ac_unit Snow

Snowpack

By spring 2026 the Washington Cascades had an unusual distribution of snow; The snow pack was well below average along the southern 3/4 of the trail, but far above average in the northernmost section.

The snowpack peaked on March 15th. That day it was in the 90th percentile at Harts Pass, exactly in the median at Lyman Lake (Suiattle Pass), and only in the 20th percentile at Stevens Pass. The snowpack was even thinner further south.

2026 Spring melt

After the annual peak snowpack there were three significant snowfalls that interrupted the melt. The third and last spring snowfall ended May 17th.

Snow-free hiking started very early in the south end of the state. The northernmost snow depth sensor at Harts Pass was the last to zero out on June 13th. Persistent snowfields in Sections L and K were not 95% gone until after the July 4th weekend. Then hiking the PCT without spikes or axe was the norm (with the exception of Old Snowy Mtn). July 6th was the sweet spot for early hiking without spikes (my annual May 1st prediction was 48 hours too optimistic).

Spring light

The long spring days help to speed the melt. Hikers starting southbound on June 21st enjoyed more than 16 hours and 12 minutes of daylight when the sun did not set until 9:20 PM. Because of the shallow angle of the solstice sunset, twilight did not arrive until 11:03 PM. (Mostly above the treeline, Section L is a great one for night hiking, especially in a full moon.) Mid October north-bound finishers experience sunset closer to 6:15 PM.

block Flood and Slide Damage

December 10th brought the second heaviest day of rainfall in 50 years causing widespread flooding and landslides. That was one day in a remarkably wet winter; From November to March wave after wave of “atmospheric rivers” of Pacific moisture saturated the earth causing more floods and landslides. Some of the damage was immediately known, still more was yet to be discovered by spring explorers.

As we waited for the snow to melt from the trail, more and more reports of severe road damage due to winter floods trickled in. The 2026 flooding was so bad that major highways suffered multiple points of damage including US-2 both east and west of Stevens Pass, Interstate-90 near Bellingham, and SR-20 (North Cascades Highway) was damaged in at least six places (many photos on the WA DOT Facebook page). Photo: US2 between Stevens Pass and Leavenworth.

The Lion’s Den in Mazama, WA experienced flooding from December through March. (Kind volunteers helped repair some of the damage on June 9th).

Most of the Forest Service roads that give access to the PCT were closed due to flood damage when the hiking season began. The most severely damaged was Suiattle River Road which is a critical access point for Section K. Those FS road closures (combined with fires to the east) left only one way to access remote section K: Sauk River Trail. There are no plans to repair the Suiattle River Road.

Crews worked from both sides to clear 7 feet of snow from the North Cascades Highway SR20 and they met each other at milepost 157 on April 16th. But on the way they discovered multiple rock slides and washouts that needed repair before the road could open. The WA DOT anticipated it would take until the end of June to repair it all, but they finished early and opened the highway the morning of Friday June 19th.

In March a ski helicopter pilot reported that winter storms had toppled the Slate Peak lookout tower just north of Harts Pass.

Harts Pass Road was also damaged and there was widespread concern that it would not open in time for southbound thru hikers to start from the Canada border as early as June 15th. A few of those hikers (like Jun 15 starter Conrad K.) had to use the Robinson Creek Trail alternate route to reach the PCT at Castle Pass. That route also helped avoid snow on the way to the border.

On June 21st Harts Pass Road repairs were complete and a very smooth new road was opened. The Lion’s Den took their first load of hikers to Harts Pass on June 23rd.

Winter storms destroyed Stehekin's water treatment plant when Purple Creek flooded. That impacted many of the services hikers rely on as Stehekin is a key rest and resupply stop. The North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin announced on May 7th that it would not open to the public for any level of service in 2026.

The popular alternate route over Cloudy Pass to to Holden was also impacted; Railroad Creek Road to Lucerne suffered 11 washouts and Holden Village was closed to visitors. (In August this route was officially closed due to fire for a time). Repairs did not begin in 2026 and the road is planed to be closed for all of 2027.

Trail Conditions

Note: Washington State has five PCT sections H - L, with L being the northernmost.

June 20th, 2026 Jeremy B. posted the first trail report from Section L, still mostly snow covered and with many blowdowns between the border and Castle Pass, and still more around Holman Pass.

He also confirmed the steep trail washout (mm 2603.5) south of Methow Pass, first reported June 14th. This was not repaired in 2026 and is likely to be worse by the spring of 2027.

Jeremy gave us the first report from Section K on July 1st. Eric Lee also posted a great trail report of Section K on July 15th. Both reported hundreds and hundreds of blowdowns.

A rockslide across the trail (mm 2462.7), south of Stevens Pass and just north of Josephine Lake, was reported early in the season. This was not repaired in 2026.

Miraculously, only one trail bridge was damaged in the 2025/2026 winter storms. A large well-built bridge near the inlet to Waptus Lake (mm 2431) was torn from one of its footings in a winter flood. This bridge was not repaired in 2026. At the opposite end of the lake, the bridges to a popular access trail had already washed out at both Waptus River and Spinola Creek.

No new bridges were built in 2026. Information on the most difficult creek crossings can be found here.

Blowdowns

We received multiple confirmations that not only was Section K still littered with blow-downs from previous years, but a high blow-down winter had impacted many sections of trail, even those cleared last year. Over the season crews made significant progress clearing the trail.

local_fire_department Fire

The 2026 fire season began on July 14th when an afternoon lightning storm sparked multiple fires. Those included the Luna fire in North Cascades National Park west of Ross Lake, the Border 2 fire which would grow to engulf the Hozomeen ranger station and Canada border monument 72. The Three Queens fire which would grow to close the south end of Section J, and the Little Giant fire, which would spread eastward all the way to Lake Chelan and grow to more than 300 square miles. Two days later on July 17th the Ptarmigan fire was discovered 4.2 miles east of Hopkins Pass. This fire would later cause all of Section L to close.

Section H

On July 22nd the Skyo fire started less than 3 miles SW of Packwood. On August 5th Packwood was again threatened by the Backbone fire on the west side of the Ohanapecosh River near where highway 12 intersects with highway 123. Both fires were aggressively and successfully contained without impact to hiking logistics.

Section J

When a fire gets big enough, its given its own dedicated firefighting team and the USFS creates a Facebook page dedicated to that one fire. The Three Queens fire got its own page on July 25th ten days after it was detected. At that point it was a small fire on a peak between Hibox Lake and the north tip of Kachess Lake but close to homes and parks. The only impact to the PCT was the closure of a rarely used access trail along Mineral Creek to Park Lakes. On Aug 7th high winds began spreading the Three Queens fire eastward (away from the PCT). Homes on Lake Kachess were evacuated the following day. The fire had jumped to the east side of the lake by the 9th.

On Aug 9th the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF issued a widespread closure of all trails east of the PCT. The PCT itself was the border of the closure area from Ridge Lake to Lemah Creek. This seemed like an unnecessarily broad order since the fire had not moved toward the PCT at all. The PCTA posted this closure as an alert on their closure page. Many people perceived that alert as a closure of the PCT and caused confusion and misinformation on social media (another reason to simply link to the source and not offer commentary on it).

But that section was, in fact, closed on Aug 8th by the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie NF. The south end of the closure was at Ridge Lake so northbound hikers simply exited the trail at Snoqualmie Pass. The PCTA posted a detour using Snow Lake and the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. They also posted a planned closure of Snow Lake Trail from Sep 14 to Sep 25th. This was a very cool classic detour when the north end of the closure was at Lemah Creek, allowing hikers to follow the original PCT route over Dutch-Miller Gap for one week. But the closure was extended further north on Aug 12th ending that optional route. (Excellent photos from Kyle Jeffrey posted on 8/13.)

The worst case scenario occurred on August 19th when fire broke out directly on the PCT. The King fire re-burned an area left by the 2009 Lemah fire. It spanned from the shore of Spectacle Lake NE past Pete Lake and up near Escondido Ridge.

The fate of Delate Creek Bridge is still unknown (mm 2414.4). If the fire left it impassible, then crossing the creek will be a significant challenge for 2027 hikers. The 8/31 fire update said that "the southern bridge sustained some damage." Delate is the southernmost bridge in the burn zone.

The Goat fire was detected on August 22nd. It closed the main road used to access the middle of Section J at Cathedral Pass or Deception Pass near Hyas Lake. So all of Section J was effectively closed to thru hikers. Fortunately that road reopened September 18th when the closure area was reduced, now between Ridge Lake and Deep Lake. So, thru hikers exiting at Snoqualmie Pass could again reconnect with Section J in its middle, if they could manage transportation.

Section K

Fire first impacted Section K mid August when the Miners and Sisi fires both started on the 14th. The Miners fire was detected on the north slope above the Suiattle Bridge, and the Sisi fire south of the Stehekin River and east of Agnes Gorge, not far from the High Bridge Ranger Station. The next day the PCT was closed from Mica Lake to Suiattle Pass and a week later from Suiattle Pass to High Bridge. Either of these closures effectively closed Section K north of the Sauk River, the only viable exit from the PCT.

While the PCT segment from High Bridge to State Route 20 was technically open, hikers could not get to High Bridge because the upper third of the Stehekin Valley Road was closed. Hikers seeking routes between Stehekin and SR20 used Rainbow Lake or McAlester Lake - both beautiful alternates. On Aug 24 the Stehekin Bus (operated by Stehekin Valley Adventures) went to a reservation system due to the lack of riders.

Section L

The Ptarmigan fire started when lightning struck the west slope of Ptarmigan Ridge above the Pasayten River less than a mile from the Pacific Northwest Trail. A flight spotted it on July 17th.

Section L of the PCT, the PNT, and Harts Pass Road were all closed on July 24th. Harts Pass Road had only been open for four days. Section L was closed north of Methow Pass on July 30th. Because the nearest exit was far south of there, Section L was effectively entirely closed for thru hiking. The closure area was enormous, spanning west to Ross Lake and east to Billy Goat.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Service gave the Ptarmigan fire its own FB Page on July 26th. The fire threatened the Pasayten Airstrip cabin and the Monument 83 lookout tower which were wrapped in foil and a perimeter cleared. By the 29th the fire had engulfed the Pasayten river valley from peak to peak and had crossed into Canada. The fire continued to spread mostly north and south along the river valleys. The 2022 Kidd and Park fire scars created a barrier that kept the 2026 fire from moving west toward the PCT.

Any closure of the PCT is unfortunate but a closure that prevents hikers from reaching the Northern Terminus is especially heartbreaking. Ian Irwin and five fellow hikers decided not to let the closure end their five-month hike on a sour note. So they built a make-shift northern terminus monument at Rainy Pass. A friend brought tools and lumber. Together, they built a hand-lettered monument that mimics the style of the actual monument. Written in Sharpie marker “Established by 2026 NOBOs on 7/29.”

On August 20th Section L was opened from Rainy Pass to Harts Pass and the Harts Pass Road was opened making Harts Pass the new PCT terminus. The makeshift monument was moved briefly to Harts Pass then to the Lion's Den in Mazama where it resides.

From Harts Pass thru hikers were shuttling or hiking east to Billy Goat Trailhead to continue north to Monument 90, just as they did on 2022, the last time Section L was closed.

Hiker prayers were answered on September 9th when Section L was opened completely by the Oka-Wen Forest Supervisor. All the connecting side trails remained closed north of Holman Pass (except for Devils Ridge #752 west of the PCT). But hikers were allowed to touch Monument 78 and the real northern terminus monument, then return on the PCT only.

In late September the fire moved up Rock Creek and the West Fork Pasayten River threatening to reach the PCT at Woody Pass. Hikers near Holman pass reported seeing fire from the trail. Rains came and prevented the fire reaching the trail.

Continuous footpath

For some hikers "continuous foot path" means walk all of the PCT trail eventually even if it means returning next year to hike the closed areas. For others it means walk all the way to anywhere in Canada in one hiking season. After portions of the trail were closed that last group set their sights on Monument 47 west of Mt Baker, while the rest skipped ahead to open portions of the PCT and then to Monument 90 to the east, just like in 2022 when access to Monument 78 was closed.

Weather

Daily low temps typically occur between 6AM and 8AM. The days high can occur as early as 2PM or as late as 4PM (My siesta time when its over 70F). Exceptions to those rules are rare.

The fall typically has multiple false starts to winter where some snow will accumulate but will melt completely away within a day or two. As I write this, I cannot confirm that continuous accumulation of snow has yet begun anywhere on the trail.

In 2026 the best window for avoiding freezing temperatures was June 12 - September 24th. But even then, there were many nights below 35F.

The comments below about weather focus mostly on the northern half of the PCT in Washington between 6,000 and 6,500 ft.

July

July had big daily changes in temperature. For example, it was 35F and drizzling on the morning of July 5th. The next day the high was 68. It was 37F the morning of July 12th. Two days later the high was 71F (the first day over 70F in 2026). It was 38F the morning of July 29th. Two days later the high was 70F.

The hottest day on the trail in 2026 was July 22nd at 4:00 PM when it reached 74F at Harts Pass. (The highest temperature ever recorded at Harts Pass is 85F on June 29th 2021.)

August

August started with two cold nights then was a beautiful month for hiking. The last T-shirt day of hiking was Aug 26th. Then temperatures dropped faster than usual. It dipped below 40F for the first time on August 28th. The 29th and 30th were oddly cold days that got down to 34F and never got above 43F. The following two days (8/31 & 9/1) enjoyed a high of 60F.

September

September weather in the Washington Cascades can be anything from summery to life-threatening. Temperatures crept down again and hit freezing at 6,000 ft for the first time at 7:00AM Sept 3rd, and again on the 4th leaving thick morning frost. Temperatures stayed between 35F and 47F until Sept 6th when daytime temperatures were again in the 50's, which is more normal. Night time dips to 35F are also typical, as on Sept 11th.

Sep 13th had an unusual heavy snowstorm in a few very localized spots above 6,500 feet where it remained below freezing even as Pacific moisture brought up to an inch of rain to lower elevations. The lowest temperature aligned with peak precipitation at about 8:00 AM Sunday. Rain that Sunday and Monday helped suppress wildfires.

The morning of Sep 26 it was 27F with more snow flurries at higher altitudes. Snow fell and stayed only around Old Snowy Mountain in the Goat Rocks Wilderness (7,000 ft). The rest of the PCT was still clear of snow deeper than 1". This snow also melted in a day or two.

October

Larch Madness around Rainy Pass began on October 1st and continued through October. Huge crowds packed the trail from Rainy Lake to beyond Cutthroat Pass. Cars filled both parking lots and lined the highway for miles. This makes for easy hitchhiking for thru hikers who'd already touched the border.

The first week of October had beautiful fall weather. Cold nights, and a few light flurries of snow but nothing too much for summer footwear.

At 4:00 PM on October 9th the temperature at Harts Pass fell to freezing and continued to drop down to 23F that night. Four freezing nights in a row brought the first significant accumulation of Snow above ~6,500 ft in Section L. Warmer temperatures melted the snow within 48 hours.

Storms on October 11th brought the first accumulation of snow to Harts Pass itself. The snow again melted in a day or two.

October 2026 has been the driest October in 130 years. As of Oct 24, the entire trail is snow free. Daily low temperatures at Harts Pass are in the low 20's (F).

Other Events

FKT

2026 saw new Fastest Known Times. On July 16th Nick Fowler quietly crossed the Columbia River having hiked Washington in 8 days and 11 hours and continued southbound to set a new self-supported record for the entire PCT. This took the Washington record from his good friend Jonathan Thomas, founder of custom UL pack maker exoticpax

Somewhere in Section H Nick would have crossed paths with French ultrarunner Aurélien Sanchez who crossed the Columbia northbound on July 14th. He crossed Washington in about the same amount of time as Nick and set a new supported record for the entire PCT.

Adrian Adler's 2024 unsupported record of less than 11 days was unchallenged, as was Heather Anderson's unsupported women's record just 7 hours behind Adrian.

More details here.

BOG turns 100 years old

2026 was the 100th birthday of the Bridge of the Gods. The city of Cascade Locks celebrated the event on September 19th at Cascade Locks Marine Park. The same venue as PCT Days.

Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area turns 50

The ALWA is in the south half of Section J and offers top-shelf hiking less than an hour from Seattle. July 12th was the 50th anniversary of it's special legal protection.

Packwood Glacier

The highest point on the PCT in WA used to force hikers to traverse a glacier or hike an additional 400 feet up and over the crown of the valley on the W/NW slope of Old Snowy Mountain. That has not been a true glacier for may years. But the snow patch that it is today still has never completely melted before the fall snow comes (mm 2279.6).

In 2026 it came very close. 2027 might be the first year the hikers can gaze on the rocks beneath that ice.

New PCTA Regional Manager

In 2026 the PCTA introduced a new North Cascades Regional Manager, Sam Webster. He gave us an early spring webcast to preview trail conditions, confirming conditions we'd largely already discovered.

New NCNP Superintendent

Jason J. Taylor officially became the new superintendent of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex in September 2026.

USFS Roadless Rule

A hot topic for hikers in 2026 was the US Department of Agricultures continuous threats to repeal the Roadless Rule which will open up millions of acres of national forest to road construction, at taxpayers expense, for the extraction of timber and minerals by for-profit corporations. To date that has not occurred. Here is a map of the area that would be impacted. Public comment on the proposal (regulations.gov) closed on October 6th.

Bonus weekend at Guye Cabin

9/25-9/27 the Washington Alpine Club opened Guye Cabin an extra weekend (Elden Altizer)

Rescue

SAR rescue of a PCT thru hiker on Old Snowy Friday 9/25 at 7,000 ft.

Full Moon

September 26 was a cold clear night (27F at Harts Pass) that offered great views of the full moon.

Meteor Showers

Good meteor activity and clear skies the entire week of October 12th. A very large meteor was seen at exactly 7:00 PM 10/14.

Class of 2027 hosted by Tyler "Mac" Fox!

You know him from the annual PCT survey results on Halfway Anywhere. He's been kind enough to host the Class of 2027 Facebook group

50 more patches

In 2026 fifty more embroidered patches/tags were distributed, at cost, to members of PCT Washington. Now there are 90 of these out there somewhere. In the future I think I will reserve these for people who post excellent trip reports and people I meet on the PCT.

Other

• The Lion's Den typically closes for the season after the second weekend of October. In 2026 trail goddess Mary kept it open for late season northbounders.

• 2027 PCTA long distance hiking permit registration opened on October 15th.

• Oct 31st check to see if any new closure orders are issued. Typically fires are out by then.

Fall 2025

In the fall of 2025, in Section L, the first snow on late season hikers occurred October 12th when it snowed 8” in one day then stopped. That snow was almost melted away by Oct 18th when the real winter snowfall began and continued in earnest. Other sections also had a "false start" to winter snow. for Lyman Lake (Suiattle Pass) that was also on Oct 12th. For Stevens Pass it was Oct 26th.