Basic Snowshoe - Hurricane Ridge

We'll meet at the Heart O' the Hills entrance station at 8:30am for introductions and a discussion of weather/avy conditions as well as the day's route.  When the gate opens (at approximately 9am), we'll drive to the trailhead near the Hurricane Ridge visitor center parking lot.  We'll drop off our gear and passengers, and then the drivers will drive down to the overnight parking lot approximately 2 miles downhill (back the way we came).  Drivers will park their cars in the overnight lot, and the trip leader will shuttle them back to the trailhead to join the other participants.  The trip leader will then drive back down to the overnight lot, park his car, and walk/hitch to the trailhead.  Yes, it's complicated!!!

We'll then get our extended weekend started.

Day 1: (3.5 miles, 450' gain) We'll snowshoe from the day-use-only Hurricane Ridge parking lot out along Obstruction Point Road, to "the Waterhole" (the area near the PJ Lake trailhead). We'll set up our base camp and explore the area as time/conditions allow.

Day 2: (5 miles, 1700' gain)We'll have an entire day to explore the area, trekking up towards Eagle Point.  We'll then return to our basecamp for our second night in the backcountry. (We'll have light packs on our day 2 excursion, since we won't be carrying tents or sleep systems.)

Day 3: (3.5 miles, 550' gain) After a second night of winter camping at our base camp, we'll pack up and return to the trailhead.

Route: https://caltopo.com/m/701M1

Weather forecasts:

• National Weather Service
• Mountain Forecast

NWAC forecast: https://nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/#/olympics

We'll trek at a moderate pace with brief stops for snacks/views. Participants should have an excellent fitness base, given the weight of winter camping gear as well as the trip's distance and elevation gain.

In your request for leader's permission, please detail your winter camping experience and summarize the winter-capable gear (shelter, sleep system, cooking system, clothing) that you will bring in order to stay safe.

As this is a winter overnight, participants must be prepared for varied weather conditions (sun, snow, wind, cold) and must bring winter-capable shelter and sleep system, cooking / water treatment systems, and clothing.

The trip will be cancelled with any of the following No Go's:

• 1" or more of rain per day
• Sustained winds > 25mph
• Single-digit temps

Bear canisters are required.  Blue bags are required, as all waste must be carried out.  Each participant should bring a shovel for digging a communal dining area and preparing a site for your tent.

Chains must be carried in all cars (even AWD/4WD).

Park entrance fee or America the Beautiful Pass is required.

Participants will be asked to reimburse trip leader for backcountry permit cost.

Heart O' the Hills entrance station:
https://goo.gl/maps/c1rqEZJ8QSBdDwnF9

Friday, March 14th at 8:30am