[pct-l] Hiking Washington State

[Bob Bankhead]

Katie:

You should make it ok, but as others have already said, it can get wet as
you move north, especially in the high country north of Snoqualmie Pass.
Modify your gear accordingly. The following is not meant to scare you, but
rather to alert you.

Go prepared for wind-blown rain and cold. Fall storms in the North Cascades
can last for days on end, not just for hours like in the Sierra. You can
find yourself walking and sleeping in the clouds and/or fog (100% humidity)
for days at a time - or you could get lucky and have cool, sunny skies.
Either way, carry a good hooded rain jacket and rain pants that you can walk
in all day if needed. I would recommend you send roll-top dry bags to
Snoqualmie or Stevens Pass to replace the stuff sacks used for your sleeping
bag, insulating layer, and spare clothes. If the weather turns on you, it's
really nice to have dry clothes to sleep in at the end of the day and a dry
insulating layer can be a life-saver.

>From Snoqualmie Pass north to the border, mark your potential bail-out
points (i.e. Harts Pass) on your map or route plan. Note that Harts Pass is
the last point where you might obtain a ride out of the mountains. 


Bob