PCT at Mt Ashland

This 10 mile segment of The PCT from Mt Ashland to Interstate 5 can be broken into even smaller hikes as it touches the Mt Ashland Ski road in a number of places.

Driving

– It’s a 45 minute drive to the top of Mount Ashland and the beginning of this section hike of the PCT.  Get on Interstate 5 any way you can and head towards California.  Take the Mount Ashland exit and follow the signs.  You will take a right turn soon after you exit the Interstate on the Mount Ashland Ski Road.

But first, bring a second shuttle car.  Maybe I buried the lead here, but my recommendation for any 10 mile one-way trail… bring a shuttle car. Hike this trail with a buddy and have them drive separately and park their car at the big pull-out to the left.  At the base of the Mount Ashland Ski Road.

That road winds all the way to the top of Mount Ashland and the ski area. Continue for a few hundred yards past the ski lodge area and there, at the second parking lot, you will reach a yellow gate (open in summer – closed in winter) where you will park and begin your hike.

You can drive all the way on the fire road to the trail head in the summer if you want but… logging trucks.

Parking

– There is an infinite amount of free parking!  Depends on the season as to how close you can get to the trail. And, depends on your car. You can drive down the dirt fire road right to the trail head, but, I prefer parking on the asphalt and walking to the trail head. Less chance of a logging truck trading paint with my Subaru.

The Adventure

-It’s a couple hundred yards down the fire road from your car to the trail head. There is a fork in the road – right is up to Grouse Gap, and left is down to our trail head. So… go left.  And it’s the Mother Freakin’ PCT so don’t look for formality and trail signs and a doggie poop sack dispenser. Look for the PCT trail stamps and begin hiking! Downhill and to your left.

At the 2 mile mark, you cross the road you drove up on. Just above the Bull Gap snow park pull out. Then you’ll quickly cross the Bull Gap fire road. Now a couple miles until you cross in front of the old B & B which has a trailside picnic table and chickens (to look at, not to eat).

The last 5-6 miles has some great views and crosses a number of private driveways and access roads.  The trail ends at the Old 99 road parallel to the I-5.  It’s definitely anti-climactic, but, many PCT through hikers get off here and head down to Ashland for a yurt hook-up like Reese Witherspoon had in the movie “Wild”.

For those of you who aren’t Reese Witherspoon, turn right and walk 100 yards up the Old 99 to your shuttle car.