My right IT band was tight and my knee hated every step. I responded with a miserable, I dont care. Just as we arrived at the parking lot of Sunrise Visitor Center, my stomach called BS and I puked up the little that was left in my stomach into the bushes. This section ascends just under 2000 feet over 3ish miles, and it becomes another one of those breathtakingly beautiful places along the Wonderland Trail. After some discussion, most of us felt confident about going, but not everyone. It is on many a backpacker's bucket list! Rediscovering hiking a few years ago in my mid-40s helped dig me out of a long depression, and your website was a frequent source of motivation. Master the Art of the Car Shuttle. But Im ahead of myself . 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. Did you score your walk up permit on the first try this year? Your email address will not be published. 15lbs is awesome! Spring is also tricky since the large amount of snowmelt creates extreme flows that can damage bridges and trails, which will need to be fixed by a trail crew before visitors can safely pass. I wish I had some definitive, trademarkable bit of wisdom to share, but I dont. Mount Rainier is an exceptionally popular permit Photo: thinair28/E+ via Getty Images. My feet were screaming at me, causing me to occasionally stop and flex them and breathe, but I felt strong. 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. For a 2-week hike, you can cut the mileage down to about 7 miles per day. To start planning, first determine how far you and your group are capable of hiking with a heavy overnight pack. People will stop to tell you why they cant stop to pick you up. Indian Henrys Patrol Cabin is a historic back country cabin built by the National Park Service in 1915-1916. Region: Pacific West (Mount Rainier National Park, Washington) Length: 93 miles (7-10 days) Wonderland Trail GPX File Download Physical Difficulty: Moderate I got my answers in the middle of the trip, when I hit my low point and puked in the bushes outside the Sunrise Visitor Center parking lot. Easy Breezy drops before H, My Feel Good Friday Email is in your inbox OR you. Short-Term Rental Ski/In Ski/Out. . 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. The ranger advised to wait an hour, and we could see where things stood with the bridge improvements. I took some Advil and drank a bottle of water. The patrol cabin is located at Indian Henrys Hunting Ground in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA. Mountain views. All text copyright me. I just completed my 34th transit of the Wonderland Trail, again in 3 days. At Mystic Lake, we all needed to refill our water and then we were off again. I think its strengths are easy logistics, safety with numerous bailout options, well-maintained trails with easy signage and navigation, and easy resupply logistics for slower hikers. This sub is about overnight backcountry backpacking, with a focus on moving efficiently, packing light, generally aiming at a sub 10 pound base weight, and following LNT principles. I didnt wake up until the morning. Problem was, I didnt have a permit - no problem! friend. The latter point was proven when a Vietnamese family (of 13) picked me up in their Toyota rental car train. My totals were 101 miles with over 25,000 of climb for the 3 days. Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (#34): Sep 7-9/2022. 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. Up again at 5 a.m., we were slower at getting ready and finally left camp at 6:30 a.m. Cheery thoughts. Those things always happen so quickly, and luckily she slid into a tree which stopped her downhill progress. I sometimes question the accuracy of Strava but I mention it here for people who are using these tools for tracking. With our tents and sleeping bags waiting for us, we changed out some gear in our packs and fell into bed. With the rivers running higher as the day progressed, this posed a problem for people crossing the river later in the day. . Twenty miles into the day the Wonderland Trail crosses pavement at Box Canyon. There are no words. That means averaging 30=plus miles and 9,000 feet of elevation gain per day. Download the app. To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the lottery system, open mid February to early March every year. The maximum number of days that the park allows to hike the trail is 14. When our friend, Marna, did the Wonderland last year, the Mowich bridge was out and it made for a sketchy crossing. The trail follows high alpine ridges dotted with unique tundra flowers, drops into beautiful flower-strewn meadows, and past pristine lakes. Its about 8 miles, with 1500 feet gain and 2100 loss, to Golden Lakes, our next major landmark. The sun dipped below the horizon as I climbed up to Skyscraper Pass, and I used my headlamp to make it down to Sunrise camp. Oh! Directed by: Joel Christian Ballezza. It was along this descent that Heidi stepped on a loose rock the wrong way and was suddenly sliding off the trail. (OTM). And some people give of themselves to be your crew, to help make it happen for you. Our first views of the Mountain came as we crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles. In another half mile, we arrived at Reflection Lakes. The flower show was sometimes astounding, with entire meadows carpeted with avalanche lilies and hillsides bursting with myriad colors. Then I drank another bottle of water and went back to sleep. Good places to do this are at Mowich and Sunrise. At Treeline, we want you to buy right the first time. 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. By ad hoc I mean there was about .00065 seconds of rational consideration that focused mainly on whether or not I had enough Band-Aids in stock before deciding to do this. It is a hard thing to make a bail decision mid-adventure, but in my experience, much can be salvaged by making the right decisions at the right time. The meadow up near Mystic Lake was pretty nice. r/Ultralight is the largest online Ultralight Backcountry Backpacking community! Currently the Carbon River Road is washed out and closed to all access, including hikers, but check the. Rainier's Wonderland Trail. Movie. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. Be careful crossing the river. This section is mostly forested and a bit of a grind. Vivian kept an eye on me, and cheerfully announced each new spectacular view. 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. The inability to eat anything was becoming a problem as we approached that Point of No Return. Ammi Midstokke lives in the forests of North Idaho where she spends much of her time getting lost on well-marked trails or embarking rather unprepared on random misadventures in the outdoors. I found it all. Stewardship and Trail Maintenance Volunteer Opportunities, Inland NW Trails and Conservation Coalition, Negative Splits New Back to Nature Trail Run Series, Outdoorsy Summer Camps in the Inland NW 2021, Camping Destinations via Hike, Bike, or Bus, The Biggest Block Party of the Summer June 21, 2023. Day 3: Sunrise to Longmire: 36 miles, 7500 ft of gain. 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. Thanks for sharing! At the bottom of the ridge, youll end up at Nickel Creek and another section of forest. 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). Bottom line, my recent 3 day hikes over the past few years have gone better than ones I did even 25 years ago. My family, my husband, and my friends give me purpose and direction, and I love them. We did it last year in 6.5 days and it was an absolute grindI cant imagine cutting it in more than half! All the bridges were in as of 8.8.21. The Great Easter Bunny Trail at Victoria Park 3-10 April, kids of all ages can participate in The Great Easter Bunny Trail around Victoria Park these school holidays. I could fit everything (including shelter, etc) inside the pack below the extension collar. Everything about this hike was a delight with the exception of occasional periods of persistent mosquitos, something I avoided in my fall hikes. Own Your Own Piece Of Paradise In The Coveted North Creek Resort. r/Ultralight is the largest online Ultralight Backcountry Backpacking community! They drove us to Longmire and we took all the obligatory group photos, and then we were off. 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. We spend the first night at Big Creek Campground, just outside of the park. Check the conditions. I set up my sleeping gear and hung my bear bag in the group site to take a nap, figuring that if a group arrived I would just pack up my stuff and move on. We had reserved a site at Cougar Rock Campground for the night before, and we were all settled by about 9:30 or 10. - Hammock Gear Econ Burrow 40 - With layers and a bivy, I can take this down to mid 30s comfortably. This includes 105 miles of the legendary Appalachian Trail. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. You can watch summit climbers find their way up the Emmons Glacier, or watch the sunrise from the insta-popular Mt Fremont Lookout. For a trip that somehow went wrong, it sure ended up just right: Christi with a complete circumnavigation of Rainier, Rufus learning a thing or two about trail running, and me five pounds lighter. Klapatch Park was pretty dried up. Ended up buying some Montbell Dynamos which are working great so far. Finish it up with a nice descent along Paradise River, with the babbling water flowing alongside the trail as you pass the hustle bustle of Cougar Rock Campground. This time when we invited her to join us, she jumped at the offer, and we were once again a group of seven. 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. This is a great place to purchase or rent any last minute gear. Or, if you dont mind the busier alternate route, hike through Spray Park, a wildflower paradise. I made it back to my car around 10pm. At Box Canyon, we marveled at all the people and cars and used flush toilets and washed our hands with soap and water. to help you prepare. 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. Amazing! Ran this in 3 days CCW from Longmire. We had been hearing from backpackers going the opposite direction that the crossing at the Winthrop Creek was bad and that we should get there as early as possible. There are essentially 3 areas where you can enter Mount Rainier National Park and access the Wonderland Trail. She gave each of us a wonderful hug, and seriously it was like a smile in my soul! After crossing Kautz Creek, we continued our way up. Elly, Angel, and Tim quickly caught up with us, and it made for cheery conversation to catch up with them. Truly inspiring! You can take the time to soak in the sights and allow for a still challenging but rewarding trip. Sunrise has many side trails and camps to choose from that are slightly off from the main Wonderland Trail. The Gear It Takes to Run a 126-Mile Race Through the Himalayas, With Public Lands More Crowded Than Ever, We Need to Make Peace With Permits, How To Snag Some of The Most Popular Hiking Permits in 2023, Want To Hike In Middle-Earth? 3. You are a true legend. Running Around Mt. - UD FK Ultra Poles - these feel incredibly stiff and sturdy for a lightweight carbon segmented Z-style pole. I would just stay in the front country campgrounds and do it in three days, I work nightshift, which means that Im both terrible at staying awake and also terrible at sleeping. (The ridge is also a great additional 1.5 mi detour starting from Longmire for more views of Rainier.) , we arrived at Reflection Lakes was proven when a Vietnamese family ( of 13 ) picked up... Us to Longmire: 36 miles, with entire meadows carpeted with avalanche lilies and hillsides bursting myriad... 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