The level 1 hike this week will be to Excelsior Pass from the Mt. Baker Hwy. trailhead.  This is a strenuous hike of 8.5 miles with ~3400 feet of elevation gain, so bring plenty of water and food according to your personal needs.  Weather forecasts are mostly for cloudy to partly sunny with a slight chance of showers, with temperatures in the high 40s when we start, rising to the mid 50s by around noon, so dress accordingly.  The last trail report I have been able to find so far is for a June 13th All Trails hike.  They ran into soft, slushy snow at around 4600 feet with a lot of weak spots where it was easy to break through.  The last week has been rather cool, so I expect we will encounter similar conditions, possibly a bit higher up.  That still leaves ~800 feet of elevation gain on snow, worst case, over ~1 mile of hiking, so I advise bringing poles and spikes.  It is early in the year for a hike of this level of difficulty and in years past many in the group choose to stop short of the pass, usually at the snow line, for lunch, while a few dedicated masochists slog on to the pass.  So, don't feel embarrassed if you feel like you have had enough before reaching the pass.  You will still have hiked around 7.5 miles or so round trip with ~2600 feet of elevation gain, not a bad outing for this early in the season and solid preparation for the rest of the season's hikes.  We will meet as usual in the BSAC parking lot at 7:15 AM to sign the waiver sheet and organize car pooling, with a 7:30 departure.  Drivers will need a NW Forest Pass or equivalent.