NealH

It's about 8 to 9 miles from the current road closure to Downey Creek.

We always used a baby Bjorn for hiking when the kids were that small, though my wife often used the Moby around town and generally preferred it to the Bjorn with our second. And to second Heinrich, the Sherpani backpack is fantastic. I think we started using it around 7 or 8 months.

This trip report (not mine) from late July indicates a register on Storm King. http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7985816

Colchuck yes. You would probably hike to Colchuck Lake, then head up Aasgard Pass to the Upper Enchantment Basin and Little Annapurna is a walk-up from there. Ingalls no. It is on the other side of the Stuart Range.

Hidden Lake Lookout is in the same general neck of the woods as Sahale Arm. I would choose Sahale Arm first. Ptarmigan Ridge and Hannegan Peak (maybe Goat Mountain, but I'm not exactly sure where that is) are way on the N side of Mt. Baker. If you are going up that way, I would probably choose to hike Skyline Divide or scramble Hadley Peak (accessible from Skyline Divide, but probalby more accessible via Cougar Divide) and just drive up to Artist Point, which is the start of the Ptarmigan Ridge trail. Or if you go up to Hannegan Pass, instead of going left to Hannegan Peak, go right to Ruth Mountain. A glacier, but generally pretty accessible without ropes. Little Annapurna would be on the long side for a day trip given your distance and elevation desires, but is a nice hike into the upper enchantment basin. All of the above would be long drives from Mt. St. Helens. Alta Mountain is a nice hike and not as far a drive. but is not as spectacular as the others. Easily the closest to St. helens and Seattle. The other suggestion I would make is Gothic Basin with possible scrambles of Del Campo and/or Gothic Peak. A closer drive than all but Alta Mountain.

Dogs are allowed in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, but not in the areas around the Stuart Range (i.e., Enchantments, Ingalls areas). The official policy in the area where he is going used to be voice control, but it may be on-leash required now. I am not completely sure. We've taken our dog up to Peggy's Pond, but not up the ridge to Daniel, so I can't help the OP on that point.

I'm size 11.5 and have the Grivel Air Tech and they fit both my approach shoes (Lowa lowcut trail shoes) and my mountaineering boots (La Sportiva Makalu) but they are either maxed out or one notch less than maxed out. It is possible that some boots or approach shoes of the same size could have a larger outer dimension so that they might not fit, but they do work for me and I have been happy with them.

With our now 3-year old, we used the bjorn until he was about 7 months and then he moved over to a backpack carrier. With our 3 month old, we have (well, my wife has) been using a Moby Wrap, which she (my wife) generally prefers to the bjorn in terms of overall comfort. It's a bit confusing at first, but not too hard to deal with after a few times. By the time we hit summer, she'll be going into the backpack carrier for hikes and the 3-year old will get to hike all by himself. For a backpack carrier, we have a Sherpani purchased at REI which I found very comfortable until he started getting heavier. But even then, it is at least as comfortable as my backpacking backpack if not more so.

He has a Memoir called River Dark & Bright. Haven't read it, but saw it when I was at the Sleeping Lady (founded by, I believe his sister) a couple of months ago.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/26/subtitles/a/toc.html

Ivan cites the authority to impose the income tax and the actual law is Title 26 of the US Code, Subtitle A--See in particular sections 1, 61 and 63.

Many years ago, I had the good (?) fortune to be sitting in the first seat behind the cockpit (which was separated by just a curtain which the pilots had neglected to pull shut, so I could look straight out the front) on a turboprop jet heading into Charlottesville, VA and had a landing just like some of these--heading straight down the runway, but with the nose off centerline by probably 15-20 degrees until a second or two before the back wheels hit. Quite exciting!

On the road to Monte Cristo this past June. Heading up to Lake Margaret (Snoqualmie Pass) last weekend. We probably only got about 2 miles up the trail before he was ready to turn around, but he probably hiked a quarter of the way up and all the way down, pretty good for 21 months. Near Lake George last month. First Sail--Mom better watch out. Her days as skipper are numbered.

I'm with you. Is there a way to customize whether we want to view recent threads or recent posts? I tried looking in my preferences, and couldn't find anything, but then, I'm not all that swift at this computer stuff . . .

I'm currently re-reading The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro. IMO one of the best nonfiction books (and the best biography) I've ever read. Fascinating look at transportation, urban development, politics and governmental power. It's long, but very readable. On the fiction front, I recently read Seeing Calvin Coolidge in a Dream by John Derbyshire which was quite enjoyable, but not spectacular.