36 Hours in Seattle

SPRING comes early to Seattle and lasts long. By the end of February, the rains relent and pastel shades of plum and narcissus initiate a progression of color and scent that lasts months. But new flora is not the only thing popping out of the ground in Seattle these days. Seemingly overnight, whole swatches of downtown and close-in neighborhoods — notably South Lake Union and the Pike-Pine Corridor — have transformed themselves into vibrant enclaves of restaurants, bars and galleries. With so many converted and repurposed buildings, Seattle’s cityscape is starting to look as layered as the wardrobes of its inhabitants. The tarry pitch of the timber port never disappeared; it just got plastered over with grunge flannel, tech money, yuppie coffee, Pacific Rim flavors, and more recently the backyard chickens and chard of urban pioneers. Don’t let a passing shower keep you from entering the mix. This is one of the rare American cities where you can be outdoors year-round without either shivering or sweating.

Wahooooo

The initial idea is that we have a week long trip starting August 7th and ending the 14th.  The idea is that we have two trips with the first half along the coastline and the second half higher up in the rainforest/mountains.  For people that cant make the entire trip, you can meet us in Seattle on our way to the mountains.  For those of you who are real men, we can meet in Seattle and head out from there. 

After looking at flights for a random weekend in August, I think the North Cascades is our best bet.  They are a $400 direct flight to Seattle followed by a 2.5 hour drive to the trailhead.  There are also direct flights leaving at 5:30 - so that the return trip is not a crazy rush, and the altitude is only around 6,000 - 7,000 feet, so we don't have to worry about acclimation issues that could cut a day out in Colorado or California.  I found a couple of additional descriptions:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/northcascadesnationalpark/sets/72157619255318992/

http://www.seattlepi.com/getaways/234935_hike04.html

http://www.happen.net/travel/sahale.html