This was a guided snowshoe walk into Commonwealth Basin via the PCT (ish). Because of the heavy snow we've had recently, we amended our route, crossing Commonwealth Creek and heading up a ridge along its west bank to access the basin. When snow levels are lower, and avalanche danger isn't Considerable, the tour heads up the east bank of the creek, staying on the PCT for a bit longer than we did today. The Forest Service carefully considers a variety of factors that determine which route is optimal for the day's conditions, hence our route today.
The snow was lovely, relatively light and fluffy, though when we got a chance to break trail it didn't seem so light -- going first is hard work. The clouds that had been dusting us with snow since the beginning of the day cleared as we got further in, and by the time we got to our lunch spot we had a teeny bit of blue sky. We enjoyed views of Red Mountain, Kendall Peak, and Lundin at lunch before turning around and heading back.
Our guide was very informative about the wildlife and the forest as we hiked through it. If you have the opportunity to join one of these guided hikes I highly recommend it.
