Best Damn Weekend Ever: Washington's Kaleetan Lake Loop

This is a good trip for mid-Summer and Fall. At this time, we are into an extended Winter season and it will be a few months until we can do much in the High Country. Try some of the lower-elevation hikes on the Southeast side of I-90 where there is sunlight, early thawing of snow, and nice trees: fir, pine, cedar, larch, hemlock, and spruce...very aromatic; very Spring-like, but not so in Western WA.

There are no thick spruce forests here. nor are there any pine trees at all. The trees here are predominatly Western Hemlock and Silver Fir at lower elevations and Mountain Hemlock and Subapline Fir above 4500 FT. The Mountain Hemlocks of Hemlock Pass are almost worth all the effort. It is an epic adventure though, particularly if you add a day to climb Kaleetan Peak

I went on this trip with my dog, and it was the best damn weekend ever. I did it during the week and took 4 days and 3 nights. I was in no rush so I spent an extra day. If you live in the Seattle area and have not been to this area I highly recomend it. I live in the SW part of washinton state and did the 130 mile trip with my dog guinnes and we both had a great time.