SummitPost.org

Would like to do a 5 day hike, 2 dads with two 13yo. The boys have been backpacking since age 8 and we are all going this weekend to Mt Rogers (forecast highs 20's, lows 10's, wind and snow). Would like to do something in mid June that is not impassable by snow, bone dry or overrun with bugs or heat. I'm aware conditions always change year to year.

We had thought about River no Return in Idaho but not sure about bugs/snow. The Winds, Sierras, Uinta's, etc may have an abundance of bugs, Needles have no water and heat. Options I thought of would be Cascades: South Sister/St Helens/Mt Adams, Olympics, Paria Canyon, circumnavigation of Navajo Mt on the North and South Rainbow trails (Rainbow Bridge), Dark Canyon, the Maze, Grand Canyon, Escalante? Any other places; Cali, Co, etc
Just looking for ideas. send me a PM

Wallowas in NE Oregon - it would be easy to put together a nice long loop backpack...June is probably a good time for them too.

I'd recommend those backpacking books by D. Lorain (sp?) ...think he's got one for ID, for OR, & WA?? lotsa ideas there.

Bugs should not be a concern in the mountains of the PNW in June. They really don't get going until July.

There would be a lot of good destinations on the eastern slope of the Cascades in June. The western slopes may still have too much snow (although maybe not this year, since we are experiencing a winter that resembles Los Angeles more than Seattle).

I think a great idea might be the Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness. There are a lot of great multi-day (3-5 day) trips that can be made here. I'm posting some links to this area. The trips to Martin, Cheops, and Switchback were in early July of a normal snow year. This year, it should be quite melted out in June unless things change dramatically.

Mount Bigelow
Martin Peak
Cheops
Switchback Peak
Oval Peak
Star Peak

Adams is fun. I just up-loaded a lame video of me glasading down from pikers peak. Its a bad video because it was with my point and shot camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47tmFiNID68

Check it!