Closest and most directly accessible wilderness area from Seattle by car, the Snoqualmie Pass area contains some of the most heavily traveled trails in the state. But if you don't mind some likely company, there are some great joys to be had here. The pass is intersected by the Pacific Crest Trail, by which one could head north into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and beyond, or south to Mexico.

To reach Snoqualmie Pass from Seattle, catch Metro Transit (MT) 215 from Second and Union at 6:06AM, arriving at the Issaquah Park & Ride at 7:10. There you will transfer to the MT 209 at 7:15, reaching North Bend (Second & Bendigo) at 8:00. The Greyhound flag stop in North Bend is at 219 Main Avenue; the bus is scheduled to pass at 8:05 (Be there, on the right side of the street, facing traffic, and be prepared to flag down the Greyhound driver. Also: see Seattle to Leavenworth section for important information on surviving Greyhound). Fare to Snoqualmie Pass is $6.50/$11.50 round trip. Have exact change; driver will not admit to having change.

There are two later Greyhounds crossing the pass daily, you can connect with the second one by catching MT 215 in downtown Seattle at 10:32AM (MT 209 at 11:25, and Greyhound at 12:30PM).

On the return trip, catch the westbound Greyhound at the Chevron gas station at Snoqualmie Pass at 10:20AM, or 5:30PM.

The limiting factor with this trip is that the MT 209 runs Monday through Friday only (you could take the Grey Dog from Issaquah, or even from Seattle, but you'd be spending much more).

Transit Fares

• Metro Transit, pay $1.75, ask for two zone transfer.
• Greyhound Bus Lines, pay $6.50, $11.50 rt.

Here's what you can do from Snoqualmie Pass:

Kendall Catwalk

• round trip, trailhead to Catwalk 10.5 miles
• one way, trailhead to Stevens Pass 68 miles

Leaving the Greyhound at Snoqualmie Pass, find the Alpental Road on the north side of the pass and walk a couple hundred feet to the Pacific Crest Trail parking lot and trailhead. Know that you're entering one of the most heavilytraveled pieces of trail in the state; in midsummer it can be a bit of a freeway. Despite this, there are some amazing views to be had. Climb switchbacks for the first couple of miles, then reach a ridgehugging, vertigoinducing (but quite safe, once the snow is gone) marvel of trail engineering expertise (built by the CCC in the 30's). The trail is carved or blasted, in many places, right into the ridge itself, such that the world drops off several hundred feet to your immediate left and right. Eventually, you'll reach the namesakes of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, then Stevens Pass, then Canada ...

Mirror Lake

• round trip, trailhead to Mirror Lake 18 miles
• round trip, trailhead to Stampede Pass 36 miles
• one way, trailhead to Chinook Pass 72 miles

On the south side of the pass, the Pacific Crest Trail heads due south across the path of the ski lifts.

I can think of only two reasons why one would want to hike this chunk of trail: one, you are simply enamored of doing the whole PCT or a major portion thereof; or two, you've got a visitor from the east coast who's never seen a clearcut, and you want to show that visitor just how ugly clearcuts can be. Odds are your visitor will come away from the experience ready to join Earth First!

For the first twenty miles or so, the trail winds through a checkerboard of secondgrowth and clearcut, with great views of more clearcut. The trail can be hard to follow in the patches of clearcut.

Eventually, though, the faithful and hardy will reach the Norse Peak and William 0. Douglas wildernesses, with excellent views of Mount Rainier to the west.

Other options from the Snoqualmie Hub: Snow Lake, Middle Fork Snoqualmie River, Red Mountain.

Metro Transit 1 (800) 542 7876 or www.riderlink.gen.wa.us

Greyhound Bus Lines 1 (800) 231 2222 (dial extension 0 immediately to avoid being on hold for hours, and be sure to have your English to Louisianan dictionary handy.)