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Pacific Crest Trail: WA Section 4

SHEEP LAKE to WHITE PASS: Get high into the snowy contours of Goat Rocks Wilderness on this 22.2-mile leg. Bring an ice axe and lightweight crampons for the Packwood Glacier.

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Trail Facts

  • Distance: 35.8

Waypoints

PCT1463

Location: 46.453067779541, -121.431396484375

Head NE on Nannie Ridge Trail to Sheep Lake to reach the PCT; very nice camping, good swimming and views towards Mt. Adams.

PCT1464

Location: 46.4722328186035, -121.431137084961

Ridge offers beautiful views of the Goat Rocks and Klickton Divide. Continue N through one of the most scenic sections of the entire PCT.

PCT1465

Location: 46.4829483032227, -121.434364318848

Head NW from Cispus Pass; look for herds of mountain goats that often hang out below the pass to the SE in the Klickitat headwaters

PCT1466

Location: 46.4898834228516, -121.434753417969

Pass a spectacular camp near small clump of trees; enjoy the alpen glow on the mountain face that rises above campsite

PCT1467

Location: 46.4903831481934, -121.435066223145

Cispus River crossing.

PCT1468

Location: 46.4898986816406, -121.443168640137

Trail passes below a 20-ft. waterfall

PCT1469

Location: 46.4873657226562, -121.444129943848

Pass decent camps perched on this steep slope over the Cispus River

PCT1470

Location: 46.485782623291, -121.451164245605

Pass another camp

PCT1471

Location: 46.4875679016113, -121.459632873535

Stay R @ Bypass Trail jct.

PCT1472

Location: 46.4933319091797, -121.464050292969

Pass a camp

PCT1473

Location: 46.4950828552246, -121.46411895752

Pass spring

PCT1474

Location: 46.4986152648926, -121.464065551758

Stay straight @ Snowgrass Trail jct.; continue N

PCT1475

Location: 46.5115661621094, -121.464965820312

Yelverton Shelter site: No shelter exists here anymore. U-shaped stone walls make a good windbreak in this very exposed area. There are many tent sites above and below this spot. Enjoy spectacular views of peaks, grassy slopes and communities of dwarf hemlock, alpine fir, and less-than-foot-high junipers. Look for marmots in the rocks

PCT1476

Location: 46.5143508911133, -121.460716247559

Follow trail up Old Snowy Mtn.; snowslides and rockslides often destroy the trail. If conditions are sketchy, consider the PCT alternate route (it’s also the access trail for the Old Snowy Summit, a worthy goal). The alternate route travels above the regular trail. From the saddle, veer L on crumbly, narrow trail.

PCT1477

Location: 46.5181579589844, -121.455528259277

Begin ridge walk

PCT1478

Location: 46.5382995605469, -121.455017089844

Stay straight on ridge @ jct.

PCT1479

Location: 46.540283203125, -121.449150085449

Cross creek with great alpine campsites

PCT1480

Location: 46.5391159057617, -121.421600341797

Turn L and head N @ trail jct.

PCT1481

Location: 46.5438499450684, -121.418014526367

Pass Lutz Lake on L

PCT1482

Location: 46.5539169311523, -121.420120239258

Head NW from Tieton Pass

PCT1483

Location: 46.5754013061523, -121.398986816406

Veer L @ jct. with Hidden Spring Trail

PCT1484

Location: 46.5847320556641, -121.401168823242

Turn L @ Shoe Lake Trail jct.

PCT1485

Location: 46.59228515625, -121.400115966797

Stay high and veer L; continue N toward Hogback Mtn.

PCT1486

Location: 46.6063003540039, -121.402946472168

Goat Rocks Wilderness boundary

PCT1487

Location: 46.617733001709, -121.387252807617

Stay R @ jct. with Chair Lift Trail

PCT1488

Location: 46.6255836486816, -121.372932434082

Turn L @ jct. with trail that leads to Twin Peaks

PCT1489

Location: 46.6273002624512, -121.37491607666

Pass Ginnette Lake, a tree rimmed lake

PCT1490

Location: 46.6334648132324, -121.378067016602

Cross creek

PCT1491

Location: 46.6430015563965, -121.378852844238

Pass trailhead

PCT1492

Location: 46.6435012817383, -121.379364013672

US 12; cross to continue; or turn L, follow road to Kracker Barrel Grocery; not great resupply, staff is welcoming; find fried foods like burritos; indoor seating; laundry. Hotel to E of store has fairly decent prices; offers bunk beds, kitchen.

PCT1493

Location: 46.639331817627, -121.390296936035

White Pass @ US 12.

More PCT: Next Section | Previous Section

Split Rocks

Location: 46.5106391906738, -121.46558380127

©Jack Haskel

Packwood Glacier

Location: 46.5134925842285, -121.462478637695

One of two permanent glacier crossings in Goat Rocks, this shaded patch can be very icy. If so, consider going around, it’s not far if you head downhill to get around. The runout isn’t bad from a fall, but serious injury could result. The second patch later on is much more dangerous even though it’s only 10 feet across. ©Jack Haskel

Glacial striations

Location: 46.511402130127, -121.465713500977

©Jack Haskel

Cairn

Location: 46.5119590759277, -121.464981079102

Looking northwest past one of the area’s many large carins at Hawkeye Point and Goat Lake. ©Jack Haskel

Klickton Divide

Location: 46.4721298217773, -121.430877685547

©Jack Haskel

Cispus Pass

Location: 46.482982635498, -121.434532165527

©Jack Haskel

Campsite view

Location: 46.4902839660644, -121.43473815918

Vew up the river to the mountain above the camp. ©Jack Haskel

Valley and Peaks

Location: 46.4783897399902, -121.432861328125

A long-range view over the Goat Rocks. ©Jack Haskel

Clouds and valley

Location: 46.5275573730469, -121.452789306641

©Jack Haskel

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