[pct-l] Northern half of Washington

[Eric Lee]

Judo wrote:
>
Any opinions from the PCT-L on comparative beauty southern half vs. northern
half of Washington?
>

Both southern and northern Washington have spectacular scenery.  The section
south of Snoqualmie Pass does have a lot of clearcuts but it's intermittent
for only about 45 miles and it's not *horrible*.  In some ways I think it's
interesting to see the result of our forestry policies and consumption
habits.  The wood we use has to come from *somewhere*, after all.  But in
any case going from Snoqualmie Pass to Canada is an amazing section and you
won't regret that choice.  Many people say that the northern Cascades is one
of the absolute highlights of the trail (even beating out the Sierra in some
people's opinion).  So yeah, do that.

If you're hiking from the last week of August to mid-September you may very
well have a few days of rain in there somewhere.  You'll probably not have a
week-long drenching but no promises.  I'd think a TarpTent Rainbow would be
sufficient.

Most people don't carry bear cans in Washington - either properly hang your
food (if camping in a well-used area) or just sleep with it (if
stealth-camping in an unused area).

No need for crampons at that time of year except maybe in very heavy snow
years, which this year is not.

I know that permits for the area between Snoqualmie and Stehekin are all
self-service at the trailhead (get a form out of the box and fill it out).
I don't know about Stehekin north but I think it's the same?

Eric