Your email address will not be published. Rainier's Wonderland Trail. A trail that could be cruel and giving. You can take the time to soak in the sights and allow for a still challenging but rewarding trip. Rainier, at its center, the Park offers dozens of hiking options, from amazing day hikes to the crown jewel of Washington hiking, the Wonderland Trail. After the Winthrop, you traverse gently up and down to Granite Creek and then ascend several hundred feet through forest. With Washington's tallest peak, Mt. 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. Pack: custom Zpacks Arc slim (13.5.ozs)/Bag: Nunatak 40 degree Nova quilt (12 ozs)/Shelter: custom Borah Gear WPB bivy (9.1 ozs)/Pad: Z Lite SOL (14 ozs). To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the. This is an overview of the trail going clockwise starting at Longmire, although any other starting point and direction can work too. After a climb and a short descent into the Kautz Creek Basin, youll reachPyramid Creek Camp, a great place to rest before heading up another long ascent to Devils Dream Camp. Mount Rainier is an exceptionally popular permit Photo: thinair28/E+ via Getty Images. The people you do things with flavor your experiences. Use this unofficial tool to plan your hiking itinerary for the Wonderland Trail. Clearly salt was still high on the body-needs-this list. 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 final descent along the Paradise River is a treat. New Trails and Old Classics in Nelson, B.C. For intermediate and advanced backpackers, I think there are more interesting and scenic routes out there in the PNW (including this Glacier Peak loop). Views were pretty meh, as Rainier was mostly obscured in fog. You are a true legend. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. Instead of the typical pattern of walking up and over a ridge, this time, you get to spend a few miles with Rainier as the main backdrop. This northerly section is often done as the Northern Loop Trail, taking alternate routes from the Wonderland Trail to make a round trip path. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. 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. I then slept like the dead until I woke up at 4 a.m. to go to the bathroom. Mowich River Camp to Longmire-34.91 miles/8,720. 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. Endurance mountain runners (or so I might label us) are strange looking people. Had I not been preoccupied with my growing desire to vomit, I surely would have shed tears of appreciation. A few years ago, Mike and I rode our mountain bikes up the Carbon River Road to Ipset Creek Campground and then hiked up to the snout of the Carbon Glacier. 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. Even if you smile to show a full set of teeth. When my alarm rang at 5 a.m., I drank another bottle of water. When we arrived, Rachel was soaking her feet in the creek and she shared that two humongous blisters were troubling her. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. YOU'RE IN!!! Flower-coated meadow. Iand the othershad been very attentive to our hydration, food, and electrolytes all day and it had paid off. Next time I'll just bring puffy and a windshirt. Planning a One-Way Hike? Some other specialty items: Timmermade Alpha Direct sweater (7 ozs)/EE Copperfield wind shirt (2 ozs)/Nunatak JMT hooded Apex sweater (6 ozs)/custom ZPacks XL Long rain jacket (vintage 2014) 5.7.ozs)/Blackrock Gear Apex beanie (1 oz)the remainder of the weight were the usual incidentals like toothbrush, sunglasses, filter, buff etc. The Wonderland Trail is 93 miles (150 km) long and encircles Mount Rainier. The most unlikely people will pick you up and treat you like kin. There was a work crew on the other side of the river, and they were there to install a railing to make the crossing safer. It seemed possible that we would have to turn back and give up on our trip. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. And though I couldnt stop smiling, somewhere along the way, food lost its allure. Wonderland Trail in 3 days (day 1) Wonderland Trail in 3 days (day 2) All the pictures from the trip. And a lot of mosquitoes. Most people begin from Longmire and hike clockwise. You can watch summit climbers find their way up the Emmons Glacier, or watch the sunrise from the insta-popular Mt Fremont Lookout. From here, we had about 11 miles and 3400 feet of gain to get to our next major landmark: Klapatche Park. 1. 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. Own Your Own Piece Of Paradise In The Coveted North Creek Resort. Ran this in 3 days CCW from Longmire. - UD FK Ultra Poles - these feel incredibly stiff and sturdy for a lightweight carbon segmented Z-style pole. Our friends are the best! 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. A sample Wonderland Trail itinerary is: Day 1: Mowich Lake Campground to Dick Creek (9.8 mi / 15.77 km) Day 2: Dick Creek to Granite Creek (9.3 mi / 14.97 km) Day 3: Granite Creek to White River Campground (7.3 mi / 11.75 km) Day 4: White River Campground to Indian Bar (11.2 mi / 18.02 km) Day 5: Indian Bar to Maple Creek (10 mi / 16.09 km) I usually keep myself fit enough to be able to run 10-15 miles (slowly), bike a century (July I did a 1 day STP (Seattle to Portland) 206 miles), or hike climb 7-10,000' in a day. Appalachian Trail - Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Download the app. They feel much sturdier and stiffer than Black Diamond Carbon-Z poles, which are of a comparable weight. Christi came up with the genius idea to glamp (glamour camp: identified by luxuries such as pillows) by having a friend drive a car to the destination campground each night. Here we have an aid station and a 3:00 pm cutoff for runners . By thepurpleninja on Tuesday, October 29, 2019. It was still pretty early, only 5:30pm. 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. She gave each of us a wonderful hug, and seriously it was like a smile in my soul! Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (#34): Sep 7-9/2022 from Willis Wall on Vimeo. This is a great place to purchase or rent any last minute gear. Translation: I was cocky, didnt take the day as seriously as I had the day before, and I just about trashed the trip for myself as a result. Those things always happen so quickly, and luckily she slid into a tree which stopped her downhill progress. - Arcteryx Proton FL - it wasn't cold enough after the sun went down to use as an active layer, and it was a tad bit cold at camp. Goodness! Once again, there were sites empty, so I made the lazy choice and just camped at Sunrise instead of going down to White River. 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. (Poles are a great idea here.). car accident in richmond, ca today. What would you say if your friend suggested that you run 93 miles around the base of the US's largest active volcano in 3 days? Quoting from the back of my Rainier map, it states that "the Wonderland Trail encircles the mountain, passing through deep forests and crossing mountain passes, alpine meadows and glacial streams. Even . And then suddenly we were at Louise Lake! Own Your Own Piece Of Paradise In The Coveted North Creek Resort. The majority of hikers give themselves 10 or more days to finish the Wonderland. The Northern Loop of Mount Rainier National Park is a sort of miniature version of the Wonderland Trail, the 93-mile-long footpath encircling Rainier that draws backpackers from all over the planet. Once across, we had a long hot climb up to St. Andrews Lake. 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. Im not current on Vietnamese culture, but Im guessing tossing your cookies on the family matriarch is frowned upon. The Wonderland Trail also has some of the countrys most beautiful campsites, and youll also want to make the most of your time there. Length: 93 miles Elevation gain/ loss: 22,000 ft (23,000 ft with the Spray Park Alternate) Time to complete: 9-12 days (we completed in 6.5, some people do it in 3 days!) Mowich River Camp-31.64 miles/8,198..Day 3: So. I walked the rest of the way to Sunrise, trailing behind the group. From there, I dragged into the Visitor Center and promptly inhaled a hamburger, two bags of popcorn, and two sodas. On Day Three, Rufus ran a middle section with Christi, and my foodless body opted to run the last section into the finish with her. My right IT band was tight and my knee hated every step. Good places to do this are at Mowich and Sunrise. But Im ahead of myself . Posted by Gorohoff at 3:16 PM. Our first landmark, at 5.5 miles and 2500 feet, was Devils Dream. We ran those final miles toward Longmire with the same girlish chatter and enthusiasm wed had days ago. 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. Scan this QR code to download the app now. It was about 1920 when visitors and park staff started referring to the loop as the Wonderland Trail. Just a short few minutes walk further and take a look at the unique Devils Pipe Organ, a conglomerate of columnar lava cliffs. A Brief History of the Wonderland Trail Not that the adventure started out as film fodder. A little Bham jump line footage of chasing @dhbike, Its still good! 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. I made it back to my car around 10pm. I arrived around 10pm, and snuggled up with my pillow and blanket in the back seat, and just stared at the ceiling of my car until about 4:30am. This was a big deal because our feet were feeling the miles and keeping them happy was a priority. In recent years, Ive covered the section along the Carbon River to the Carbon Glacier, the section between Frying Pan Creek Trailhead and Box Canyon five times, and the section from Sunrise to Mystic Lake. Mike encouraged me to make the call the next morning, and see how I felt after a nights sleep. 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. Our first destination would be Summerland, a long-time favorite of mine. For day hiking, no permits are required other than the Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee (or the Annual National Park Pass). Im going to have to add this one to my bucket list, though I think Id want to do it in six days rather than three! By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We declared our misadventure nothing shy of spectacular. Looked on the site but can't find a packing list. Instructions: Select your start and end trailheads, number of days, and hiking direction. 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