Backpacking suggestions

[shaggy125]

So, I am thinking of possibly doing an extended backpack trip this August, may do something else but am toying with the idea. Anyone have suggestions of "must do's"? Seems a lot of national parks require reserving campsites ahead of time and many are booked (I should have started planning earlier, although most offer walk in permits too). My ideas so far would be Glacier NP, Banff and Jasper, The Wonderland Trail in Rainier, Somewhere in North Cascades NP, Yosemite and the Pacific Crest Trail, Green River Lakes to Big Sandy Opening in the Winds, etc... I will have two weeks off but with travel etc... will probably only do 10 - 12 days of actual packing. Any suggestions? Thinking 80 - 100 miles would be reasonable, loop preferable but I would be willing to do a shuttle trip if I needed. Solitude is cool but not a huge priority for me, scenery and lots of "wow" is my biggest draw.

[stefan]

dang eric ... kinda all sounds great! anything pullin' at ya? i tend to get fixated or focused on something and that usually helps me decide. it sometimes is something obvious like a specific location or feature, but other times is more vague like a notion or feeling. i particularly enjoy places where exploration and wandering during the evening/sunset is possible. there are few things i enjoy more after a day of backpacking.

[goofball]

scenery and lots of wow galore in all you mentioned i am sure. i loved my time in the winds around bear basin. lots of big views, and above tree line which i LOVE. never finished that trip though due to botts losing their treads. planned to travel south from bear basin to mt solitude basin then down to 3 forks and back to gren river lake. the olympics are super cool. huge roosevelt elk (never saw em dammit) and lots of bears (saw at least one a day munching huckleberries). the flora is amazing too, teh forest looked "tended to" in some areas it is so perfect. and the little creatures - slugs and frogs and salamanders. teh sawtooths were tons of pretty in idaho. but prettiest sight i ever saw was from teh outlet of lake charles in the holy cross wilderness in colorado. absolutely wowest camp site ever. and we hit holy cross city while there which was tons of fun, a really cool hi mtn ghost town.

good luck narrowing it down !

[shaggy125]

I think I've pretty much settled on the Canadian Rockies. Anyone know what guidebooks are best and where to get maps? Anything equivalent to the National Geographic, or even better the Earthwalk Press maps for the parks up there?

[stefan]

I think I've pretty much settled on the Canadian Rockies. Anyone know what guidebooks are best

i have a few. i enjoyed this one a lot

http://tinyurl.com/6mvxxt