Ive been wearing this cap since 2003. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. The one caution I didnt see in the article is that snow can often covers long sections of the trail through much of July and you can easily get off track especially in white-out conditions. Liz Thomas hiking through Spray Park | Late September 2014. For the average backpacker, a longer trip will be a more pleasant way to enjoy this park. The, : Yes. There is often more availability for partial Wonderland Trail backpacking trips. Highs mid 50-70, Lows mid 30's. Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/j1c7ah Photos: https://imgur.com/a/J8FHgFs And a lot of mosquitoes. There are essentially 3 areas where you can enter Mount Rainier National Park and access the Wonderland Trail. Sunrise has many side trails and camps to choose from that are slightly off from the main Wonderland Trail. Trail Stats. Ultimately, all of us crossed. Once we passed Mike and my previous turnaround point, we were back again in unknown territory until we reach Old Desolate above Mystic Lake. To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the. There are three main trailhead options that have both camping and parking. My! The Wonderland Trail is 150 km of mostly single track that circumnavigates Mount Rainier with over 7,230 metres (23,700 feet) of cumulative elevation gain (plus equal loss of course). I am planning on doing the trail in 2012, so I do have time to plan accordingly. Tolmie Peak Lookout has one of the best vantage points of Rainier. After the Winthrop, you traverse gently up and down to Granite Creek and then ascend several hundred feet through forest. You are constantly either going up or going down. and White River Campground about 7 p.m. Your email address will not be published. As for me, I left camp queasy, uncertain, and determined. Your email address will not be published. When to go: July-September. Sign up for Outside+ today. Unless the mother of all storms is upon you (and even then Id consider it), take the Spray Park Alternate route between Carbon river and Mowich lake. Youre in for a treat as you head towards Sunrise (the Northeast Entrance of the park) with views that are, literally, other-worldly. In the northeast corner, the Sunrise Entrance has a few spots to access the Wonderland Trail, by the Sunrise Visitor Center and lower on the road by White River Campground. Indian Henrys Patrol Cabin is a historic back country cabin built by the National Park Service in 1915-1916. Adjust accordingly to mitigate surprises. Iand the othershad been very attentive to our hydration, food, and electrolytes all day and it had paid off. 2.99 + 2.69 Postage. (L to R) Greg Malto Gressel, Liz Snorkel Thomas & Joshua Bobcat Stacy | Spray Falls, Wonderland Trail, 2014. St. Andrews Lake & Mt.Rainier | October 2003. in 2014 my three friends and I comfortably hiked the Wonderland Trail in three days. I talked about this in my prior post, but getting going on this adventure was tough mentally for me. Here, the river had carved a new channel the day before, and we had to rock hop and finally just walk through the water to get to the bridge over the main channel. There were Wonderland Trail signs along the way, marking our expected interactions with the day hikers and tourists. My Strava stats: Day 1: Longmire to White River (CCW)-34.77 miles/8,787..Day 2: White River to So. Although 1,800 applicants will be given a window to reserve, only 600 Wonderland thru-hikes are available during this early reservation period, meaning its still competitive even if you win the lottery. And some people give of themselves to be your crew, to help make it happen for you. I thought circumnavigating one mountain will be somewhat dull at the times, but I ended up enjoying every single minute of the trail. Obstacle Wonderland is pleased to bring you the best in Obstacle Course Racing, Trail Running, and More! When I was in my 20s, I went on two backpacking trips with my brother, Rob, and his friend, Kip, in the High Sierras of California. Irrespective of when you hit the trail, come prepared for wet and cold conditions. Use the, If you plan for a trip longer than about a week, it may be beneficial to store your food midway at a. or have a friend meet up with you to help restock your supplies. The majority of hikers. Its higher, tougher, and more scenic than the official trail. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Goodness! The Wonderland circumnavigates majestic Mount Rainier over the course of 93 miles. Even as I was packing, I had doubts about my focus and questioned whether I had the level of commitment in my heart to pull this off. Otherwise I had no physical problems. The meadow had been used in the 19th century by the Cowlitz and Nisqually tribes. I found it all. As it ended up, both forks of the river are safely bridged now and it was an easy crossing. While we debated our course of action and looked at the bridge, we literally watched the water level rise. Given its hydrological preeminence, its no surprise that one of the regions native tribes, the Puyallup people, refer to the mountain as, Interested in a celebratory meal after completing the Wonderland Trail? Good food, great service, reasonable prices, and big portions; who would have thought there would be a Traditional Sherpa-Burger Joint fusion restaurant so close to Mount Rainier!! Running Around Mt. The Wonderland Trail is aptly named: Spend a few days on this 93-mile circumnavigation of Washington's Mt. Its got a large variety of scenery, from wide-open river beds created by the melting glaciers to fields of wildflowers to the vast, outer space-like ambiance of monochrome ash formed by an andesitic lava flow. (, Hiking the Wonderland Trail: The Complete Guide to Mount Rainiers Premier Trail. For a 2-week hike, you can cut the mileage down to about 7 miles per day. A bit ironic, but my favorite part was the Spray Park detour. For the average backpacker, a longer trip will be a more pleasant way to enjoy this park. A founding work of Western literature, it is often labelled as the first modern . Here's the video I did for this year's hike. However, I didnt feel any force from the water and it was actually a relatively easy crossing. After the climb, everything caught up with me. Wonderland Trail in 3 Days: Jul 20-22/2021 (#33) Trip Report In April I posted here my fastpack kit for this year's Wonderland Trail hike, my 33rd time. A short climb brings you up and around Emerald Ridge for a great view of Glacier Island, a mass of rock rising from the Tahoma Glacier. Marmots.. Timberline Trail in a day - 44 miles (with detour) with 9600 ft. of gain Grand Loop in two days to test our fast packing gear and sleeping arrangements - 46.6 miles with 13, 027 ft. of gain Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake - 28 miles with 4134 ft. of gain. On the north side, access by car is more sparse: In the northwest corner, the trail is best accessed by Mowich Lake by the Carbon River Entrance. Subjective Participant or Objective Observer? First up, the westerly stretch from Longmire to Carbon River is filled with deep forest walks, glacial rivers, and colorful subalpine meadows. I highly recommend eating at Wildberry restaurant, located just down the road from Longmire Wilderness Information Center (7.6 mi / 14 minutes drive). We're hiking along the crest of the Cowlitz Divide on the southeast side of Mount Rainier National Park, just a few hours into a five-day, 77-mile backpacking trip covering most of the 93-mile Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier, and we've already had our first wildlife sightinga harbinger of what awaits us. The average thru-run of the Wonderland Trail takes about 3 days, and averages around 31 miles a day. My feet were hot and sore and felt blistered. She gave each of us a wonderful hug, and seriously it was like a smile in my soul! to help you prepare. This next sections dont really stand out in my mind for anything except that we kept going up and down, through the trees and out in the open. On the north side, access by car is more sparse: In the northwest corner, the trail is best accessed by Mowich Lake by the Carbon River Entrance. It is a strenuous hike with lots of elevation gain and loss, through lowland forests and valleys and into high alpine and sub-alpine areas. I was frustrated with myself for mistakes over the day. She was suffering from a swollen foot and blistering, and had realized during those same long 3 miles that her trip was up. At less than US$60 for the pair, they arguably the best value for money trekking poles on the market. A trail that would challenge me mentally and physically. Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:44 am. My totals were 101 miles with over 25,000 of climb for the 3 days. But, I was frustrated about the bridge situation, I was a little scared, and I just wanted to keep going. Tasmania, Scotland, New Zealand) / Not too thick/not too thin, warmer than synthetic equivalents when damp. Ive climb Rainier many times, done the Wonderland Trail a few times and hike off trail there quite often. To start planning, first determine how far you and your group are capable of hiking with a heavy overnight pack. Its a jaw-dropping airy crossing above the glacial melt river and the swinging bridge is not for the faint of heart. However, you can still get there by bike, and I think itd be a worthwhile day trip to ride up to the South Puyallup Trail and hike up to Emerald Ridge. ), I charged ahead, ignoring my watch chimes that I have programmed to remind me to eat, drink, and take electrolytes routinely. Our first landmark, at 5.5 miles and 2500 feet, was Devils Dream. The Wonderland Gambit is a trilogy by Jack Chalker. : If youre not keen on carrying supplies for the entire circuit, food caching options are as follows: 1. Theres also a Wonderland Trail page on FB with lots of ongoing discussion, tips, trail reports, etc. This years big adventure destination landed squarely in our Pacific Northwest backyard: seven of usKari, Kelli, Wendy, Heidi, Sarah, Vivian, and Idecided to go around Mt. I was excited about day two: I knew most of the trail, loved the views, and knew that it would be a shorter, easier day that ended in burgers at Sunrise Visitor Center. Do you know where the closest place to purchase MSR Isobutane Fuel canisters since I cannot pack them on the plane? Redirecting to /r/WildernessBackpacking/comments/tu41vu/wonderland_trail_how_do_you_create_a_multiday/i32e3rn (308) Helps keep the mud out of my trail runners. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 18 h 54 min to complete. Before long, the luscious green will transition briefly into the dry moon-like landscapes again at Panhandle Gap. Perhaps the biggest aspect in planning to hike the Wonderland Trail is you knowing your hiking skills, abilities and habits. In fact, I dont think any of us have peed during a day on the trails as much as we had that day. My worst experience on the Wonderland Trail was three days in which it didn't stop raining for even a minute. Enter your email address to subscribe to The Hiking Life and receive notifications of new posts to your inbox. So, I got my book in the other day, Discovering the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail by Bette Filley and it has gotten my wheels turning. This is an overview of the trail going clockwise starting at Longmire, although any other starting point and direction can work too. We then headed off toward our last climb of the trip. Over the 2 miles from Mystic to the Winthrop, we powered on hoping we would arrive before the days warmth increased the rivers levels too much. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Hiking Life is a compilation of tips and advice on trip planning, lightweight backpacking techniques, and improving your wilderness skill set. Ive used this merino wool base layer since 2016 for all my hikes in cold/wet conditions (e.g. After that bottle of water at 5 a.m., I decided to give the last leg of the trip a try. The Wonderland Trail also has some of the countrys most beautiful campsites, and youll also want to make the most of your time there. I wish I had some definitive, trademarkable bit of wisdom to share, but I dont. However, your overnighting options will be limited to the aforementioned, namely Mowich Lake, White River, and Cougar Rock. My feet were screaming at me, causing me to occasionally stop and flex them and breathe, but I felt strong. The first time I did the climb out of Indian Bar, it kicked my butt. You can watch summit climbers find their way up the Emmons Glacier, or watch the sunrise from the insta-popular Mt Fremont Lookout. When to Go. In descending order of popularity, they are as follows: 1. Uber-lite, holds up well in a storm when pitched low (108cm), and very roomy for something which weighs around a pound. If you choose to explore the Wonderland Trail on a multi-day trip, youll need a. to use any of the 18 campsites right next to the trail. I encountered a fair number of blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees. The trail starts rather anticlimactically by running along the road for a bit, and then starts heading up Rampart Ridge (and ironically taking us right by Cougar Rock campground). This includes 105 miles of the legendary Appalachian Trail. Oh! - Listen to Q&A #1: Pros & Cons of Sharing Hike on Social Media, How to Intergrate into the Hiking World, Timberline Trail vs. Tahoe Rim Trail by Backpacker Radio instantly on your tablet, phone or browser - no downloads needed. I was under the impression that I wouldnt, but you do need a reservation for each site according to the ranger that helped me. . Oh well. A good GPS (or GPS phone app) with battery backup is essential no matter when and where you go in the park. Spray Park. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. It's one of the most iconic trails in the region, and with very good reason. Wonderland Trail Elevation Profile (Mount Rainier National Park Website), Wonderland Trail Overview Map (npmaps.com). Or, if you dont mind the busier alternate route, hike through Spray Park, a wildflower paradise. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Love to all! The application opens on March 15 every year. Outside of that, it is possible to piece together the remaining campsites, although you may have days of uneven hiking lengthsa 2-mile day and then a 15-mile day, for exampleif you cannot get your ideal campsites. Flower-coated meadow. Lightweight sanity-saver for extended PNW rain. Monday, July 30: Drive to Longmire, start on the Wonderland Trail at 6:01 a.m., arrive at Mowich Lake at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31: Leave Mowich Lake at 6:30 a.m., arrive at Sunrise Visitor Center around 5:45 p.m. (in time for burgers!) I went to bed resigned to failure. There was no way I was going to be able to continue the next day. To access the cascade, head down a short, signposted side trail. The trail will deposit you back at Longmire, where you can kick back in one of their outdoor wicker chairs and pat yourself on the back for the successful thru-hike. Unless youre an elite ultrarunner, youll need to dedicate at least a few days to cover the Wonderland Trail. After crossing Kautz Creek, we continued our way up. Where to Apply for a Wonderland Trail Walk Up Permit I also ate a bunch of chips. Day 3: 15.1 miles to North Puyallup River campsite. For best results, create three different itinerary choices; vary the starting date, or start from different trailheads. 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