Glacier Peak Wilderness – October 11-15 too late for foliage and decent weather?

There’s always the possibility of winter conditions in mid-October, but it can also be a very nice time to hike.  I did that exact Spider-Buck-Napeequa loop (with a side trip to Image Lake) one year in the first week of October and it was absolutely gorgeous.  It was a little before the larch hit their golden peak, but all the other fall colors were bursting:

I’m not sure about Loowit.  Most people do that early in the year because water sources can dry up pretty quickly.  I don’t know what things would look like in mid-October.

You have to consider forest fires although maybe mid October would be better.  Have a couple alternatives.

And weather – sometimes it will be bad north, but better south.

I would not consider loowit the ultimate experience for alpine, but my st helens crater is a worthy destination view.

Mr hood, three sisters, goat rocks, my adams are better in my opinion.  Sometimes the olympics is better, especially for Forest fire smoke.