[joedotts]

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[spamfoote]

Day hiking... July/Aug ICE AXE required on some even in September: I will denote them Can use trecking poles sometimes Hwy 20: Black Peak ~15miles RT 5000ft UP Ice axe required Hwy 20: Snowbrushy Lakes on the PCT: 20miles RT 3500ft UP Hwy 20: NCNP Colonial Peak ~8? miles RT 7000ft gain Routefinding required Permanent snowfield to cross(ice axe required) You slip you DIE, but is a fun ride down 6000+feet. Hwy 20: NCNP Ruby Mountain 20 miles RT 6500ft gain some routefinding required from fourth of July pass to old Ruby mountain trail. Or just follow your nose ever UPWARD, maybe ice axe required if you get off route. Hwy 20: Desolate Peak Lookout: Old memory says around 15 miles RT, FULL southern exposure, little or no water and roughly 5000ft vertical. HWY 20: NCNP Goodell Creek to S. Pickets: 10 miles RT, 6500ft gain HWY 20: NCNP Sourdough Mountain or Lookout, 8 or 10 miles RT 4500 ft gain Hwy 20: NCNP Thunder Mountain, not Thunder Lakes, 7 miles RT, 4000 ft gain Hwy 20: NCNP Cascade Pass: Sahale Arm 10miles, Up to 5500ft gain 3000ft is typical though Hwy 20: Cascade Pass: Go south to Cache Col, Kool Aid Lake, Magic Mountain etc etc 4000ft gain and mileage... varies. Upwards of 15 or so. Ice axe ... may be required Hwy 20: Kindy Ridge/mind fart... gah Snowking? mountain 15 miles, 6000ft Out of Darrington(west side): Suiattle River Road, Glacier Peak Wilderness (GPW) Downey Creek(Old Growth Forest) to pass above Cub lake: 18 miles RT? Maybe 20, Hrmm definitely 20 and 4500 ft gain Image Lake: 38miles I believe 5000ft gain Probably can't cross the Suiattle river yet, but if you could, Fire Creek Pass/Lime Mountain loop 20ish miles and 5000ft gain White Chuck River Road: Red Pass/Portal Mountain: I think it is 12 miles one way now, 4500ft to 5500ft gain White pass/Red Pass short way: 10miles Up to 6000ft++ What I just gave you is more than enough for an entire summer, in WA if you still want to hit Olmpics... Olympic National Park: Toleak Point ONP coast. 14 miles RT, 1000??? ft gain. Bring a water filter. Camp on the beach. Check tides to see if you can. If it is a high high 8ft ++ tide, well can't camp on beach generally. But a normal 7ft tide you can. If you are going to camp, do so at Toleak. No, you will NOT be alone.... Get to the Ranger station early for a camping permit. They open at 6 in the summer I think? Or is it still 7? Tons more..... You could spend your ENTIRE summer in Washington.

[bobbi]

remember: overnight in quota areas mean permit! good luck on getting one!

[joedotts]

[joedotts]

[olderthanIusedtobe]

I almost asked you about your plans for Idaho. It's a big state and could require a lot of detouring to explore, but definitely worth it in my mind. The Sawtooths are excellent. Around the village of Stanley and just south of there at Redfish Lake is a target rich environment. Easy day hike to Sawtooth Lake. You can make a multiple day traverse from there and come out at Redfish Lake if you can arrange a pickup/shuttle (I'm fairly certain there are outfitters there that do this). Or you can do in out and from Redfish Lake and either turn right for Baron Lakes (have done that--excellent) or left for Cramer Lakes (haven't done that yet). Also slightly further south is an excellent loop--Alice/Toxaway Lakes. The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is MASSIVE. One entry point to it is a little north of Stanley (about 60 miles of unpaved road driving, some of it fairly rough) that takes you into the wonderful Bighorn Crags. I did a 2 night semi loop into the northern half of that area. Lots of lakes and lots of granite, almost like a miniature Yosemite. It's nowhere near there or Yellowstone/Glacier, but the Seven Devils on the Oregon/Idaho border is pretty cool. Rises immediately east of Hells Canyon. A bunch more lakes and several fairly easy to scramble 9,000' peaks. I hit 3 in one day from a base camp--Baal, She Devil and He Devil. White Cloud Mountains are supposed to be really nice, I haven't been there yet. I'm not really a fan of the Sun Valley area but just outside of it is good stuff. Also Mt. Borah, the state's high point, is a fairly non technical climb. Haven't done that yet either but I'm intrigued by it. Also haven't checked out the Selways yet. I've been on the Montana side of the Bitterroots but not the Idaho side. Another nice range. So many mountains, so little time!

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Looking at your original post, I see you are hitting the National Parks in Montana and Wyoming. Have you looked at some of the stuff outside the Parks in those states? The Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness just east of Yellowstone and stradling the Montana-Wyoming border is huge and has all kinds of great hiking opportunities. Montana's high point--Granite Peak--is in the middle of there. I believe it's a class 3 scramble and doable as a 2 day trip. Aside from that there are more lakes than you can shake a stick at, some wonderful off trail rambling, 10,000'+ foot plateaus, all kinds of good stuff. The Beartooth Highway is a must drive even if you aren't hiking along there. Wonderfully scenic drive from Red Lodge to Cooke City, then right on into the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. The Wind River Range in Wyoming is legendary. I've only poked around a bit, but again a ton of lakes and soaring granite peaks. Cirque of the Towers and Titcomb Basin are both incredible. I've been to the former, not the latter yet. Montana has range after range of mountains, I still haven't been to probably half of them yet. Liked I mentioned in the previous post the Bitterroots on the western margin of the state is a cool area. Trapper Peak is a walk up, 10,000' day hike that gives you an outstanding overview of the area.

[joedotts]

[olderthanIusedtobe]

I haven't even given any WA recommendations. Several others have offered some long lists, I might have some duplicates. So many great hikes, I'm just gonna throw a bunch out there. You mentioned doing some long distances on day hikes so a few of these are 20+ miles, can be done either in a day or as overnighters. A couple might be more like 3-4 day trips. Mt. Baker Highway: Ptarmigan Ridge Yellow Aster Butte Hannegan Pass & Peak, or beyond to Copper Ridge Lookout--if you really want to extend it you can make in into a loop via Chilliwack River and awesome side trip to Whatcom Pass and Tapto Lakes, but then you need to get a limited allotment permit for the National Park. Skyline Divide Heliptrope Ridge Winchester Mountain/High Pass Lake Ann and for something completely different Nooksack Cirque (better in late season when the river level is lower) North Cascade Highway: Park Butte Lookout/Railroad Grade/Scott Paul trail Shannon Creek (approach route to Sulphide Glacier on Mt. Shuksan) Hidden Lake Peak/Lookout Boston Basin Cascade Pass/Sahale Arm Thornton Lakes/Trappers Peak Sourdough Mountain/Stetattle Ridge Heather/Maple Pass loop w/ side trip to Lewis and Wing Lakes Cutthroat Pass via either PCT or Cutthroat Lake, can continue further north along PCT to Granite Pass, Snowy Lakes if you really want to extend it Grasshopper Pass/PCT to be continued... (I started off trying to do summaries of each hike but that was gonna take way too long)

[olderthanIusedtobe]

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Back to WA. Glacier Peak Wilderness is great. Much of it is more of a backpacking destination, but there are some day hikes as well. Some other good stuff nearby. Green Mountain Stujack Pass/Mt. Pugh Suiattle River/PCT/Mica Lake Lost Creek Ridge North Fork Sauk/White Pass West Cady Ridge loop w/ PCT and exit via either North Fork Skykomish or Quartz Creek (road is closed due to damage currently, not sure when it is scheduled to be repaired) Cady Ridge/PCT/Little Wenatchee River loop Mt. David Little Giant Pass Spider Gap/Buck Creek Pass loop Carne Mountain/Leroy Creek loop (mostly off trail but a decent boot track thru most of it) Highway 2: East Fork Foss/Necklace Valley to LaBohn Gap or Tank Lakes Surprise & Glacier Lakes/Surprise Mtn. Leavenworth is along Hwy 2 but deserves special mention by itself, a hiking mecca. You might've hear about the Enchantments, and all the gnashing of teeth trying to get a permit. From what you said I think you could day hike it. Very worthwhile, I've done it multiple times, then you don't have to worry about getting an overnight permit. I'd recommend going via Colchuck Lake/Aasgard Pass. Either explore to your heart's content and exit the way you came, or do the traverse exiting Snow Lakes and try to hitch a ride between trailheads. I think people do this frequently. Also in the Leavenworth area: Stuart Lake/Horseshoe Lake Eightmile Lake/Lake Caroline/Windy Pass Alpine Lakes Wilderness is awesome, with many different entry points. Already mentioned several above. Some more entry points are from the south off of I-90. Teanaway: Lake Ingalls Bean Creek Basin/Earl Peak Navaho Pass/Peak Iron Peak climbing Mt. Stuart is non technical from the south, one of the coolest chunks of granite you'll see, 2nd highest non-volcano in Washington. Salmon la Sac/Cle Elum Lake area: Tuck and Robins Lakes Peggys Pond/possible climb of Mt. Daniel via SE Ridge or Hyas Creek Glacier headwall Deception Pass/Marmot Lake/Jade Lake Spectacle Lake via Cooper Lake This is no way comprehensive but some of my favorites. There are a bunch of hikes further west on I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass. I hike there some but not very often, and not the best hikes in my opinion if you are coming from way out of the area.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Haven't been out to the Olympics nearly enough. Anything on the Coastal strip is nice. 7 Lakes Basin is worth taking several days to explore but I did it as a 20 mile day hike loop, don't need to worry about permits that way. Royal Basin is pretty cool, especially the upper basin above Royal Lake. You can do a loop via Lake Angeles and Heather Park that's kinda cool. Many others on this site have spent a lot more time in the Olys than I have. I also completely skipped over the whole Chelan Sawtooths/Entiats area, which is also nice but I haven't been there much. Plenty of good options in the Goat Rocks, another one I haven't done much. Snowgrass Flats/PCT north to Old Snowy/the Knife Edge/Goat Lake is my favorite from what I have seen. Tons of options in Mt. Rainer NP: Summerland/Panhandle Gap Fremont Lookout/Burroughs Mountains loop (be sure to continue on to the 3rd Burroughs); can extend this significantly by continuing past Skyscraper Pass and on to Mystic Lake, makes for a long day. If you get that far, go above Mystic Lake and on to the ridge/edge of a moraine above the Carbon Glacier. Spray Park Box Canyon to Indian Bar Jeez, totally skipped over my go to area--Mountain Loop Highway: Gothic Basin Headlee Pass/Vesper Peak Monte Cristo townsite to Glacier Basin and/or Twin Lakes That's way more than you'll have a chance to do but gives you a bunch of hikes to look up and consider. Have fun!

[joedotts]

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