PCT Barlow Pass to Zigzag Canyon

I did this hike as a teenager before I had any snow skills or owned an ice axe. It was probably this trip that prompted me to purchase my first ice axe and learn how to use it. What was to be a one-way hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, was thwarted by spring snows that created an impasse that I believed was insurmountable. Looking back today, I would have easily found a route through. But at the time, it required re-tracing our steps, calling our ride (my dad) and telling him to pick us up back at our start point at Barlow Pass. This was prior to cell phones but there was a public phone at Timberline Lodge. It was a three-day trip but the area we covered was quite small. On the bright side, I spent a good amount of time in the Timberline Lodge area which is quite scenic. I was hiking with James, a friend from school. This was his first backpacking experience and my first experience hitting snow above tree line. The lesson learned was I never wanted to have to retreat again due to snow.

PCT Barlow Pass to Little Zigzag Canyon