Hiker Headlines: Cascade River Rd, PNT Maps, Ross Lake Levels, Noisy Jets and Hikers Turn Up for Trails

The Cascade River Road is open, but trails are still snowy. Ross Lake is expected to extremely low this year. The Pacific Northwest Trail Association has a shiny new map set for hikers. A group is suing to find out more about noisy jets over the Olympic peninsula. And we are so grateful for our amazing, generous community's support during GiveBIG this week. 

Here’s some hiker news that you may have missed while out on trail this week.

The road to the Cascades Pass trailhead is now open, but snowy conditions will linger on trails for awhile yet. Photo by Kt3eeO. 

Road opens, snow lingers: The Cascade River Road, which provides access to the Cascade Pass, Horseshoe Basin, and Sahale Arm trails, is now open all the way to its end at Cascade Pass Trailhead. The road had been closed for the winter. The road has opened two months earlier than usual and it’s important to note that there’s still plenty of snow and potential for avalanche in the backcountry. 

Stay found: The Pacific Northwest Trail Association has a new mapset available for those interested in hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail. These maps can help you stay found on the trail corridor, which is more challenging to follow than other national scenic trails. You can order a pre-printed mapset or a digital download.

Speaking of maps, did you know you can now find downloadable planning maps for some popular trails on wta.org? Check it out.

Beware low water: The water levels on Ross Lake are expected to be much lower than normal this summer. That means a few things for hikers and other recreationists

• All campsites that are accessed by boat will be closed to overnight use.
• The boat ramps at Hozomeen will be closed.
• Additionally, people need to stay off of the exposed lake bed, except in designated areas.
• On a limited basis, campsites will be open for permitted hikers on multi-day trips in Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

Keep it down up there: A group that is concerned about the impacts of noise from fighter jets flying over Olympic National Park is suing the U.S. Navy. The National Parks Conservation Association wants the Navy to provide more information about the plans for the Growler, a particularly loud aircraft. The Navy is still taking public comment on issue.

A BIG thank you! Thank you to all who supported trails during Give BIG! Together, we raised more than $141,000 to ensure that there are trails for everyone, forever.  

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