It feels great to pick the right day, the right time, and the right place. The Hannegan Pass trail passes along one side of a valley where there are beautiful mountains and waterfalls on both sides with a stream down the middle. Add some peak fall color, a little snow, and you have a dream hike.

I arrived at a vacant trailhead just before sunrise. I love being the first one on the trail and making the first set of footprints in the snow, which started at 4,000'. There are two inches of powder snow on the trail above 5,500'. I took poles, traction devices, and snowshoes; but poles alone sufficed.

There isn't much to see from the Pass, so I continued on to Hannegan Peak. There is plenty to see from the Peak.

The temperature was a brisk 32 degrees F. at the trailhead, 30 degrees about two miles up the trail, and even colder at the Peak. Activity kept me comfortable with minimal layers. It warmed to 45 on the way back down the trail, causing the snow to melt and fall from the trees.

The sun was behind me on the fall colors and the valley for my return trip. I was amazed to find several varieties of flowers still blooming: Paintbrush, Ballheads, Monkey Flowers, Yarrow, and Pearly Everlasting. Even ice and snow has not stopped them this year.

I met 11 hikers on the trail. Most were from Bellingham, but two were from Amsterdam. These Holland hikers were in complete awe of the mountains because there are none in their country.

This is one beautiful Fall hike!

Climbed Ruth Mountain, review on summitposthttp://www.summitpost.org/v[…]d=754819&confirm_post=7 .

Used the Hannegan Pass trail though and thought I'd give an update on the conditions there.

No snow on the trail yet up to the pass, but plenty afterward. Snow level is around 5000 feet (a little above actually).

Lots of cascades and small streams on the trail. Fall colors galore, with larch trees in the valley up to the pass and plenty on the high mountain sides from the pass.

Saw only two other people on the trail. They were leading horses up the trail and left a lot of mess behind them, which was lovely...

It was a beautiful hike with views of mountains and wildflowers and what seemed like strategically placed cool mountain streams (you come upon them just as the towel you dipped in the last one is drying).

A word of caution, though, those streams apparently harbor black flies ( http://bit.ly/n7DYWU ), which this year seemed to swarm and feed on exposed skin. If you keep moving, it's not so bad, but I'd highly recommend a cap with netting, a long-sleeved shirt and pants. Bug spray apparently may not do that much. It's a beautiful hike and well-worth the preparation.

This was a lovely, scenic hike under warm, blue skies. The only 'fly in the ointment' was .... FLIES! a potporri of biting small, big, non-biting annoying, and other assorted types. Maybe the worst we've seen and nearly intolerable.

If you go, be sure to bring long pants, long sleeve shirt, and maybe a mosquito net hat. DEET does not work for flies. Hannegan Peak was blessedly bug-free and a relative paradise. Great 360 views.

Cutoff trail to Hannegan Peak is not marked. It branches left, at the pass. If you see the 'toilet' sign, you have gone too far.

No snow, just a few small patches.