Hey everybody,
I have no experience at all in crossing snowy passes, and I have a trip planned for July 8-11 for the Rae Lakes Loop. I have heard speculation that there will be quite a bit of snow up in Glen Pass still. At first, I was pretty excited at the prospect of crossing a snowy pass, but a couple of guys I invited were really concerned about it... to the point they have been getting me worried. Would I be OK with YakTrax or Kahtoola micro's and trekking poles? Frankly, I would not even know what to do with an ice axe, so there is little point in me getting one.
I know there is no way to tell what the conditions are going to be a month from now, but I am wondering what I should be looking for for a go or no-go indicator.

Thanks!
Rob V.

Glen Pass is a somewhat narrow walk. Once you attain the pass you walk along the pass for a 100 feet or so. Dropoffs are on each side. I would say that there is a ton of snow on the pass this year. Dunno if you can change your dates but if you can I would......Ice ax would be quite helpful. Keep in mind that many PCT'ers have probably headed over the pass already and there should be boot tracks to follow. Just be careful and go slow

Not to add fuel to your fire, Rob, but a potentially bigger concern is water level.

All that snow is gonna be melting for a while, I would think....

@Ken
Thanks for the info, I have done the loop once before when it was bone dry, so I have SOME idea of what to expect. I was indeed hoping that the PCTers would have tamped down a route by that date. Eugene said something about being north of there a bit the previous weekend, I will have to bug him for a conditions report.

@David
haha, thanks. Just what I needed. But seriously, I cant for the life of me remember having to do a water crossing that wasn't bridged. Two that I remember on Woods Creek, and a mess of them down at the bottom of Bubbs Creek. I might be forgetting though, it wouldn't be the first time. Course, I am assuming the bridges will hold up.


I think, as it stands, I will continue to plan to go and keep an eye on things. Worst case scenario is to turn around at the Raes and make it an out and back.

Either way it will be a pretty hike. If the snow is bad on Glen, then you would have a few days to explore 60 Lakes Basin, and the surrounding area...sounds fun to me!

I've been up there when you couldn't pass, I think it was Upper Paradise Valley, where there is a log crossing the creek, and the water was over the log, and unpassable due to so much snow melt/run off. I think that was a normal snow year, and it was late June if I recall.