the PCT in winter

The PCT Is Wearing a Different Coat… Mt. Ashland

/ Curt Mekemson / 24 Comments
Snow covered trees along the PCT near Mt. Ashland.
I started my trek down the PCT at Mt. Ashland this past summer. A few days ago, I revisited the area. It looks a bit different.

Our son Tony, his wife Cammie and our grandkids are visiting from Florida and wanted to go skiing, so we took them up to Mt. Ashland, which is where I started my journey south on the Pacific Crest Trail this past summer. It was a gorgeous day with lots of fresh snow so I thought I would share some of the photos.

Tony, Cammie and the boys prepared to hit the slopes.
Oops. (The kids actually did a great job of skiing regardless of the occasional face plant.)
Wind driven snow had coated the trees the night before.
Creating some interesting snow sculptures. Is that Cupid snuggling up to Big Foot in the center?
Guess not.
Deep blue skies and crystal white snow made for some dramatic photos. It was quite clear which way the wind had been blowing.
Peggy and I had started our first segment of the PCT about a quarter mile down this road.
Looking up toward Mt. Ashland with its weather dome for spotting incoming storms from the Pacific. It has had a busy winter.
It was cold cold outside. These icicles were growing on the eves of the ski lodge.
A view from inside the lodge where it was much warmer! I thought that the icicles looked a bit sinister.
As we packed up to leave, I took a final photo of the family. Wait, what’s that poking out behind?
Mt. Shasta, of course. If you followed my journey down the PCT you will have seen numerous photos of this beauty as I backpacked around it heading south. It’s a good place to end this post.

NEXT POST: A wrap up on Burning Man’s mutant vehicles.