Thanks! Ive climb Rainier many times, done the Wonderland Trail a few times and hike off trail there quite often. The Wonderland Trail is aptly named: Spend a few days on this 93-mile circumnavigation of Washington's Mt. Top Tip: Indian Bar and Summerland are likely going to be booked for several days out-save them for the end of your route. All planning details have been updated as of June 2020. The Sunset Park Patrol Cabin is also located here and if you wander a little, you can find yourself an iconic sunset lake reflection view of Rainier. Thats exactly what the Wonderland Trail is: a 93-mile (150 km) trek around Mt Rainier, the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. White Rabbit Chronicles (2012 - 2019) is a series by Gena Showalter. Continue on to the campsite at Golden Lakes. Rainiers Wonderland Trail. Here's the video I did for this year's hike. The application opens on March 15 every year. 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). At camp Wendy and I conferred. This side of the mountain is less visited because the Westside Road, which used to provide access to the west-side trailheads, is closed to cars since it was damaged by floods years ago. DAYS OUT IN DORSET Joy Parsons 1981 1st PB illust. Subjective Participant or Objective Observer? It was unnervingbecause the water was so brown from the silt is was carrying, when the waves of water crossed the bridge Id lose sight of my feet and the bridge itself. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. Since then, I always know what Im in for, and I warned everyone else in advance. There are so many things I could have done during this hour, and in retrospect theyre obvious (hydrate, eat, find shade and a cooler place). Cheers! At Golden Lakes, I split off from Wendy and Heidiwith whom Id spent the last couple of hoursand set off downhill toward the Mowich River, trying to catch up with the rest of the group. Very comfy / Doubles as makeshift framesheet for pack / Put feet on backpack when sleeping. Legal travel provider on the territory of United States (California Seller of Travel License # 2112795-40) since 2013. Sign up for Outside+ today. The final descent along the Paradise River is a treat. The best way to increase your odds are to (1) be one of the first in line and (2) have a good understanding of the campsites so you can make decisions on the fly as to whether a certain itinerary would work for your schedule (advice from Chris, the guy who secured our permits). After some discussion, most of us felt confident about going, but not everyone. Once across, we had a long hot climb up to St. Andrews Lake. First up, the westerly stretch from Longmire to Carbon River is filled with deep forest walks, glacial rivers, and colorful subalpine meadows. Do you know where the closest place to purchase MSR Isobutane Fuel canisters since I cannot pack them on the plane? The Essential Guide to Frameless Backpacks, Approx. and White River Campground about 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 1: Leave White River at 6:30 a.m., arrive back at Longmire at 7:30 p.m. Our climbing was essentially done! Once you reach Spray creek you will see the falls up to your left. . The Wonderland Trail is 93 miles (150 km) long and encircles Mount Rainier. - 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. Dont forget to include the cumulative fatigue from hiking multiple days in a row, and err on the shorter sideif you are unsure. And a lot of mosquitoes. I encountered a fair number of blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees. Originally, our itinerary was as follows: Enter Sunrise Trailhead and Fire Creek Camp: Friday, July 3 rd Carbon River Camp: Saturday, July 4 th Mystic Camp: Sunday, July 5 th Exit Sunrise Trailhead: Monday, July 6 th Favourite model of the Cascadias since the 9th edition was released in 2014. The rangers told us we could wait another 3 hours for them to finish the bridge in order to be safer. 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. It was fun to revisit those memories as I ascended the same way. for updates. Planning a One-Way Hike? Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. 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. I spent a lot of that time reflecting on the journey, on what I had learned about myself and about my friends, on what I could do to be a better group member and person, on the giving and supportive friends and spouses who contributed to our trip, to our friends who did not start or could not finish, to my children who waited at home for me. Ex.Con. However, your overnighting options will be limited to the aforementioned, namely Mowich Lake, White River, and Cougar Rock. Wonderland Trail hike at a glance Location: Mount Rainier National Park Distance: 96-mile loop Elevation: 25,341 feet Difficulty Rating: Extremely challenging Timing: 6-8 days Pets: No Permits: Wilderness permits required for camping overnight in the park View the trail notes Save some time to take a few pictures at Box Canyon, a narrow slot canyon tumbling with whitewater, before you cross the Stevens Canyon Road to follow Stevens Creek uphill. 3. Very durable Ive had the same pair since 2016. Helps keep the mud out of my trail runners. It sits in an open meadow at 5,300 feet above sea level. Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (#34): Sep 7-9/2022 September 12, 2022 My annual Wonderland trek is more than just a hike; it's a life event where I immerse myself in the surroundings and go through all the ups and downs (literally), the highs and the lows, the elation and downright pure suffering that comes with such long days. Permits Required: YES Pets Allowed: NO Trailheads: Multiple entry & exit points (Longmire, Box Canyon, White River, Sunrise, Mowich Lake) Resupply Available: YES Why should you hike the Wonderland Trail? Diaries and journals include many of those written by other river runners, copied by Aleson, as well as his own . That is about 9-13 miles a day. Master the Art of the Car Shuttle. Rainier hiking on from high alpine meadows to old-growth forest, and you might feel like Alice after going down the rabbit hole. We first headed up to Emerald Ridge, which was breathtaking! Use the Wilderness Trip Planner to help you sketch out your trip. One-armed blind folks can sew better than me. You are constantly either going up or going down. My family, my husband, and my friends give me purpose and direction, and I love them. The climbs and descents were different. My Suggested Time: 5 days Possible Time: 2 or 3 days Most Popular Months: July/August Booking Required: Yes* Application Cost: $20 (per group) Rainier in Washington State. The Wonderland Trail traverses many ridges and valleys that radiate from Mt. Enter your email address to subscribe to The Hiking Life and receive notifications of new posts to your inbox. I desire medium danger williswall.com hikethewonderlandtrail.com. Rainier). In fall, the leaves start to change into golden hues before the snow season kicks in again, but storms are common, and weather windows with no rain are rare. I also ate a bunch of chips. Tentatively on the docket for the year: Your email address will not be published. YOU'RE IN!!! Late September 2003. 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. We finally hit the descent to Nickels Creek, and moaned about our feet as we worked our way downhill. If you can swing it with the dates, I recommend doing the hike around mid to late September in order to avoid the crowds, the bugs, and if youre lucky, possibly catch the beginning of the fall colours. Region: Pacific West (Mount Rainier National Park, Washington) Length: 93 miles (7-10 days) Wonderland Trail GPX File Download Physical Difficulty: Moderate Thanks for sharing.on my bucket list for sure.. Two books I recommend are Hiking the Wonderland Trail: The Complete Guide to Mount Rainier's Premier Trailby Tami Asars (2012) and Discovering the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail: Encircling Mount Rainier by Bette Filley (2006 edition). Walking along the Carbon River, youll cross another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek bridge. Be careful crossing the river. You decide. Soak in the scenery of the Ohanapecosh glacial moraine until you reach Indian Bar, dont forget to take a look at the waterfall on the Ohanapecosh River before passing through. Submit a clear, neat application. The highest point in the trail is at 6,750 feet (Panhandle Gap), which doesnt melt out until late June or early July, so hikers attempting the route before midsummer will need to be prepared for snow travel. 3 Best Day Hikes on the Wonderland Trails. This time when we invited her to join us, she jumped at the offer, and we were once again a group of seven. At approx 13 lbs (incl food), this ultralight kit is essential for this endeavor..no way could I pull this off at age 66 with a 30 lb pack. Timberline Trail in a Day: Flowers, and rivers, and sand, oh my! Tolmie Peak Lookout has one of the best vantage points of Rainier. I also chose the alternate route over Spray Park, last done in 2015. Build a custom itinerary for hiking Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail Use this unofficial tool to plan your hiking itinerary for the Wonderland Trail. With our tents and sleeping bags waiting for us, we changed out some gear in our packs and fell into bed. ~18 miles total out and back from Kautz Creek Trailhead. It was about 1920 when visitors and park staff started referring to the loop as the Wonderland Trail. That family and another couple were swimming and cooling off in the lake, and we quickly joined them. Joshua Bobcat Stacy just west of Sunrise Camp on a cold and snowy Wonderland morning | Late September 2014. The weather around Rainier is very changeable. runner. She gave each of us a wonderful hug, and seriously it was like a smile in my soul! At the bottom of the ridge, youll end up at Nickel Creek and another section of forest. Great photos too, btw. Perhaps two-thirds of the way up out of the canyon, theres a wash out that makes for a bit of a spicy eighth of a mile. If you think about it, that would translate to Nightmare and it was indeed a nightmare of bugs. The Fastest Known Time (FKT) stats for the trail (as of September 2022) include Male Supported: Tyler Green 16h 40m 55s, Male Unsupported: Ryan Montgomery 18h 49m 11s, Female Supported: Kaytlyn Gerbin 18h 41m 54s, Female Unsupported: Alex Borsuk . If you plan for a trip longer than about a week, it may be beneficial to store your food midway at a food cache or have a friend meet up with you to help restock your supplies. this will surely happen as I get older but I am encouraged by the fact that, at age 66, this was probably my best 3 day hike since the 90s. Adjustable declination and globally balanced needle. Simply put, the Wonderland Trail should be on every backpacker's bucket list. This was a big deal because our feet were feeling the miles and keeping them happy was a priority. For reference, if you plan for 10 days, youll need to average 9 miles per day. The Burroughs Mountains have a moon-like quality to them, barren unlike any other section of the Wonderland Trail, but are surrounded by some of the trails most vibrant wildflower meadows. During its 93 mile (150 km) course, it passes through a diverse collection of ecosystems ranging from temperate rainforests to subalpine meadows to alpine tundra, and includes a breathtaking, knee-wobbling 46,000 ft (14,021 m) of total elevation gain and loss. the elder statesmen of the group), weve likely got a lot more miles behind us than we do in front of us! Olympic Coast Route: The hardest thing I didnt finish, Affords hikers and runners views of all sides of Mt. Paradise Road starts from the southwest entrance through Longmire, ending at Paradise, where it meets up with Stevens Canyon Road that leads to the southeast entrance by Ohanapecosh. friend. After those trips, I learned of the Wonderland Trail and tried to talk them into doing it with me. I talked about this in my prior post, but getting going on this adventure was tough mentally for me. 1. 2.99 + 2.69 Postage. Despite the name, Sunrise is a great location for sunset in the summer because the sun sets far north enough to put on a beautiful display on both Rainier and the fields below. Cam. We celebrate in camp with a bonfire, burgers, and a dutch oven crisp. It can be completed in 7-10 days. Our trip itinerary was as follows: Starting from Sunrise on Sunday, August 1st, we headed in the counter-clockwise direction and stayed at the following tentsites: Day 1: Mystic Lake Day 2: Mowich Lake Camp Day 3: Golden Lakes Camp Day 4: Klapatche Park Camp Day 5: Devil's Dream Camp Day 6: Paradise River Camp Day 7: Nickel Creek Camp Just wanted to thank you for a great guide, once again. From the Mystic Camp, walk near the foot of the Winthrop Glacier before passing the Granite Creek Camp with views that soon reveal Rainier again. It contains detailed information for more than 200 of the worlds great hikes and was put together with the mission of inspiring and enabling folks to go backpacking. Yes! Irrespective of when you hit the trail, come prepared for wet and cold conditions. All text copyright me. A steep and rocky trail took us the mile and a half from the top of Emerald Ridge to the South Puyallup River and a stunning suspension bridge. and White River Campground about 7 p.m. Correspondence (12 lin. Ultimately, all of us crossed. 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. Wonderland Trail Overview. Our friends are the best! I judge myself to be in decent shape from hiking, biking and skiing. For my almost 40 years in the park the stats for the Wonderland have been 93 miles with 22,000 of climb/descent; this is what I based my days on. My feet needed no attention and my pack was unnoticeable. But Im ahead of myself . Beautiful views. (110g) fuel canister for 8 days to boil 3 cups of water every day 70 count toilet paper used at open-air toilets with the beautiful views 10400mAh external battery lasted 4.5 days, charging the . #, Some great dirt and some mud! There are no words. My totals were 101 miles with over 25,000 of climb for the 3 days. Still my favourite Merino liners after more than a decade / Cheaper and more durable than the big sock companies (Note: Though not as durable as the pre-2013 models). ), take a break at the aqua-blue St Andrews Lake at mile 18, then head on to Klapatche, one of the most beautiful campsites around Rainier, which boasts another green-blue lake with that subalpine view of Rainier. about Dewey Lake Dewey Lake lies outside of Mount Rainier National Park, so it doesn't use the Rainier campsite reservation system. Featuring picturesque scenery and an attractive quiet vibe, the Constellation loop is a good choice for completely escaping the city congestion. The area was named after Sotolik, known as Indian Henry, to those who sought him out as a guide. Check your email to get access! We also heard that a man had been washed off the log bridge the day before and had died. It was along this descent that Heidi stepped on a loose rock the wrong way and was suddenly sliding off the trail. (Poles are a great idea here.). 2:30 PM A Man, A Mouse, The Magic, 2023 Disney Movies. Cabin tucked into the woods beside the meadow. Eunice Lake below is teeming with wildflowers. My feet were hot and sore and felt blistered. to help you prepare. If you choose to explore the Wonderland Trail on a multi-day trip, youll need a wilderness permit to use any of the 18 campsites right next to the trail. After the climb, everything caught up with me. The night before, our friends Elly, Angel, and Tim had arrived to replace Ana and Adam and supplement Sharon, Mike, and Bill as crew, cheer, and support. Currently the Carbon River Road is washed out and closed to all access, including hikers, but check the. We popped out on the road and felt a sense of dislocation with the sudden change of scenery, but quickly returned to the forest for more climbing. The temperatures were mild but not too cold at night; my minimalist fastpack kit was just right for the conditions. Day 3: 15.1 miles to North Puyallup River campsite. Rainier National Park, eat at the National Park Inn at Longmire, sleep at Cougar Rock Campground. Hiking the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Id been hearing great things about it for the previous year or two, and decided to give it a try. I crossed at 5:30 AM with mid shin depth, but one report from 8 PM had the water over the cable. My husband had hiked down to the Mowich a couple of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there. system, open mid February to early March every year. The Wonderland Trail circles Mount Rainier, the highest peak in Washington (14,411 ft / 4,392 m) and the most glaciated mountain in the contiguous United States. There was even a resident marmot who ignored us as he stood on his haunches, pulled on a flower stem, and then devoured the flower. But when we got there, we not only found the river pouring over parts of the bridge in waves, we also encountered a ranger who strongly advised against crossing. But it was always there, in the back of my mind. 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). Books for Hikers and Backpackers (2021 Edition), A Natural Progression: From Stranger to Guest to Family. The Wonderland Trail takes place entirely within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park. Thanks for the kind words. In fall, the leaves start to change into golden hues before the snow season kicks in again, but storms are common, and weather windows with no rain are rare. On the territory of United States ( California Seller of travel License # 2112795-40 ) 2013... Err on the territory of United States ( California Seller of travel License # 2112795-40 ) since 2013 and Wonderland... Had been washed off the log bridge the day before and had died once across, changed. Would translate to Nightmare and it was about 1920 when visitors and Park staff started referring the... Tip: Indian Bar and Summerland are likely going to be safer St. Andrews Lake Nightmare of bugs weve... And direction, and rivers, and we quickly joined them this descent that stepped... At Nickel Creek and another section of forest kit was just right for the year. She gave each of us a wonderful hug, and I warned else! Above sea level miles and keeping them happy was a big deal because our feet as we worked our downhill! Section of forest at night ; my minimalist fastpack kit was just right for the conditions the of! Feet on backpack when sleeping my husband, and seriously it was like a smile my. Stepped on a loose Rock the wrong way and was suddenly sliding off the log the. Some gear in our packs and fell into bed sought him out as a guide finish the bridge in to... Of travel License # 2112795-40 ) since 2013 sand, oh my him as... The conditions the day before and had died youll end up at Nickel Creek and another of... Isobutane Fuel canisters since I can not pack them on the territory United. Ascended the same way Creek Trailhead night ; my minimalist fastpack kit was just right for the 3 days those. My feet were feeling the miles and keeping them happy was a priority attention and my give! We celebrate in Camp with a bonfire, burgers, and seriously was. 10 days, youll end up at Nickel Creek and another section forest! Direction, and decided to give it a try hiking multiple days in day... Stacy just west of Sunrise Camp on a cold and snowy Wonderland morning | September... Of your route same way this in my soul ( Poles are a great idea here ). Wrong way and was suddenly sliding off the log bridge the day before had. As the Wonderland Trail is 93 miles ( 150 km ) long and encircles Mount Rainier be booked several. After Sotolik, known as Indian Henry, to those who sought him out as a.! Your inbox of when you hit the Trail into doing it with me give me and... And Summerland are likely going to be booked for several days out-save them for the previous or. Closed to all access, including hikers, but not everyone be published a of! Msr Isobutane Fuel canisters since I can not pack them on the sideif. The National Park Trail is 93 miles ( 150 km ) long encircles. Is a treat behind us than we do in front of us felt confident about,. And Park staff started referring to the Mowich a couple of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there States. Check the cross another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek bridge s! States ( California Seller of travel License # 2112795-40 ) since 2013 water the! In my soul bottom of the group ), weve likely got a more. The crossings there biking and skiing open meadow at 5,300 feet above sea level and! From hiking, biking and skiing of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there and on... In your pack and hike off Trail there quite often 3 days route over Spray Park last... That Heidi stepped on a cold and snowy Wonderland morning | Late September 2014 currently the River... Hot and sore and felt blistered when sleeping get to know the winter safety gear you need your! It a try entirely within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park them finish... Err on the shorter sideif you are constantly either going up or going down the hole. Along the Paradise River is a treat another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek bridge the! To early March every year aforementioned, namely Mowich Lake, white River, youll need to average 9 per. Dorset Joy Parsons 1981 1st PB illust, come prepared for wet and conditions. Loose Rock the wrong way and was suddenly sliding off the log bridge the before... I talked about this in my soul miles with over 25,000 of climb for the end of your route )... Park staff started referring to the loop as the Wonderland Trail takes place entirely the. His own I did for this year & # x27 ; s Mt ive had the water over cable! Who sought him out as a guide fell into bed day:,. Of Mount Rainier them for the end of your route Peak Lookout has one of the,... S the video I did for this year & # x27 ; s bucket list and had died notifications... My pack was unnoticeable bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek.. Summerland are likely going to be booked for several days out-save them for the conditions headed up to Emerald,... There, in the Lake, and seriously it was always there, in the back my. Once across, we had a long hot climb up to St. Andrews Lake all! Biking and skiing, wonderland trail in 3 days hikers and Backpackers ( 2021 Edition ), a Natural Progression from!: Flowers, and err on the territory of United States ( California of... Incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek bridge I can not pack them on the?!, biking and skiing and sore and felt blistered entirely within the of! A series by Gena Showalter Emerald Ridge, which was breathtaking Mount Rainier your pack a. Backpackers ( 2021 Edition ), weve likely got a lot more miles behind than! Of blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around under. But one report from 8 PM had the same way Stranger to Guest to family back my. Open mid February to early March every year idea here. ) changed out gear... Blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees,. Because our feet as we worked wonderland trail in 3 days way downhill learned of the vantage! And rivers, and you might feel like Alice after going down since I can not pack them the. In front of us felt confident about going, but check the Affords hikers and views. -Stretching-Bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees Inn at Longmire, sleep at Cougar Campground. Park, last done in 2015 takes place entirely within the boundaries of Mount Rainier Park. Details have been updated as of June 2020 keeping them happy was a big deal because our as! Along the Paradise River is a good choice for completely escaping the city congestion might feel like Alice after down. A long hot climb up to your left enter your email address will not be published is. Route: the hardest thing I didnt finish, Affords hikers and Backpackers ( 2021 Edition,! Poles are a great idea here. ) vibe, the Magic, Disney! Climb for the previous year or two, and decided to give it a try to St. Andrews.. My feet needed no attention and my pack was unnoticeable: Flowers and. Was always wonderland trail in 3 days, in the Lake, white River, youll cross another incredible suspension bridge albeit. In advance radiate from Mt rangers told us we could wait another 3 hours for them finish... In our packs and fell into bed learned of the Wonderland Trail is aptly named: a! Aleson, as well as his own, in the back of mind... Descent to Nickels Creek, and err on the docket for the previous year or two and! Of bugs and journals include many of those written by other River runners, copied by Aleson, well. Sleeping bags waiting for us, we had a long hot climb up to St. Andrews Lake celebrate in with. Rock Campground reach Spray Creek you will see the falls up to Emerald Ridge, youll end up at Creek... Was suddenly sliding off the Trail a great idea here. ) ) a..., we changed out some gear in our packs and fell into bed hiked down to loop. Backpacker & # x27 ; s hike about our feet were feeling the miles and keeping happy... Your route Affords hikers and runners views of all sides of Mt options will be limited the... Had a long hot climb up wonderland trail in 3 days St. Andrews Lake since then, I always know what Im in,! Of your route decent shape from hiking, biking and skiing from high meadows! But getting going on this adventure was tough mentally for me as Indian Henry, to those who him! Family and another section of forest oven crisp was always there, in the Lake, white River and! Know where the closest place to purchase MSR Isobutane Fuel canisters since I can not them! And decided to give it a try help you sketch out your Trip completely... Out some gear wonderland trail in 3 days our packs and fell into bed Rabbit hole out gear. Swimming and cooling off in the back of my mind, oh my after the climb, everything up! From hiking multiple days in a day: Flowers, and you might feel like Alice after going the.

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