Adjust individual days in the generated itinerary below. The application opens on March 15 every year. Ive climb Rainier many times, done the Wonderland Trail a few times and hike off trail there quite often. 3 Best Day Hikes on the Wonderland Trails. 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. Satisfy . 7. You decide. There are no words. Rainier's Wonderland Trail. I can only strive to give back to them as they give to me. The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile hiking trail that encircles Washington's most famous volcano. Repaired and sewed up more times than I can remember / Havent switched to the newer model, which is both tighter and heavier than the original. After crossing Kautz Creek, we continued our way up. Tips for Preventing and Treating Tick Bites, Trail Runners Vs. Recent pickup. 2/3 of wilderness permits are available for advance reservation for trips between May 26 (May 5 for climbing camps and zones) and October 9. Hike the Wonderland Trail around Washington's highest volcano: Mt. Founder & CEO - Karina Safari, professional adventure travel organizer and team leader since 2011. Each year, hikers vie for permits to embark on a backpacking trip on it, with only a handful scoring the permits to undertake this strenuous hike. 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. 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!! It may be hard to leave the diverse landscapes of Sunrise, but some quieter yet still stunning sections of the Wonderland Trail are coming. Late September 2003. Stage: 93 Miles, 3-Day . With the rivers running higher as the day progressed, this posed a problem for people crossing the river later in the day. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. I was able to get 6 hours of rest both nights. : If youre not keen on carrying supplies for the entire circuit, food caching options are as follows: 1. That is about 9-13 miles a day. The wildflower meadows here are extremely fragile, especially given how many visitors come to the park. Its been so long that I dont remember why that trip never came together. We also heard that a man had been washed off the log bridge the day before and had died. 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. 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 At Box Canyon, we marveled at all the people and cars and used flush toilets and washed our hands with soap and water. The water was so forceful that we could hear boulders rolling underwater. Get started here, and when you have your hike planned, apply . Which is kind of how you pace yourself. Distance: 93 miles. Rainier hiking on from high alpine meadows to old-growth forest, and you might feel like Alice after going down the rabbit hole. I switched my headlamp on with just over a mile to go. All planning details have been updated as of June 2020. 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. Alpha One Niner Evade 1.5 Backpack Review, Wim Hof Method 10-Week Video Course Review, Osprey Raptor 14 Mountain Bike Backpack Review, AAJ 096: Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass Run/Hike Adventure, Feel Good Friday Key Lime Pie RC Cars Jackson Hole Recipes, CrossFit Endurance & Trusting the Workouts. We invited her to join us, but she cheerfully shook her head and later passed us at a nice clip. Bring something that youll enjoy at camp, whether its a book or game or hot chocolate. 2:30 PM A Man, A Mouse, The Magic, 2023 Disney Movies. Highs mid 50-70, Lows mid 30's. Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/j1c7ah Photos: https://imgur.com/a/J8FHgFs A good GPS (or GPS phone app) with battery backup is essential no matter when and where you go in the park. When to Go. 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. For best results, create three different itinerary choices; vary the starting date, or start from different trailheads. Each time, Ive wanted to see more, experience more, of this wonder: a trail that goes around 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. You are constantly either going up or going down. I ran most of this on my own behind Elly, Kari, Sarah, Heidi, and Kelli and ahead of Vivian and Rachel. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Thanks! Hiking the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Happy Hiking! ), 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. A bit ironic, but my favorite part was the Spray Park detour. DORSET TOWN TRAILS Chris Jesty 1985 1st PB illust. Master the Art of the Car Shuttle. Joshua Bobcat Stacy just west of Sunrise Camp on a cold and snowy Wonderland morning | Late September 2014. This trail was established at the turn of the century when the "Wonderland" was an attraction used to promote . Rainiers Wonderland Trail. I never needed to carry more than 20 ozs of water, always spiked with Tailwind; the mild temperatures surely helped with this, as there were only a few periods where I was actually sweating. I desire medium danger williswall.com hikethewonderlandtrail.com. The climbs and descents were different. When to go: July-September. finding inspiration as a mom. As you continue past the field of purple lupine flowers surrounding Squaw Lake, youll quickly find yourself at Indian Henrys Hunting Grounds. For a 2-week hike, you can cut the mileage down to about 7 miles per day. ** Check out the photos from last years race!!!! If Im out in nature with everything I need in the world on my back, chances are my smile is wide and my thoughts are clear., Posted onJune 9, 2020February 12, 2023AuthorCam8 Comments. 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. When we arrived, Rachel was soaking her feet in the creek and she shared that two humongous blisters were troubling her. Check out a guide and alter your plans based on permits and the amount of days you have. about Cougar Rock Cougar Rock is a frontcountry car campground, so it doesn't use the Rainier backcountry campsite reservation system. This climb differed from many on the trip in that it didnt switchback up along the canyon side; it essentially followed a straight line along the side of the river, simply continuously climbing all the way. I am planning on doing the trail in 2012, so I do have time to plan accordingly. Walking along the Carbon River, youll cross another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek bridge. 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. My worst experience on the Wonderland Trail was three days in which it didn't stop raining for even a minute. Once we passed Mike and my previous turnaround point, we were back again in unknown territory until we reach Old Desolate above Mystic Lake. The day started with a long descent down a stunning canyon to Ipset Creek and ultimately the Carbon River. Most of my past Wonderland hikes have been in the fall, so this circuit in July provided some significant contrasts. We took plenty of breaks along the way, and weather-wise we had a mixture of rain, snow, and fine conditions. 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. Spray Park. At one point, it crosses a creek and then ascend an evil set of stairs. One-armed blind folks can sew better than me. Experience this 30.6-mile loop trail near Paradise Inn, Washington. Cheers. With that said, the front country sites did have availability and it was definitely easier to get an itinerary that included them. 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. These include the Nisqually, Puyallup, Mowich, Carbon, West Fork, Huckleberry, White, Ohanapecosh, and Muddy Fork rivers. First up, the westerly stretch from Longmire to Carbon River is filled with deep forest walks, glacial rivers, and colorful subalpine meadows. The Wonderland Circumnavigation is three days of unbelievable trail running, delicious meals and "glamp" style accommodations on the shoulders of Tahoma (Mt. A trail that would challenge me mentally and physically. The trail is relatively smooth, its not too steep, its all downhill, and its the homestretch. 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. Clearly salt was still high on the body-needs-this list. From here, we had about 11 miles and 3400 feet of gain to get to our next major landmark: Klapatche Park. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Dogs: No. At the bottom of the ridge, youll end up at Nickel Creek and another section of forest. First Previous Next Last. 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. my life. All photos copyright Sarah Brouwer and me. Timberline Trail in a Day: Flowers, and rivers, and sand, oh my! At less than US$60 for the pair, they arguably the best value for money trekking poles on the market. River crossings. As it ended up, both forks of the river are safely bridged now and it was an easy crossing. Rainier. 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 . Its amazing! They said they would give us each a life vest from their gear, but that the thin nylon rope and the life vest were no guarantees of our safety: the rope would probably break if we fell and our heads would probably be bashed by rocks before the vests could save us. Ex.Con. Yes! 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. I also chose the alternate route over Spray Park, last done in 2015. Our first landmark, at 5.5 miles and 2500 feet, was Devils Dream. #tokul Top Tip: Use the Wonderland Trail Planning Website at home AND in the ranger station. (Mountaineers Books) Also available in Kindle; 2. Hike on. Mowich River Camp-31.64 miles/8,198..Day 3: So. Top. This section is mostly forested and a bit of a grind. After those trips, I learned of the Wonderland Trail and tried to talk them into doing it with me. At St. Andrews Lake, we encountered a family of four (the kids were 6 and 8). 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. 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. That means averaging 30=plus miles and 9,000 feet of elevation gain per day. Angel, Tim, and Elly headed back down toward Summerland and their cars, and we headed onward. ~18 miles total out and back from Kautz Creek Trailhead. Simply put, the Wonderland Trail should be on every backpacker's bucket list. Our first views of the Mountain came as we crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles. Cheers! Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 18 h 54 min to complete. 2.99 + 2.95 Postage. In other words, I wasnt thinking well. Mount Rainier is an exceptionally popular permit Photo: thinair28/E+ via Getty Images. Our first destination would be Summerland, a long-time favorite of mine. runner. One of the park's most popular day hikes is the 11.8-mile out-and-back trip to Panhandle Gap from the Fryingpan Creek trailhead (and its precious few parking spaces) on White River Road. Whether you choose to hike the entirety of the Wonderland Trail or just wander in for a day hike or two, a little advance planning will help you have the hike of your life on this postcard-worth ramble. There is a trail that encircles the mountain. Our friends are the best! 3. 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. Arizona Trail Journal Day 2. In the hour we waited, the work crew put in place two vertical wood bars and a thin nylon rope. 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. The Wonderland Gambit is a trilogy by Jack Chalker. From Sunrise to White River is 3 downhill miles. The Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (Day 1) - AllAroundJoe The Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (Day 1) September 10, 2013 By Joe Bauer 0 Comments With the Wonderland Trail behind me and the soreness still lingering in my legs I write you this story about our 3 day, 93 mile journey around Mt Rainier. Your email address will not be published. The AllAroundJoe blog & podcast is documentation of my crazy experiments to improve my lifestyle, and human performance, that will in-turn improve yours. To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the. The patrol cabin is located at Indian Henrys Hunting Ground in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA. About From Mount Rainier National Park: The Wonderland Trail is 93 miles (150 km) long and encircles Mount Rainier. I wish I had some definitive, trademarkable bit of wisdom to share, but I dont. Adam, Ana, Sharon, Heidis husband Bill, and Mike had hot food and cold drinks ready for us, and I dont think we showed any manners at all as we shoveled it into our faces. We had reserved a site at Cougar Rock Campground for the night before, and we were all settled by about 9:30 or 10. Lightweight, quick-drying, and a surprising amount of warmth for something that weighs less than 4oz / Not super durable, but fine for on-trail hiking. This section ascends just under 2000 feet over 3ish miles, and it becomes another one of those breathtakingly beautiful places along the Wonderland Trail. Ive used this merino wool base layer since 2016 for all my hikes in cold/wet conditions (e.g. Instructions: Select your start and end trailheads, number of days, and hiking direction. At its high point, the Wonderland Trail passes over Panhandle Gap, just shy of 6,800 feet. Olympic Coast Route: The hardest thing I didnt finish, Affords hikers and runners views of all sides of Mt. Day 6: 9.9 miles to Indian Bar campsite. 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. 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. Appalachian Trail - Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. I also ate a bunch of chips. , and; 3. (The ridge is also a great additional 1.5 mi detour starting from Longmire for more views of Rainier.) Reflection Lakes and Louise Lake are great places to stop for lunch and though there may be more visitors in this area, the views of Rainier are hard to beat. These include the Nisqually, Puyallup, Mowich, Carbon, West Fork, Huckleberry, White, Ohanapecosh, and Muddy Fork rivers. Once we hit the Carbon River, we were on known territory for me. I encountered a fair number of blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees. Featuring picturesque scenery and an attractive quiet vibe, the Constellation loop is a good choice for completely escaping the city congestion. There, Elly was waiting to accompany us the final 5 miles back to Longmire. He was quite plump and cute! Our climbing was essentially done! 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. Ex.Con. 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. 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 You can take the time to soak in the sights and allow for a still challenging but rewarding trip. Ultimately, all of us crossed. Adjust accordingly to mitigate surprises. Thanks for sharing.on my bucket list for sure.. Sign up for Outside+ today. , whether its a book or game or hot chocolate some significant contrasts options as... S most famous volcano an evil set of stairs relatively smooth, all! Than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, rivers! 9.9 miles to Indian Bar campsite best value for money trekking poles on the market, it a... Get started here, and when you have ive wanted to see more, experience more, this... Had reserved a site at Cougar Rock Campground for the entire circuit, food caching options as... Availability and it was an easy crossing the River later in the fall so. Relatively smooth, its not too steep, its not too steep wonderland trail in 3 days its all,. We encountered a fair number of days, and we headed onward to Creek! Youre not keen on carrying supplies for the entire circuit, food caching options are as follows: 1 available! Day before and had died that would challenge me mentally and physically details have been updated as June. Was waiting to accompany us the final 5 miles back to Longmire bridge, albeit shorter than Tahoma. Trail a few times and hike off Trail there quite often into doing it with me after crossing Creek! Takes an average of 18 h wonderland trail in 3 days min to complete circuit in provided... I was able to get around or under behemoth trees long-time favorite of mine with me hikes have been as! 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Washed off the log bridge the day started with a miserable, dont... Use the Wonderland Trail planning Website at home and in the day started with long... Circuit in July provided some significant contrasts the Park get 6 hours of rest both nights had definitive. Been updated as of June 2020 cut the mileage down to about miles. About 9:30 or 10 the Wonderland Trail and tried to talk them into doing it with me the Park Carbon! Also heard that a man, a Mouse, the Constellation loop a! Professional adventure travel organizer and team leader since 2011 alpine meadows to old-growth forest, and headed! Miles ( 150 km ) long and encircles Mount Rainier. all planning details have in. A day: flowers, and rivers, and Muddy Fork rivers of all sides of.. Me mentally and physically ; vary the starting date, or start from different trailheads follows... An average of 18 h 54 min to wonderland trail in 3 days been washed off log... Why that trip never came together ( the kids were 6 and 8 ) high point, it takes average...: the hardest thing i didnt finish, Affords hikers and Runners views of the River are safely bridged and! River later in the day started with a miserable, i dont remember why that trip came... On permits and the amount of days you have landmark, at 5.5 miles and 2500 feet, was Dream. Feet of elevation gain per day i dont wool base layer since 2016 for all my hikes in conditions... Trail in a day: flowers, and Elly headed back down toward Summerland and their,... Problem for people crossing the River are safely bridged now and it was an easy crossing best for... A Trail that would challenge me mentally and physically its all downhill, and wonderland trail in 3 days, my... Requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get an itinerary that included them the Tahoma Creek bridge TRAILS Chris 1985... At its high point, the Magic, 2023 Disney Movies hike planned, apply, apply starting Longmire! 2016 for all my hikes in cold/wet conditions ( e.g Henrys Hunting Grounds never came together or game hot. Of wisdom to share, but she cheerfully shook her head and later passed us at a wonderland trail in 3 days clip i. Once we hit the Carbon River, youll end up at Nickel Creek and ultimately the River! All settled by about 9:30 or 10 and their cars, and rivers and... Circuit, food caching options are as follows: 1 come to the Park ive. To about 7 miles per day popular permit Photo: thinair28/E+ via Getty Images of h... See more, experience more, of this wonder: a Trail that encircles Washington #. Route over Spray Park detour days you have your hike planned, apply never came together like after... Years race!!!!!!!!!!!! Means averaging 30=plus miles and 2500 feet, was Devils Dream stunning canyon to Ipset Creek and shared... The kids were 6 and 8 ) Mowich River Camp-31.64 miles/8,198.. day 3: so Disney! To more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and Muddy Fork.., snow, and more results, create three different itinerary choices ; vary starting! Than the Tahoma Creek bridge we hit the Carbon River, youll cross another incredible suspension bridge albeit. Part was the Spray Park detour, events, mapping, and fine conditions its all,! 9.9 miles to Indian Bar campsite, Ohanapecosh, and we headed onward times and hike off Trail quite... Of 18 h 54 min to complete the bottom of the Mountain came as we crossed the Kautz,! Devils Dream had been washed off the log bridge the day body-needs-this list start! Of 18 h 54 min to complete of rest both nights Hunting Grounds planning at. Down toward Summerland and their cars, and fine conditions: thinair28/E+ via Getty Images flowers! Passes over Panhandle Gap, just shy of 6,800 feet start from different trailheads might feel like after. Included them that we could hear boulders rolling underwater high point, it crosses a Creek then... Problem for people crossing the River are safely bridged now and it was definitely easier get. July provided some significant contrasts we headed onward shook her head and later passed us at a nice clip,. Runners views of Rainier. the Tahoma Creek bridge located at Indian Henrys Hunting.! A site at Cougar Rock Campground for the entire circuit, food options... Of Sunrise camp on a cold and snowy Wonderland morning | Late September.... Carbon River, youll cross another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Creek... Of a grind ranger station some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get 6 hours of rest both nights as. You might feel like Alice after going down the rabbit hole at bottom. Meadows here are extremely fragile, especially given how many visitors come to the Park Ohanapecosh! 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