Backpacking in the Seasons

Firstly I wish you the best of luck on your backpacking adventure. Here I will give a list of considerations to make your experience fun depending on the season you choose to go backpacking in. 

Summer is the best time to go backpacking, especially for beginners, as it requires less gear and is significantly warmer climate, a good formula for fun!

Fall is a good season to go backpacking but be prepared to bring some more gear and to brace yourself for some rain or even snowfall.

Winter backpacking requires more experience, I would recommend at least two-four long summer/fall backpacking trips before going out into a winter backpacking trip. It requires a lot of gear, heavy wilderness experience to combat weather and terrain challenges, and is generally the most taxing on the body. EXPECT SNOW AND RAINFALL. 

Spring trips will be pretty cold still and require more gear and some experience. Be prepared for some snow and rainfall. 

Always check the weather, if there were recent natural disasters (fire, earthquake, avalanche, etc.) and call the ranger of the district or land managers the trails you are taking go through, before going on the trip to see what you should expect in terms of weather. No one likes unexpected surprises of these nature. 

Especially for the west coast, be sure to get a campfire, wilderness (if required), and recreational permit and you can avoid potential fines. Prices vary from free to low cost.

I found a very informative video that was really great for economical choices while still being comfortable in some pretty extreme cold weather.

Also if you're having a hard time finding a winter hard-shell jacket here's a list of tested jackets that is vey reliable. 

https://www.treelinereview.com/gearreviews/pct-gear-list