Hwy 2 from Spokane to Everett

Bedlam wrote:
East to west the climb to 4000' on HWY 2 is more gradual. Coming down the western side, let your exhaust brake and lower gears keep your speed in check.

That is a good point. It is like a 800 foot drop off if you were to go over the railing coming down the western side of the pass. You would have some pretty good views as you go off the edge though. I constantly see people riding their brakes on that stretch...it is like they don't even know cars have low gears.

If you are up for a mini adventure/hike and your rig can handle it, there is a somewhat hidden entrance to the old Cascade hwy just as you pass by the pass ski resort (on the right headed west). The road has missing concrete and is twisty, but you end up at the (start/end) of Iron Goat trail which follows the old railroad path before they built the long tunnel. Very neat hike as you go through a 100+ year old snow shed, see the place where an avalanche took out an entire train, and see some spooky abandoned train tunnels.

If your rig can't handle the old hwy, you could start the trail at the other end which is close to the town of Skykomish.