One bad thing about hiking out West

[trailangelbronco]

My favorite trails don't open until mid July. I like hiking up and around alpine lakes and the snow doesn't melt until July, sometimes mid-late July. Even when it melts, if you go too early you are doing damage to trails that recently melted and are too muddy.

Thinking about cashing in a Southwest Voucher and flying east for a section hike next month.

[Shutterbug]

My favorite trails don't open until mid July. I like hiking up and around alpine lakes and the snow doesn't melt until July, sometimes mid-late July. Even when it melts, if you go too early you are doing damage to trails that recently melted and are too muddy.

Thinking about cashing in a Southwest Voucher and flying east for a section hike next month.

I know what you mean. The trails in the Cascade Mountains don't melt out until half the summer is over. My solution has been Arizona. I hike in southern Arizona all winter. The Grand Canyon is great this time of year. My wife and I were there two weeks ago and had a great hike eventhough we had to hike in the snow for the last 4 miles coming out of the canyon.

[kolokolo]

I know just what you mean. I traveled to Reno on business two years back in May, and tried to work in a day of hiking on the PCT near Donner Pass. When I got there to hike, there was 8" of snow still on the ground.

I didn't hike too far that day.

[fredmugs]

I'm on the PCT right now. I'll take sunny and outdoors over the long green tunnel anyday.

[Mags]

My favorite trails don't open until mid July. I like hiking up and around alpine lakes and the snow doesn't melt until July, sometimes mid-late July. Even when it melts, if you go too early you are doing damage to trails that recently melted and are too muddy.

Thinking about cashing in a Southwest Voucher and flying east for a section hike next month.

Skis.

'nuff said.

http://www.pmags.com/june-fun

[Dogwood]

I also hear you Trailangelbronco, but you had a possible no snow/little snow hiking solution stated right in your OP - Southwest - no not the airline but the general region. You can hike in the southwest and mid west right now! I try to do it every yr. Joshua Tree NP, Big Bend NP, Grand Canyon NP, Mojave Desert, NM trails just for starters! How about flying to Hawaii during the winter also? That's what I did. Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Waipio/Waimanu Valley(Mulliwi Trail), and Hawaii Volcanoes NP on the Big I, Kalalau Trail and Wiamea Canyon on Kauai, Haleakala NP,King's Trail, Waiapanapa Coastal Trail, Hana, etc on Maui, JUST FOR STARTERS. Lots of opps right in the U.S. but if you expand your mind beyond the states a WHOLE WORLD of hiking possibilities will emerge!@!!@

[trailangelbronco]

Gotta be close to where I live, Oregon, Idaho, Washington.

[Shutterbug]

Gotta be close to where I live, Oregon, Idaho, Washington.

The first trail I hike each spring it the Ozzette loop. It is open.

[BrianLe]

Yup, I went the same way as Shutterbug, just came back from a 5-day walk on the WA coast, ending up doing part of the Ozette loop at the end. Not the easiest of hiking, but snow free and beautiful.

It definitely is a problem though; I'd like to find a shakedown hike of decent length that I could do in May without having to drive (or fly) a long way to do so.

[Pringles]

My favorite trails don't open until mid July. I like hiking up and around alpine lakes and the snow doesn't melt until July, sometimes mid-late July. Even when it melts, if you go too early you are doing damage to trails that recently melted and are too muddy.

Thinking about cashing in a Southwest Voucher and flying east for a section hike next month.

Birds migrate north and south. Hikers migrate east and west.

Well, those following little white blazes don't, but some of us follow the cycle.

[Dogwood]

You live in Idaho and said you were thinking about heading east, I guess to the AT. Well, the southwest/midwest is closer than the east coast to where you live. Another suggestion is southern Utah at the lower elevations. Heck, at least 6 National Parks with OPEN TRAILS and OUTSTANDING snow free hiking in them right now in southern Utah and northern Arizona.

[BradMT]

My favorite trails don't open until mid July. I like hiking up and around alpine lakes and the snow doesn't melt until July, sometimes mid-late July. Even when it melts, if you go too early you are doing damage to trails that recently melted and are too muddy.

Thinking about cashing in a Southwest Voucher and flying east for a section hike next month.

Yup. Keeps out the riff-raff.

[sbhikes]

Plenty of hiking in Southern California. You wouldn't like it though. The trails are really hard. There are all these annoying native American cave paintings. You wouldn't like it. Stay away.

[Pedaling Fool]

Birds migrate north and south. Hikers migrate east and west.

Well, those following little white blazes don't, but some of us follow the cycle.

Your post made me think....how come I see Robins in the spring as they're heading north, but never see them in autum as they head south

[DapperD]

Plenty of hiking in Southern California. You wouldn't like it though. The trails are really hard. There are all these annoying native American cave paintings. You wouldn't like it. Stay away.

I think I am missing something here

[Fiddleback]

Birds migrate north and south. Hikers migrate east and west.

Speaking of which... In the past ten days here in the Missoula region, I saw or was told of three instances of Canada geese forming in V-formation. The group I saw was heading south. Meanwhile, of My Lady's three horses one is shedding in prep for putting on the winter coat.

Not only do our trails open late, they close a little early.

FB

[Shutterbug]

Speaking of which... In the past ten days here in the Missoula region, I saw or was told of three instances of Canada geese forming in V-formation. The group I saw was heading south. Meanwhile, of My Lady's three horses one is shedding in prep for putting on the winter coat.

Not only do our trails open late, they close a little early.

FB

I have not seen the geese headed south yet, but some of the trails I usually hike may not open at all this year. One of the trails I usually hike in June, the Pennicle Peak Trail in Mt. Rainier National Park, is still not open and may not open at all this year. It is one of my favorite places to photograph marmots. I wonder what the marmots are doing this year. They usually hybernate for 7 months, but their burrows are still under six feet of snow.

[hikerboy57]

Your post made me think....how come I see Robins in the spring as they're heading north, but never see them in autum as they head south

robins are flip-floppers

[Brewerbob]

You could hike Death Valley. I'm pretty sure teh snow is gone by July.

[neighbor dave]

" bad thing about hiking out west"= oxymoron