My friend and I attempted the White Pass-Pilot Ridge Loop earlier this week.
Bugs were terrible at the trailhead, but disappeared as soon as we started hiking. We crossed the river on an easy log at the Pilot Ridge junction, then headed up the switchbacks. The trail became around 50% snow covered about 200 feet below the pass, but navigation was not difficult. The snow disappeared upon cresting the ridge.
After reaching the first 5300' high point on the ridge, the trail becomes totally snow covered and disappears for around a quarter of a mile. However, if you stay on the ridge crest you will run into it again without too many difficulties.
The trail is mostly free of snow along Pilot ridge after that, until the final half mile below the high point beneath Johnson mountain. This portion is 100% snow covered, with some steep slopes. Microspikes and poles are highly recommended for this sections, and an ice axe would have been nice for peace of mind.
After the high point, the trail was around 30% snow covered to Blue Lake.
The Blue Lakes high route looked snow covered and dangerous, so we opted for the low route south to near June mountain. The trail was 100% snow covered from Blue lake onwards, and a lot of route finding was necessary while climbing out towards the pass near June mountain. Traversing towards Dishpan gap, the trail was around 70% snow covered. It was getting late, so we ended up camping in a snow-covered basin near the trail in this section.
The next day it was rainy and cloudy, so we decided to return the way we came instead of pushing on to White Pass. I imagine there would have been many steep snowfields to traverse if we had pushed on, and an ice axe would probably have been handy.
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