While it may be tempting to step away from the beaten path to capture some of the views, as with any hike, follow Leave No Trace principles and stay on the proper trail. Top-end wrapped in orange tape so I wont lose it. (, Hiking the Wonderland Trail: The Complete Guide to Mount Rainiers Premier Trail. In fact, I dont think any of us have peed during a day on the trails as much as we had that day. The Wonderland Trail first departs Longmire into the forest, taking you past Rampart Ridge. Ex.Con. The temperatures were mild but not too cold at night; my minimalist fastpack kit was just right for the conditions. My Strava stats: Day 1: Longmire to White River (CCW)-34.77 miles/8,787..Day 2: White River to So. 17 of 40 Pyramid Peak, Washington I had driven up from Portland to congratulate my girlfriend Keiren and her friends on a successful 3-day circumnavigation of Rainier on the Wonderland Trail, then stayed the next morning to add on this solo adventure before heading home. From Sunrise to White River is 3 downhill miles. friend. It is a stunningly beautiful trail that oscillates between deep, volcanic valleys, dense forests of old growth trees and high alpine parks and ridges. Use the Wilderness Trip Planner to help you sketch out your trip. The entire collection centers on the passion of Aleson for the Colorado River. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. 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. The bugs seemed happy, though. The average thru-run of the Wonderland Trail takes about 3 days, and averages around 31 miles a day. Timberline Trail in a Day: Flowers, and rivers, and sand, oh my! We celebrate in camp with a bonfire, burgers, and a dutch oven crisp. Following the lottery, the remaining campsites open for reservations in late April. 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. I then slept like the dead until I woke up at 4 a.m. to go to the bathroom. Your email address will not be published. Beautiful views. (Thank you to my mother-in-law, Nancy, whod made my favorite chili chicken with rice. Mike found a bridge on the North Mowich, but the South Mowich had to be forded. 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 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. Hi, any loose rock getting down to Tahoma Suspension bridge after Indian Henry (via Longmire). The best times to visit this trail are July through September. Highest Elevation: 6,750 ft (2,060 m) Panhandle Gap, Lowest Elevation: 2,320 ft (720 m) Ipsut Creek Campground. Submit a clear, neat application. Very durable Ive had the same pair since 2016. I highly recommend eating at, , located just down the road from Longmire Wilderness Information Center (. Those things always happen so quickly, and luckily she slid into a tree which stopped her downhill progress. Only a handful of permits for the full route are available, promising solitude on the sections not frequented by dayhikers for those who manage to snag one. (L to R) Greg Malto Gressel, Liz Snorkel Thomas & Joshua Bobcat Stacy | Spray Falls, Wonderland Trail, 2014. about Dewey Lake Dewey Lake lies outside of Mount Rainier National Park, so it doesn't use the Rainier campsite reservation system. Liz Thomas hiking through Spray Park | Late September 2014. I definitely recommend this trail to anyone! Diaries and journals include many of those written by other river runners, copied by Aleson, as well as his own . You decide. 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. Sunrise has many side trails and camps to choose from that are slightly off from the main Wonderland Trail. Redirecting to /r/WildernessBackpacking/comments/tu41vu/wonderland_trail_how_do_you_create_a_multiday/i32e3rn (308) #tokul #mtb #r, Goose chase before the snow arrived! Ive had the good fortune to hike this most aptly named of pathways on two occasions 2003 and 2014. Another group conference later, we remained split and agreed those of us who were ready to cross would, and if the remaining group members werent comfortable theyd wait the 3 hours and cross later. Most of my past Wonderland hikes have been in the fall, so this circuit in July provided some significant contrasts. Cabin tucked into the woods beside the meadow. 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. 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. The most beautiful time to visit the Wonderland Trail is mid summer when the snow has just melted, the wildflowers are out, and the weather is stable and sunny. 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). 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. I simply know that I am blessed. 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. Joshua Bobcat Stacy just west of Sunrise Camp on a cold and snowy Wonderland morning | Late September 2014. After crossing Kautz Creek, we continued our way up. Lightweight sanity-saver for extended PNW rain. I am planning on doing the trail in 2012, so I do have time to plan accordingly. To start planning, first determine how far you and your group are capable of hiking with a heavy overnight pack. The area was named after Sotolik, known as Indian Henry, to those who sought him out as a guide. Thanks for the kind words. First up, the westerly stretch from Longmire to Carbon River is filled with deep forest walks, glacial rivers, and colorful subalpine meadows. Our first destination would be Summerland, a long-time favorite of mine. Tentatively on the docket for the year: Your email address will not be published. Safarika Adventure Club (Safarika Travel Inc.) was founded in Los Angeles (CA) in the year 2013. At its high point, the Wonderland Trail passes over Panhandle Gap, just shy of 6,800 feet. As it ended up, both forks of the river are safely bridged now and it was an easy crossing. The Mother of Waters (aka Mount Rainier) dominates the northwestern skyline of Washington. 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. My right IT band was tight and my knee hated every step. Additionally, it affords the hiker the opportunity to get up close and personal with the spectacular 354 ft (108 m) Spray Falls. Wonderland Trail Elevation Profile (Mount Rainier National Park Website), Wonderland Trail Overview Map (npmaps.com). River guide. Once we passed Mike and my previous turnaround point, we were back again in unknown territory until we reach Old Desolate above Mystic Lake. Tips for Preventing and Treating Tick Bites, Trail Runners Vs. Eva zu Beck Raw Adventure's post stats : RUNNING THE WONDERLAND TRAIL Part 2: The Crisis By the time I reached camp at the end of day one it was already dark I had spent the last few miles wobbling around more than running my head spinning my body drained Everything had been fine up until the afternoon I had been feeling pumped excited for be out in the . . While you can take a longer detour to visit Paradise, Longmire is but a few miles away to complete the entirety of the Wonderland Trail. They were some of the longest, most demoralizing miles of my life. Rainier, Wanders through forests and meadows, crosses streams and rivers, passes by lakes and glaciers, and climbs and drops and climbs and drops through continuously breathtaking terrain, Sunday, July 29: Drive to Mt. 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. It's normally done as a 10 day hike, but many will run it over 3 days with support from crew who can meet runners at several drive-in campsites along the way. Thanks! That is about 9-13 miles a day. You can watch summit climbers find their way up the Emmons Glacier, or watch the sunrise from the insta-popular Mt Fremont Lookout. For day hiking, no permits are required other than the Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee (or the Annual National Park Pass). At Box Canyon, we marveled at all the people and cars and used flush toilets and washed our hands with soap and water. Rainier's Wonderland Trail. Mountain views. All photos copyright Sarah Brouwer and me. 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. It was getting pretty hot by now, and we were careful to hydrate, maintain electrolytes (Nuun, Tailwind, and S-Caps were our friends on this trip), and slow down a bit to keep things under control. Enter your email address to subscribe to The Hiking Life and receive notifications of new posts to your inbox. To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the. Hi Scott, Your average backpacker takes 7-10 days to hike the trail. I started both my Wonderland Trail hikes at Longmire, which has a ranger station, museum, shop, and indoor accommodation in the form of the historic, 2,320 ft (720 m) Ipsut Creek Campground, As of 2020, there is no public transport available to Mount Rainier National Park. In other words, I wasnt thinking well. For reference, if you plan for 10 days, youll need to average 9 miles per day. 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. I encountered a fair number of blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees. A founding work of Western literature, it is often labelled as the first modern . I sometimes question the accuracy of Strava but I mention it here for people who are using these tools for tracking. Goodness! 2.99 + 2.69 Postage. . Categories100 Classic Multi-Day Hikes, Gear Lists, Quick and Dirty Guides, The Hiking Life Blog, United StatesTagsBackpacking, Brooks Running, Gossamer Gear, Hiking, Katabatic Gear, Liz "Snorkel" Thomas, Liz Thomas, Longmire, Montbell, Mount Rainier, Mount Rainier National Park, Quick and Dirty Guides, REI, Seattle, Tarptent, Thru-hiking, Trekking, ultralight backpacking, Wonderland Trail. Our friends are the best! There is a trail that encircles the mountain. This trail was established at the turn of the century when the "Wonderland" was an attraction used to promote . Day 6: 9.9 miles to Indian Bar campsite. Soon, youll climb out of the river bed and pop out to Mystic Lake, which hosts another campsite and ranger station. Dont forget to include the cumulative fatigue from hiking multiple days in a row, and err on the shorter sideif you are unsure. As we waited, the day continued to warm and my earlier Sunrise-or-bust attitude started to tear me apart. Then I drank another bottle of water and went back to sleep. We first headed up to Emerald Ridge, which was breathtaking! Hiking the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Day 2: Mowich Lake to White River Campground. Ive been wearing this cap since 2003. 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. Otherwise I had no physical problems. The Wonderland Circumnavigation is three days of unbelievable trail running, delicious meals and "glamp" style accommodations on the shoulders of Tahoma (Mt. You can take the time to soak in the sights and allow for a still challenging but rewarding trip. The Wonderland Trail climbs and falls 23,000 feet over those 93 miles. 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. Tired of Not Looking or Feeling the Way You Want?. about Cougar Rock Cougar Rock is a frontcountry car campground, so it doesn't use the Rainier backcountry campsite reservation system. The most beautiful time to visit the Wonderland Trail is mid summer when the snow has just melted, the wildflowers are out, and the weather is stable and sunny. My thoughts remain with the man who died and especially with his son, who witnessed everything. Best Multi-Day Hikes in USA National Parks. 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. The South Mowich River crossing was still lacking a bridge, requiring a ford (assisted by a steel cable strung across). White Rabbit Chronicles (2012 - 2019) is a series by Gena Showalter. After that bottle of water at 5 a.m., I decided to give the last leg of the trip a try. A DORSET WONDERLAND Susan Brett 1986 1st PB illust. None of us wanted to leave, but all of us wanted to get to Mowich at some point that evening, so we resigned ourselves to putting back on our shoes and packs and heading out. . From there, I dragged into the Visitor Center and promptly inhaled a hamburger, two bags of popcorn, and two sodas. OUR HERITAGE 3 DORSET CHURCHES E.T,Long 1970 1st PB illust. Cloudless view on Mt Rainier from Mt Fremont Lookout Trail, USA, The peak of Mount Rainier in the Mount Rainier National Park behind the Ohanapecosh River, Washington. and White River Campground about 7 p.m. There was lots of discussion about the pros and cons of starting points and directions, but ultimately we chose to start and end at Longmire and to go clockwise. Avalanche lilies along the Wonderland Trail. ft.) includes quite literally every exchange Aleson ever received. Sarah noted that we were like Beyonce until she came along, and now we were just what was left of Destinys Child. I then ran to the bathroom to take care of the other side of things. Good places to do this are at Mowich and Sunrise. My husband had hiked down to the Mowich a couple of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there. 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. I was able to get 6 hours of rest both nights. Hike the Sourdough Ridge Trail to Frozen Lake, take a loop hike to First Burroughs Mountain (and beyond! 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. Most of my past Wonderland hikes have been in the fall, so this circuit in July provided some significant contrasts. It's included as an option here because camping somewhere along that section of the PCT can be useful for making a loop by . There is often more availability for partial Wonderland Trail backpacking trips. I can only strive to give back to them as they give to me. (L to R) Swami, Bobcat and Malto | Longmire Trailhead, 2014. The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile hiking trail that encircles Washington's most famous volcano. To the bathroom climbs and falls 23,000 feet over those 93 miles northwestern skyline of Washington for who... Noted that we were just what was left of Destinys Child the snow arrived miles day. She came along, and luckily she slid into a tree which her! Trail Elevation Profile ( Mount Rainier National Park Website ), Wonderland Trail first departs Longmire the! Just right for the conditions most of my past Wonderland hikes have in! Sometimes question the accuracy of Strava but I mention it here for who... 2: Mowich Lake to White River is 3 downhill miles sand, my! 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Way you Want? many side trails and camps to choose from that are slightly from... Following the lottery, the best times to visit this Trail are July through September tokul! Mild but not too cold at night ; my minimalist fastpack kit just. Hands with soap and water to Frozen Lake, which hosts another campsite and ranger station and your are... Lowest Elevation: 2,320 ft ( 720 m ) Ipsut Creek Campground Strava I.

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