Posted: 2026 July 1st Trail status report
Posted: 2026 July 5th Trail status report
Posted: 2026 July 10th Trail status report
Next post: 20206 July 15th Trail status report
I maintain these reports until there is no need for PCT backpackers to take snow equipment (spikes & axe) on any part of the PCT in Washington.
About the trail report
Producing a weekly trail report in 2026 has been a challenge. My main resource, satellite images, has been unreliable due to cloud cover. So I've had to rely on other sources such as posts from NPS and NFS and trip reports from early hikers wherever I can find them; WTA, FarOut, Facebook, AllTrails, etc.
In past years I've wasted time detailing every snowfield. Really, all anyone cares about is knowing when and where snow equipment is needed so they can bring it or get rid of it. So all I really need to do is cover the first major sloped snowfield you will encounter from any trailhead in any direction. Later in the season I'll detail every inch of the trail.
Also, this year I'm only going to cover trail damage, snow, and fire. All trail access information will be on separate pages so I only have to update it in one place.
Furthermore, the people most interested in early spring trail conditions are southbound PCT long distance hikers with permit-dictated start dates. So, if I have limited time, I will prioritize north to south.