most impacting backpacking in the fall are the droping temperatures and the shortening days.
September 22 is the Autumnal Equinox. The daylight lasts for 12 hours and 9 minutes. The equinox is not when there is 12 hours of daylight. That is the equilux which occurs two days later on September 24th when the sun rises at 6:55 AM and sets at 6:55 PM.
After the equinox is typically when the nights start freezing at 6,000 ft so I tend to switch to day hikes then.
In 2024 snow dusted the cascades on October 17th, and again on 1Oct 20th, and by Oct 27th one inch had accumualted.
The first significant snowfall of the year occurred on:
Note that in the fall there are typically multiple cycles of snow falling then completely melting, before it begins accumulating. Accumulation might not occur until very late in the year.
Source: The Air & Water Datbase is maintained by the USDA, Natural Resources Concervation Service.
If you want to section hike all of WA in one season, I don't have advice that is sure to apply to any year. That is because, on average, the entire trail melts out within a pretty small window, and the order that sections clear can change slightly each year. My only reliable advice would be to save Goat Rocks and Old Snowy for last, because if both the high and low routes over Old Snow are covered, its not fun and very dangerous without snow equiptment. Personally, I like to save Old Snowy until early September to allow maximum snow melt, but also avoid an early fall snowstorm (a famous fatality on Old Snowy occurred in an August blizzard.) Also, kids are in school after Labor Day, so there are fewer people.
I also suggest skipping ahead to Section L as soon as you know the snow is gone. That section has been plagued by wildfires the past few years so I recommend getting it done early in the season if possible.
The southernmost section by the Columbia River is pretty reliably the first to melt out.
Some sections of the PCT have few year-round water sources (Chinook Pass to Naches Pass) so hiking in August and September may force you to carefully plan your water. Whereas hiking in July usually offers a bounty of seasonal water sources. Know all your water options before you go, both the reliable ones and the others. Because water is likely the heaviest thing in your pack, it's just good sense to manage your water economically.
I covered cold nights above, but another temperture issue is hot days. A heat wave can occur anytime during the hiking season, so they are difficult to predict and avoid. June 28th, 2021 was the hottest day ever. The hottest day of 2024 was July 9th. Personally, I worry more about cold nights than hot days because I am willing split my hiking days to have a siesta when the heat peaks between 2:00 and 4:00 PM. I start hiking before sunrise, I cook my main meal during siesta, and I try to make camp close to sunset where I eat leftovers. I try to work swims into my schedule, and wet my hair and clothes at water sources, I like to wear a long sleeve shirt and wet the sleeves and collar. Some people even hike at night, which I like to do only when there is bright moonlight
Sometimes I choose hiking dates based on the moon cycle or even meteors, comets, or eclipses. Night hiking in a full moon is one of my favorite things.
You may want to factor these events into your planning.
Here are some things to look for in the night sky this summer
Full Moons
Meteor Showers
Meteor Showers occur when the earth passes through a debris field left by a comet or asteroid. The peak is when the earth is in the
densest part of the debris field. Meteor showers are named for the star constellation they appear to radiate from. Here I've only listed showers
that peak between June and October in the northern hemisphere.
2025 is going to be a fantasic year for meteor showers during hiking season because of three overlapping events.
Do you want to avoid other people? This is usually more of a where issue than a when issue, but here the WA PCT is a given. Some people seek solitude, some people feel more comfortable in numbers. These days the PCT is quite busy in peak season so solitude can be difficult in popular sections. You might choose to avoid the weekend day hikers who access the trail from paved roads by planning to cross those mid-week. The trail is popular with section hikers from the Independence day weekend to the Labor Day weekend. Then activity declines a bit through September. However, September is when many of the thru hikers are in Washington. It can be fun to hike the northern section, going southbound, in late September because you will pass many thru hikers as they finally close in on the Canadian border.
Some people like to plan around events such as Pacific Crest Trail Days at Cascade Locks August 15 & 16th 2025
Unfortunately, you cannot predict fires ahead of time. They tend to ruin plans at the last minute. In recent years fires have plagued the entire backpacking season, from before the snow melts to when it starts falling again. The best way to plan for fire is to know all your options for exiting the trail if needed. I also recommend you carry a mask to protect yourself from smoke and ash if needed. It's almost weightless and far better than a bandana or buff.
Elevation: Typically, lower elevations melt out before higher elevations, both because of relative snow depth and because of temperatures. Overall, the average elevation of the PCT increases as you move from south to north, with the exception of Old Snowy Mountain which is the highest point on the PCT in Washington (and, I would argue, Oregon). So if elevation was the only variable, the southernmost section would be the first to be snow free and the northernmost section the last. There is a small part of the PCT on Old Snowy Mountain that never melts (yet), but there is also a short alternate route there that does.
Depth: The distribution of snow along the trail, from north to south, is rarely even, so that is another annual variable effecting what parts of the trail melt out and when. When that happens it counters the rules of elevation and may even overpower elevation as a factor of snow melt. For example, in 2023 the snow was much deeper in the south and got consistently less deep moving to the north. The last part of the trail to melt in 2023 was near the Muddy River bridge, and that was two weeks after the northernmost section was melted out. 2024 had a similar snow distribution but less pronounced.
Topography: And of course, the snow always melts off southern slopes first, and northern slopes last, exposed areas first, and tree covered areas last. Every section of the PCT has a mix of those features.