Best microspikes for August along the PCT in Washington State

Have you seen these:

https://www.litesmith.com/snowline-chainsen-trail-spikes/

Are you heading Northbound? Keep in mind that in August on the WA PCT, you may see no significant snow on the trail, depending on how good of a snow year we get. You’ll have a good idea by May. You can also keep an eye on snow condition reports at WTA.org website, or the PCTA.org website from PCT through-hikers who are southbound:

https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/trail-conditions-and-closures/

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/tripreport_search?title=&region=8a977ce4bf0528f4f833743e22acae5d&subregion=b1376aba679a6bf3d6402cf91f16a44e&searchabletext=&author=&startdate=&enddate=&month=all&hiketypes%3Alist=day-hike&hiketypes%3Alist=overnight&hiketypes%3Alist=multi-night-backpack&hiketypes%3Alist=snowshoe-xc-ski&format=list&filter=Search

One notable exception with consistent late season steep snow on the WA PCT is a short bit of trail just North of Old Snowy Mountain in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. That bit of the PCT can be bypassed easily by taking the well-used summit trail up to Old Snowy, then take a left on the PCT-North cutoff trail down the scenic N ridge from the summit to pick up the PCT again just past the steep snow.

My wife and I both use Chainsen Light microspikes… simply fantastic. Size Large weigh 9oz’s, little carrying case that comes with them, 1.4 oz’s. I think they’re the lightest, best, microspikes out there.

https://www.camp-usa.com/product/brands/snowline/chainsen-light/

I would recommend based on personal experience that microspikes are for crossing flattish patches and not steep slopes.

If you are crossing ice and snow on a slope where the chance of a slip risks a slide down a steep slope and serious injury you need both traction and self arrest (ice axe) not to mention training on how to self arrest. Of course if you are attempting the crossing in the morning you can manage the risk and mitigate slipping on ice by waiting for the ice to soften if not melt.

Bruce makes some good points about snow experience and axes. Here’s a good thread on the subject in detail:

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/3-season-footwear-in-snow/#post-3386171

Kahtoola is a standard – I’ve used those

https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/SierraSnowDepth/?lat=45.54&lon=-121.7 will give you current snow levels.  It gives the average over an area of about 1/2 mile square, so it can be misleading on a ridge where there can be a narrow area with snow that doesn’t show up