TRIP DESCRIPTION Continued
WED-Sept 22 Today we will take the 60 minute drive to Bellingham and the Lakeway Conference and Convention Center Hotel. Our hike will be at the beautiful Chuckanut Mountain. Hikes will range from 1 to 11 miles, including an option to hike the very scenic Fairhaven Trail back to Fairhaven, a lovely Victorian community adjacent to Bellingham. This city is the start of the Inner Passage to Alaska and has lots of neat shops and restaurants.
THU-Sept 23 We will get an early start for a beautiful 62 mile drive to the beautiful North Cascades area for some really cool high meadow trail hikes near Mt Baker. Hikes will range from 2 to 9 miles and will include the spectacular Artist Ridge Trail, and the challenging Excelsior Pass – High Divide loop trail. I am guessing that we will stop at the North Fork Brewery in Deming on our return to Bellingham
FRI-Sept 24 Today we take the hour and a half drive back to Seattle. If the weather is clear we will take a little jog to Magnolia and hike the high ridge overlooking the Puget Sound and the Seattle city scape. Then downtown to the Red Lion hotel, which is in the heart of this vibrant city that I will call the San Francisco of the Pacific Northwest. After checking in I will lead a stroll down to the Pike Place Market area on the waterfront. This is truly a unique and fun place to browse, shop and eat. Watch out for the flying fish! SAT-Sept 25 I will lead the Seattle Seven Mile city hike that will feature many Seattle landmarks and neighborhoods. Included in the hike will be Pioneer Square, the Miller Building, Quest Stadium, Safeco Field, an optional underground tour, the Broadway district, the fabulous REI flagship store, the Seattle Center and the waterfront. The Cheesecake Factory, just steps from our hotel, would be a great way to celebrate your last evening in the Great Northwest.
SUN-Sept 26 Reluctantly, we leave for our 11:00AM United flight home. We are due to land in Chicago at 4:44PM and should be back in Niles by 8:30PM.