I'm also in the PNW and ride singlespeed on our hills. Just ordered the parts to convert my geared distance bike over to singlespeed, since I've been doing all my riding (including long distance) on the single these days.
I prefer a 42/18 combo for hilly courses and a 44/17 for JRA and commuting. (My commute has a couple of climbs that are 1 - 2 miles long and between 6% and 9% grade.) My SSCX bike has really low gearing, with a 38/18 for dry/flatter courses and I'll throw a 38/20 on for muddy or hilly courses.
I like regular old SPD pedals and MTB shoes for most stuff, but SPD-SL shoes with a stiffer sole for distance (I still use 2-bolt SPD cleats, though).
For your bars, look at the
Soma El Toro Urban Pursuit.