KENNEDY RIDGE to HIGH BRIDGE RANGER STATION: Climb the rugged topography around Glacier Peak then cross two passes on this 42.1-mile rollercoaster leg into Agnes Creek.

HIGH BRIDGE RANGER STATION to RAINY PASS: Wind along the roaring banks of a steep 1,000-foot gorge on this 18-mile stretch in North Cascades National Park.

RAINY PASS to HARTS PASS: This 25.6-mile ridge-to-river leg runs under a glacier-carved outcrop and its centerpiece, the 8,366-foot Golden Horn.

STABLER to BIG MOSQUITO LAKE: Backpack through big huckleberry fields, visit an old Indian racetrack, and check out a hardened lava flow on this 33.7-mile leg that passes through Indian Heaven Wilderness.

SHEEP LAKE to WHITE PASS: Get high into the snowy contours of Goat Rocks Wilderness on this 22.2-mile leg. Bring an ice axe and lightweight crampons for the Packwood Glacier.

WHITE PASS to CHINOOK PASS: This 25.6-mile leg traverses meadows dotted with lakes to the Cascade Crest for pin-up views of Mts. St. Helens and Rainier. Anderson Lake, just inside Rainier National Park, makes for a stellar final camp.

CHINOOK PASS to TACOMA PASS: Sticking to a craggy ridge over countless passes and peaks, this 37.4-mile leg features full-circle vistas over the central Cascades.

TACOMA PASS to SNOQUALMIE PASS: Hike through a patchwork of woodlands and lakes on this 25.3-mile stretch stocked with blueberries and long-range Rainier views.

STEVENS PASS to KENNEDY RIDGE: This 40.4-mile leg serves up plenty of challenge and isolation: bottomless canyons, long talus slopes, and raging creeks add an extra edge to the overall beauty.