"I would probably recommend this trip to a friend."
One problem with snowshoe backpacking is that it's sometimes hard to get away from snowmobile trails. Oregon highway 126/20 between Sisters and Sweet Home crosses Santiam Pass and directly to the north is the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness with no snowmobile traffic. The south side has TONS of snowmobiles however. Dan and I have done 3 or 4 snowshoe or XC ski trips into this area. During one 4 day trip we built a large wonderful snow cave. Everyone should do this sometime!
We took off mid-morning carrying the usual extra heavy winter packs wearing MSR snowshoes. These are great shoes, the only complaint I have is that they're more noisy than some. But they cost less, they're tough, and you can practically climb walls in them.
There was high overcast and as we got higher we could see a possible storm headed in from the southwest. There are trail markers around, but they can be buried in deep snows, as can the blazes on trees. So the idea is to just walk uphill toward Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Jefferson until you find a nice place to camp.
We set up camp on the lee side of a knoll and had a snack and some hot coffee. Then we put on day packs (great relief!) and headed up higher just to do some wandering and exploring. There was no one else around. You can hear the road from up here, but if you go far enough it's quite distant.
As we headed back to camp in the late afternoon we could see that the storm was definitely going to hit. We were hoping for snow and not rain. Southwest storms can bring tropical-fed warm air and if it's not sufficiently chilly there can be a miserable cold rain up high.
Soon after we went to bed the storm hit. The winds were not harsh but carried some nice gusts. And it was snowing, not raining. I lay there and read for quite a long time enjoying the night then drifted off to a deep sleep.
We awoke to several inches of moderate powder. The evergreens were beautifully decorated and it was still snowing. After a hot breakfast and a mug of strong strong coffee we headed out through this wonderland.
There are photos of this trip and many others on Mike's web site, linked on the Cool Trails Bearings page.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions.