West Fork Methow River, Golden Horn - Snowy Lakes & Cutthroat Pass via the Pacific Crest Trail — Monday, Aug. 8, 2005

North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth

Just returned from a trip up the PCT starting at Rainy pass and heading north to the first bridge across the West Fork of the Methow (16 miles north of Rainy Pass)The trail is in great shape the entire distance. Spent the first night at upper Snowy lake. Nice breeze kept the bugs to a minimum. Day hiked down the Methow the next day to inspect the bridge my son had helped construct the past two summers with the Forest Service trail crew.Returned south to our camp and retraced our route to Rainy the next day. Water is as scarce as I have ever seen it in this area. Carry an extra bottle and keep hydrated in the August heat ! Heading north from Rainy Pass you can get water at a small creek two miles below Cutthroat Pass. This is the last water north on the PCT until just before Snowy Lakes junction ( 8 miles without any good source )Continuing north over Methow pass your next water is 2 miles over the pass on the decent to the Methow. After that water was not as big an issue.