Thought I had it figured out, but...

My partner and I have been planning on hiking Spectacle Lake on Memorial Day weekend for months, but a recent review of Pete Lake, which is where we would start from, makes me worry there will be too much snow. I know we can handle some snow, but don't want to add any time getting to the trailhead or need any extra equipment like snowshoes (we do have microspikes).

We are fairly new to the PNW and brand new to backpacking, so figuring out which trails are accessible and don't require hard-to-get permits feels a little overwhelming at the moment. Buy I REALLY want to take advantage of my 3-day weekend and wake up somewhere magical!

For those who have more experience in the area, would Spectacle Lake be doable? If not, what other hikes would you recommend that are in the 20 mile or under range? We're based out of Portland and are willing to drive 3-4 hours, maybe even a little longer for the right hike.

in PNWhikingby lindseylove9

58%

14d

Sensitive_Scar_1800

14d

Using WTA as a reference, the earliest trip reports are around early to mid June. May is super early for cascade hikes, snow is going to be an issue and if you are not 110% comfortable navigation in those conditions then you shouldn’t go.

lindseylove9

13d

I had actually seen some reviews from May that made me think it was doable, but I'm just still learning how to navigate all the different sites/reviews and elevation maps. Will pick a different one for this weekend though. Thanks!

SeattlePurikura

14d

In general, above 5,000 feet will not be accessible until after the 4th of July in the Cascades. Aim for a beach backpack like Olympics instead, such as Oil City / Rialto) Shi Shi instead. Maybe Baker Lake too.

lindseylove9

13d

Thanks for the suggestions - will look into those.

pbconspiracy

14d

Spectacle lake is my favorite lake. Do yourself a favor and plan it for July/August. Find something at lower elevation for this month. You'll be glad you did.

lindseylove9

13d

Will definitely plan it for July or August - I was really excited about it!

tyler_muskie

14d

Spectacle lake would for sure be under some snow still, you would have to be ready to snow camp unless you hike back down. Creek crossings run high and fast this time of year due to melting snowpack so either way you should be prepared for wet feet. That being said snow camping in the spring here is great because many people aren’t out yet and the weather is more favorable

As for trails, searching through WTA I found this report for Thompson Lake. https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2024-05-17.102826135001 which seems to be similar stats in the same area. Looks like there are a few dried out campsites too. Get there early!

lindseylove9

13d

Looks like a good contender - thank you!

BillRevolutionary101

14d

If you’re overwhelmed, I would start by doing trips that don’t require permits and that you can decide to go to on a whim after seeing a trip report on WTA that reports ideal conditions. There are endless gorgeous places you don’t need to get permits to visit. It takes a while to get to know the region because of its diversity, and every year the seasons are different so snowpack, wildflower or larch seasons will vary every year. I would say I only go on about 50% of the backpacking trips I plan in advance (more than a week or two ahead of time) due to conditions. You simply cannot predict when the prime time to go somewhere is going to be. And sometimes I plan a trip, and even if the conditions are fine in the planned location, the conditions turn out to be even better somewhere else so I still don’t go where planned. WTA is going to be your best friend.

lindseylove9

13d

Yeah, it's finding them that is feeling overwhelming. There are SO MANY trails, but then every time I click on one, it's either covered in snow, has no reviews for 9 months, or requires permits. And some of them are hard to tell if they do require permits.

I know it will get easier to know where to look depending on the season, but it's a lot to learn right now lol. I've been relying mostly on alltrails, but I guess it's time to get more familiar with WTA, too, which just adds to the confusion because I'm seeing conflicting information on some trails.

goddamnpancakes

13d

basically the only annoying permit hikes are

1) volcano summits or

2) national parks or

3) enchantments/north st helens overnight (but not Loowit Trail for some reason)

pretty much everything else is free for all outside of built infrastructure (fire lookouts, cabins, campgrounds)

all other permits are general unlimited area use and apply mostly to parking your car. the entire state is covered by a combo of America The Beautiful + Discover Pass. $120 total/year for everything in the state and a significant amount across the country. i keep ATB in my wallet and Discover Pass in my car so I don't have to think about permits anywhere.

at some point you just have to take the risk and drive out yourself to see what's on the ground, especially early season. someone's gotta write that first spring trip report!

BillRevolutionary101

13d

In the app there is a tab called “Trip Reports” that displays recent trip reports for all trails chronologically. If you use this feature to find a destination rather than the search feature, it will make things much easier. This is what I was trying to say in my original comment but I don’t think I was clear enough!

lindseylove9

13d

Ahhh that's so helpful! Thank you!!

I_think_things

13d

No reviews for 9 months probably means it's inaccessible for someone of your ability level (right now), so you should wait until you've gotten confirmation someone else has successfully completed it recently.

donkeyrifle

14d

Go to early season recommendation that’s beginner friendly is Chelan Lakeshore or Enchanted Valley.

Having the right equipment for camping on snow is different than hiking on it. Like, you may have microspikes for your feet but, do you have a warm enough sleeping pad (r>5), know how to set up a tent on snow, have a shovel, etc…

Spring conditions are more challenging than winter conditions in some regards because even with snowshoes you can end up falling into tree holes/falling in snow bridges, etc….

It can also be incredibly rewarding if you’re well prepared.

turtlesinatrenchcoat

14d

Definitely too early season for spectacle lake. It’ll be under snow for another month at least

gr8ambye

14d

I would not do that route this early in the season if you’re brand new to backpacking

MayIServeYouWell

14d

If you can deal with a slightly longer drive, head to Hell’s canyon… really would be better with an extra day. Eastern Oregon in general is great on Memorial Day weekend. Even if you don’t go backpacking, just explore eastern Oregon. Go to cottonwood canyon, blue canyon, painted hills, smith rock, etc. this is exactly the time of year to do that.

Willing-Pizza4651

SW Washington

13d

If you're looking at options in Oregon (or SW WA) as well, check out orehonhikers.org. Not as many trip reports as WTA (look for links to forum posts at the bottom of each hike page), but good search function for hikes. You can also cross reference with alltrails and the Portland Hikers Facebook page for more reports. I would consider looking for something on the east side of the mountains as well as the other suggestions here. If you're not set on a big view (which is hard to come by this time of year), Salmon River or Lewis River trails are pretty close by, snow free and beginner friendly (albeit a little shorter). If you are willing to drive a bit further, Enchanted Valley is a good one, as someone else mentioned, and there is lots of space for tents, which is good since it's likely to be very busy on a holiday weekend. Make sure you're prepared for rain! Looks like Sat/Sun is likely to be rainy unless you go east. Maybe look near Bend? I'm not sure about what trails are around there, but weather looks much better.

Also, if you're brand new to backpacking, I would highly recommend a short trip where it is easy to bail if something goes wrong. At this point, you are still figuring out how your gear works, what you do and don't like, how far you can go with a heavy pack, etc. Good luck!

lindseylove9

13d

We did a short overnight last week at Old Salmon River to test our gear. We just wanted to do a 2-nighter to take advantage of the 3-day weekend. We were planning to drive to the trailhead Friday and car camp for an early start Saturday.

I would LOVE to do Enchanted Valley - in fact, that's the one I picked first but people kept saying it would be super rainy and miserable so we didn't get permits, which I'm kicking myself a little for now haha. Thanks for the suggestions!

Willing-Pizza4651

SW Washington

13d

Oh good, glad you had a test run already. I would definitely look what might be accessible east of the mountains for better weather.

gijenop720

13d

I wouldn't want to hike down into Spectacle Lake with any snow around. To get down by the lake, you need to go down a pretty steep rock wall. I went in early July, and it was fine.

lindseylove9

13d

Yeah, will be planning that one for a little later in the season. Thanks

Illustrious-Flow-441

14d

I don’t look at anything above 4500 feet until July. Some tears it’s mid July. Get a permit for a beach hike, enchanted valley, Hoh river. Expect company and horrific traffic.

Seascout2467

13d

Beach hike is a great idea, but please get a tide table for the area and (for Olympic Peninsula) Green Trails map #99S, which shows which headlands can be hiked through at low or medium tide. Many headlands are full of slippery algae covered rocks, and you’ll be lucky to do more than 1 mph through them.