[Sito]

Hi there, I could do with some suggestions for an overnight backpacking trip. I have actually never done this before, so want to take it easy. A friend of mine and I want to do an overnight trip the last weekend of September. Hike up some mountain on the Saturday, spend some hours up there, cooking some dinner, sleep there and hike back down on the Sunday. This would be my ideal scenario, please let me know if such a place exists: - ideally not further than 2-3 hours from Seattle or Tacoma - campsite with basic facilities (firepit, bivy, bear safe) - 6-8 miles hike to get there - ideally not below freezing at night in late September Please let me know if you know about a campsite/trail that (roughly) fits this criteria. Many thanks Lars

[Sito]

Am I posting this in the wrong forum or is what I am looking for so ridiculous that you all just shake your head in silence and click onto the next post?

[Conrad]

1. Firepit: I never see fire pits in the backcountry. The most I see is fire rings, which is just a circle of rocks around a flat piece of dirt. Maybe they have fire pits in National Parks, where I never go. 2. "Bivy": Do you mean "privy", i.e. toilet? 3. "Bear safe": Do you mean a safe, i.e. vault, to store food in? These are very rare. Most bear-infested areas require you to bring your own bear canister. Maybe some National Park backcountry sites have bear safes. 4. Not freezing: In late September any place "up a mountain" is likely to freeze at night.

[Canuck]

The request is very broad. Packwood Lake is easy, but probably on the outskirts of your drive limits. Anywhere at Mt. Rainier. The camping areas aren't stellar but they have bear wire. You could drive in the backdoor route & camp at Lake Eleanor, drop the packs, and wander up to Grand Park. Crystal Lakes, just outside Rainier NP. Greenwater/Echo Lake area. Snow/Gem Lake Lots of places within your criteria although probably not many have bear wire except Rainier. You'll want to check with local rangers about the ability to have a fire. I know at a certain elevation fires are not allowed (4,000 ft? 5,000?) but it has been so dry lately, they might be banned altogether.

[gb]

Fires are a no no above 3500' in parks in Washington and I really wish people would stop thinking they need a fire. Fire pits trash otherwise nice areas. Some locations have toilets, the Forest Service (for Wilderness areas - must know which ranger district) and the Park Service can help you there. Bear proof cabinets or cables are pretty much non-existent in most places in Washington, although I recently saw cables in the Dosewallips. I am sure such devices can't be found in virtually any Forest Service managed lands. Food hanging from trees has always worked in Washington for me as the bears are generally not as savvy as those in Califronia at this time. There may be some exceptions to this in the Olympics as Bear Safe food containers are required for some locales in the Olympics. So...you can always purchase one of these containers at local outdoor retailers. Try Lake Ann in the North Cascades National Park and scramble Lake Ann Butte (trivial). It will likely get cold at night though.

[Sito]

Thanks for the suggestions and sorry for the confusion, as you can tell I am a total newbie to this! - yes, I meant a fire-ring, somewhere where you can have a fire without burning the whole forest down, just as on most campgrounds I have been to in the PNW - Yes, I meant a toilet, sorry, language confusion - yes, some method to store your food to keep it away form bears, I was just at Newhalem camground where they had these 'safes' (I think it said bear safe on them, probably the brand).

[Canuck]

[Kim Brown]

No bear safes in the backcountry in Washington as far as I know.... Try a bear cannister instead, if you're not comfy with your food-bag hanging skills (most folks don't do it quite right [including me; I guess I've been lucky]). So back to your question. Late September would be a good time to head to Mt Rainier NP! Call and find out if you can reserve in advance for that time of year (MRNP is the only park that takes advance reservations, but I don't know if that's just during peak season). I always enjoy the Panhandle Gap hike in late fall. It's not a difficult hike, but it does get dark earlier in late Sept; you may not have time to head up & over the gap after you arrive at camp - if not, then head up there before heading down the next day. It's just a short distance from the campsites there. I'm not too hip on National Park destinations, so there might be other places that might be better. Late Sept is also good time to do other backpacking destinations that no one in their right mind would do in summer - the I-90 corridor - Lake Melakwa, Rainbow Lake, Pratt, Tuschohatchie... Melakwa might still be a heavy destination for backpacking in late Sept though; not sure. Mountain summit camping - you won't (or shouldn't) find fire rings or toilets on a summit, but at a logical place below a summit (like lakes!) After one trip, you'll be expert, and then you'd want to start paying attention to trip reports for larch season! [edit, not sure about toilets at the lakes, or fire-rings; I've never had that on my list of campsite needs, so I reserve the right to be not very helpful with your criteria. A fire on a cold late September evening isn't a bad idea at all!]

[hikerdan3369]

You might try Monte Cristo/Poodle Dog Pass/Silver Lake. Easy hike in to Monte Cristo. Actual firepits, picnic tables and outhouse there. Day hike up or further in from there, a couple of nice tent spots up at Silver Lake (but no fires up there). Only bear vaults I've seen around here is on the Chelan Lakeshore Trail. Bring paracord for bear hang or get a cannister. Bring deet and a warmer sleeping bag than you think you'll need. Enjoy!

[Sito]

Thanks for all the suggestions, now I just need a quite evening to investigate them all! I wasn't sure about the fire/bear safe etc...it would be nice to have, but if there is no such place I am sure we'll work around it

[Kim Brown]

That Monte Cristo idea is a great one - easy road-walk to get to the camps, then from the campsites you can do Silver Lake, or Glacier Basin. Very nice! Check wta.org for directions & details for Monte & Glacier Basin.