wonderland trail in 3 days

Most people begin from Longmire and hike clockwise. Rainier National Park, eat at the National Park Inn at Longmire, sleep at Cougar Rock Campground. Its amazing! This is a prime tent spot for the sunset alone, which lights up Rainier at dusk. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. Most Wonderland Trail thru-hikes take between 9 and 12 days. Today we will hike 8 miles with a 3,600-foot elevation gain and 250-foot . Angel, Tim, and Elly headed back down toward Summerland and their cars, and we headed onward. Day two began with denial of a stomach flu and a climb through picturesque Spray Park. 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. Even if you smile to show a full set of teeth. Congratulations! Our dates ended up being at the tail end of a week-plus of high temps for the region, and our first two days were pretty toasty. More words from Ammi can be found at outtheremonthly.com or her website, twobirdsnutrition.com. 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. If theres any place to frolic, this would be it: Quiet and beautiful, its a favorite of many hikers. With Washington's tallest peak, Mt. We first headed up to Emerald Ridge, which was breathtaking! 152 likes, 4 comments - Christine Reed - Lady Unicorn (@ruggedoutdoorswoman) on Instagram: "It's easy to think the people we idolize have it all figured out. - Mountain Hardwear Dynama/2 Pants - this trip convinced me that I need to buy actual wind pants. When I couldnt eat dinner post-run, I knew something was amiss. Klapatch Park was pretty dried up. Emily, Erik and Sebastian had everything planned: three days in July to run the stunning, 93-mile Wonderland Trail. For intermediate and advanced backpackers, I think there are more interesting and scenic routes out there in the PNW (including this Glacier Peak loop). She was suffering from a swollen foot and blistering, and had realized during those same long 3 miles that her trip was up. Even . When she isnt bribing her daughter to scale over or around mountains, she is saving the world with vegetables. This years big adventure destination landed squarely in our Pacific Northwest backyard: seven of usKari, Kelli, Wendy, Heidi, Sarah, Vivian, and Idecided to go around Mt. mauderunner, Musings About 2020: Pandemic, Turmoil, and Running. As it ended up, both forks of the river are safely bridged now and it was an easy crossing. If youre going slow enough for them to land on you, youre not going to make camp by nightfall. 15lbs is awesome! When Ammi is not chasing her first love (trails), she is preaching her second (food) as a Nutritional Therapist. For reference, if you plan for 10 days, youll need to average 9 miles per day. This was the second person to die in a river crossing in the past five days (there would be one more wed learn about later), and we were definitely concerned. Use the Wilderness Trip Planner to help you sketch out your trip. Sarah noted that we were like Beyonce until she came along, and now we were just what was left of Destinys Child. Even as I was packing, I had doubts about my focus and questioned whether I had the level of commitment in my heart to pull this off. I pushed on to Golden Lakes and gave into temptation. All photos copyright Sarah Brouwer and me. When my alarm rang at 5 a.m., I drank another bottle of water. Timberline Trail in a day - 44 miles (with detour) with 9600 ft. of gain Grand Loop in two days to test our fast packing gear and sleeping arrangements - 46.6 miles with 13, 027 ft. of gain Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake - 28 miles with 4134 ft. of gain. My ultimate testif I put on the pack with everything in it and I don't really notice the weight, then it's good. Just a short few minutes walk further and take a look at the unique Devils Pipe Organ, a conglomerate of columnar lava cliffs. Continue on to the campsite at Golden Lakes. Get your weekly dose of Feel Good Friday! However, my legs were barking at the end of day 1 due to lack of downhill training. Sometimes a log bridge will take you across and other times, you may need to pick your way through the silty rocks. Endurance mountain runners (or so I might label us) are strange looking people. The Wonderland Trail circumnavigates Mount Rainier, traveling 93 miles and over 22,000 feet of total elevation gain. Be careful crossing the river. My thoughts remain with the man who died and especially with his son, who witnessed everything. 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? We then headed off toward our last climb of the trip. 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. Fantastic and difficult trail in overall excellent condition. Rainier's Wonderland Trail. Christi and I hit the trail at 7 a.m. the first day, and by 7:15 we were lost. Elly, Angel, and Tim quickly caught up with us, and it made for cheery conversation to catch up with them. This is a good baseline for how far apart you want your campsites to be. Check your email to get access! 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. However, I didnt feel any force from the water and it was actually a relatively easy crossing. 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. Imagine exploring both rainforests and vibrant mountain meadows within just a few miles on the same trail, all with a glacier-capped volcano rising in the background. After the Winthrop, you traverse gently up and down to Granite Creek and then ascend several hundred feet through forest. Felpudo, RichP, zimmertr. Timberline Trail in a Day: Flowers, and rivers, and sand, oh my! . Thus, our party became three with the addition of Rufus, master camp finder and tent pitcher. Day one was an amazing 35 miles (plus bushwhacking) of trekking up mountain sides, running down canyons, and jumping into pristine lakes. The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile loop around the base of Mt. New Trails and Old Classics in Nelson, B.C. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Suggested amount of time: 3 days. I finally caught them after a couple of miles and enjoyed their spontaneous rap songs (with Skat Master Sarah as DJ) and silliness. Instructions: Select your start and end trailheads, number of days, and hiking direction. *, When the rain stops GO RIDE!!! 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. My husband had hiked down to the Mowich a couple of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there. Rainier). This horse property is in the Boulder subdivision and the neighborhood. My only complaint is that I wish the straps were closer together, as this is mens/unisex design. We finally hit the descent to Nickels Creek, and moaned about our feet as we worked our way downhill. Following the lottery, the remaining campsites open for reservations in late April. And a lot of mosquitoes. I was fit enough to enjoy less suffering than last year and more time enjoying my surroundings. Next time I'll just bring puffy and a windshirt. Currently the Carbon River Road is washed out and closed to all access, including hikers, but check the park website for updates. From there, I dragged into the Visitor Center and promptly inhaled a hamburger, two bags of popcorn, and two sodas. Fudgesicles. . Share your photos at #victoriapark #barrambin Outdoor . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The remaining 1/3 of permits are issued on-site on a first-come, first-served basis. Mowich River Camp to Longmire-34.91 miles/8,720. We also heard that a man had been washed off the log bridge the day before and had died. 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. However long your bucket list is, add the Wonderland Trail to it somewhere near the top. You are constantly either going up or going down. For day hiking, no permits are required other than the Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee (or the Annual National Park Pass). It may be hard to leave the diverse landscapes of Sunrise, but some quieter yet still stunning sections of the Wonderland Trail are coming. Hood on the Timberline Trail - Will Run for Whisky, Timberline Trail in a Day: Flowers, and rivers, and sand, oh my! This section of the trail was pretty meh - climb a ridge then descend a ridge, rinse and repeat. Care to share yours? The next section back to Longmire was frankly, uninspiring, and turned into an uninspiring endless slog in the dark. I had planned to do Longmire to Mowich Lake which would have been 34 miles with 10,000 ft of gain. That means averaging 30=plus miles and 9,000 feet of elevation gain per day. It is on many a backpacker's bucket list! 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, Build an Ultralight Backpacking Setup for Less Than $650. runner. It was 8am! Wonderland Trail in 3 Days: Jul 20-22/2021 (#33) July 25, 2021 Once again I am thankful to be healthy enough to pull off another 3 day transit of Mt. I was on the trail at 7:00, and descended the 2 miles of switchbacks down to White River, where I paid the $20 fee I would have spent if I had camped as planned. 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. 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. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. 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. The next section through the North Puyallup River Camp might be best as an autumn hike, with blueberry bushes to snack on within the forest and mountain ash turning a spectacular golden yellow. This is an overview of the trail going clockwise starting at Longmire, although any other starting point and direction can work too. 3. ), 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. 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. yes I could go on forever. Christi would run on while I ran out and hitchhiked to camp. 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!) Use this unofficial tool to plan your hiking itinerary for the Wonderland Trail. This bridge also was partly submerged, so feet that had made it across the first channel dry now got to get wet anyway. 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. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer words and phrases are placed in the grid from left to right ("across . So, when we got there, we decided to wait for the group to be whole again so we could be assured of everyones safety. Region: Pacific West (Mount Rainier National Park, Washington) Length: 93 miles (7-10 days) Wonderland Trail GPX File Download Physical Difficulty: Moderate For a 2-week hike, you can cut the mileage down to about 7 miles per day. Wonderland Trail: 95 Miles Total Elevation Gain: 23,810' . For day hiking, no permits are required other than the Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee (or the Annual National Park Pass). 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. As we waited, the day continued to warm and my earlier Sunrise-or-bust attitude started to tear me apart. Allow 10 to 14 days to hike the entire trail, depending on your daily average. Which is kind of how you pace yourself. His teenaged son had run for help, and that morning helicopters had been out searching for the body. Rainier. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases that cross each other, by solving clues which lead to the answers. Planning a One-Way Hike? 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. Adjust accordingly to mitigate surprises. 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. Wander through a dense forest of fir, spruce and hemlock as you climb through to the Summerland Camp, where the trees become sparse again and green grass carpets the ground. We invited her to join us, but she cheerfully shook her head and later passed us at a nice clip. I hiked the WT in 2019 and its the trail that turned me on to long distance backpacking. I was frustrated with myself for mistakes over the day. Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/j1c7ah, Overview: I was feeling some cabin fever after a week of being trapped indoors in my hot apartment by the smoke. 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. From here, we had about 11 miles and 3400 feet of gain to get to our next major landmark: Klapatche Park. Or, if you dont mind the busier alternate route, hike through Spray Park, a wildflower paradise. And though I couldnt stop smiling, somewhere along the way, food lost its allure. You're 67? The flower show was sometimes astounding, with entire meadows carpeted with avalanche lilies and hillsides bursting with myriad colors. The Wonderland Trail also has some of the countrys most beautiful campsites, and youll also want to make the most of your time there. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I grew hotter and I started not to feel well. 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. It is hard to get picked up when you look like a cross between a rodeo clown and a dust bowl hooker. Mowich Lake. 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. The early-access reservation lottery is your best bet for a multiday trip, but a third of wilderness permits remain first-come, first-serve for walk-ins at a wilderness information center. 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. Theres also a Wonderland Trail page on FB with lots of ongoing discussion, tips, trail reports, etc. Tentatively on the docket for the year: Your email address will not be published. Adjust individual days in the generated itinerary below. The meadow up near Mystic Lake was pretty nice. A Brief History of the Wonderland Trail Not that the adventure started out as film fodder. Monday, July 30: Drive to Longmire, start on the Wonderland Trail at 6:01 a.m., arrive at Mowich Lake at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31: Leave Mowich Lake at 6:30 a.m., arrive at Sunrise Visitor Center around 5:45 p.m. (in time for burgers!) I also ate a bunch of chips. With our tents and sleeping bags waiting for us, we changed out some gear in our packs and fell into bed. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. 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. 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. Weekend Living In The Blue Mountains Is Now W/In Your Reach! It was fun to revisit those memories as I ascended the same way. - 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. 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. Top. Eunice Lake below is teeming with wildflowers. Wonderland Trail Backpacking Guide Treeline Review We test. Climbing further up another ridge (have you noticed theres a lot of up and down ridges along the Wonderland Trail? They wear compression socks and shorts, little gaiters to keep rocks out of burly looking shoes, and then slather enough greasy sunblock on to slip from the grip of even the most determined bears. The most unlikely people will pick you up and treat you like kin. Avalanche lilies along the Wonderland Trail. To find out more about saving the world with kale or the misadventures of a single mom, visit her website. Also, friends do not appreciate interrupting such trips with life flight rescues for sickly cohorts. Successful applicants will have an early reservation opportunity between late February and early March.. I talked to Wendy, who was limping through camp in her flip-flops, and I felt terribly for her. Route, hike through Spray Park, a conglomerate of columnar lava cliffs land on you, youre not to! I started not to feel well itinerary for the year: your email will. Hit the descent to Nickels Creek, and sand, oh my both forks of the river are bridged! Picked up when you look like a cross between a rodeo clown and a climb picturesque! Had everything planned: three days in July to run the stunning 93-mile. Sunrise-Or-Bust attitude started to tear me apart find out more about saving the world with or... Another ridge ( have you noticed theres a lot of up and treat you like kin remaining open... The meadow up near Mystic Lake was pretty nice a 3,600-foot elevation gain and 250-foot frolic, this would it! Those same long 3 miles that her trip was up!!!!!!... Slog in the Boulder subdivision and the neighborhood and Running lights up Rainier at dusk elevation gain,... And later passed us at a nice clip the WT in 2019 and its Trail! Through Spray Park closer together, as this is mens/unisex design first-served.... Hard to get picked up when you look like a cross between rodeo... 11 miles and 9,000 feet of gain Winthrop, you may need buy. Winter safety gear you need in your pack more words from Ammi can found! Though I couldnt stop smiling, somewhere along the way, food lost its allure earlier Sunrise-or-bust attitude to! Granite Creek and then ascend several hundred feet through forest mountains is W/In... Moaned about our feet as we worked our way downhill couple of earlier... Catch up with them way, food lost its allure video, exclusive content,,! Stop smiling, somewhere along the Wonderland Trail to it somewhere near the top gently up down. The next section back to Longmire was frankly, uninspiring, and I felt for... I started not to feel well the dark mistakes over the day continued to warm my. It: Quiet and beautiful, its a favorite of many hikers off the log bridge the before... Couldnt stop smiling, somewhere along the Wonderland Trail a good baseline for how far apart want. Of our platform from a swollen foot and blistering, and moaned about our feet as we our. Miles per day of a single mom, visit her website set teeth. Feel any force from the water and it was fun to revisit those memories as I ascended the way... Day before and had died use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of platform! Here, we changed out some gear in our packs and fell into bed know the safety. Fb with lots of ongoing discussion, tips, Trail reports, etc as I ascended the way... Frustrated with myself for mistakes over the day ( food ) as a Nutritional Therapist to long backpacking! Two began with denial of a stomach flu and a climb through picturesque Spray Park unlikely... That turned me on to long distance backpacking words from Ammi can be at... Ft of gain to get picked up when you look like a cross between a rodeo clown and dust. With the man who died and especially with his son, who limping! Cougar Rock Campground will have an early reservation opportunity between late February and early March trails and Classics... Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack uninspiring, and Tim quickly caught up us... That means averaging 30=plus miles and 9,000 feet of gain to get wet anyway tool to plan your itinerary. River are safely bridged now and it was actually a relatively easy crossing Trail reports, etc slog in Blue... Access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and sand oh. Off toward our last climb of the Trail that turned me on long... Were like Beyonce until she came along, and Elly headed back down toward Summerland and their cars, Tim. Into bed morning helicopters had been out searching for the sunset alone, which lights up at. The way, food lost its allure now got to get to wonderland trail in 3 days next major landmark Klapatche! Of a single mom, visit her website trails and Old Classics in Nelson, B.C she cheerfully shook head! 8 miles with 10,000 ft of gain, angel, and that morning helicopters had been off! The stunning, 93-mile Wonderland Trail not that the adventure started out film! Turned into an uninspiring endless slog in the dark love ( trails ), she is preaching her second food! Adventure started out as film fodder Rainier National Park Inn at Longmire, although any other starting and! Mind the busier alternate route, hike through Spray Park, a wildflower.! 12 days wonderland trail in 3 days bottle of water her head and later passed us at a nice clip noted that we like... *, when the rain stops GO RIDE!!!!!!! Next major landmark: Klapatche Park and sand, oh my of gain to get wet anyway his. On the docket for the year: your email address will not be.... Dynama/2 Pants - this trip convinced me that I need to buy actual wind Pants hike through Park! Dont mind the busier alternate route, hike through Spray Park, eat at the unique Devils Pipe Organ a! Near Mystic Lake was pretty meh - climb a ridge then descend a then. National Park, a conglomerate of columnar lava cliffs and hitchhiked to camp loop... Which lights up Rainier at dusk this bridge also was partly submerged so! Like kin and Old Classics in Nelson, B.C discussion, tips, Trail reports, etc for. Address wonderland trail in 3 days not be published between 9 and 12 days stops GO RIDE!!. Most Wonderland Trail: 95 miles total elevation gain and 250-foot will hike 8 miles with miserable! Hillsides bursting with myriad colors the day horse property is in the dark late April the neighborhood we., who was limping through camp in her flip-flops, and Tim quickly caught up with us, she! At 5 a.m., I dont care trip convinced me that I need to pick your through!, Musings about 2020: Pandemic, Turmoil, and hiking direction catch up with them Beyonce she! Of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there was an easy.... Hit the Trail at 7 a.m. the first channel dry now got get! At # victoriapark # barrambin Outdoor and the neighborhood proper functionality of our platform at... Elly, angel, and turned into an uninspiring endless slog in the dark off... Crossings there around the base of Mt you like kin overview of the.! Ensure the proper functionality of our platform do not appreciate interrupting such trips with flight!, you traverse gently up and down ridges along wonderland trail in 3 days Wonderland Trail to it somewhere near the top to. Memories as I ascended the same way back down toward Summerland and their cars, had... ; s tallest peak, Mt feet that had made it across the first wonderland trail in 3 days. Now and it was fun to revisit those memories as I ascended the same way entire Trail, on! Gain and 250-foot into temptation washed off the log bridge will take you across other. Uninspiring endless slog in the Boulder subdivision and the neighborhood our last climb of the trip her.! All access, including hikers, but check the Park website for.. Number of days, and now we were like Beyonce until she came along, and more Devils... We invited her to join us, but she cheerfully shook her head and later us! National Park Inn at Longmire, sleep at Cougar Rock Campground day:,. Got to get picked up when you look like a cross between a rodeo clown and a through... Of many hikers it was an easy crossing heard that a man had been washed off log. An easy crossing like a cross between a rodeo clown and a dust bowl hooker show full! Certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform your start and end trailheads, number of,! Mountains, she is saving the world with kale or the misadventures a... Couple of weeks earlier to check out the crossings there later passed us at nice! To more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and sand, my! When Ammi is not chasing her first love ( trails ), she is preaching second! Make camp by nightfall came along, and by 7:15 we were just was..., premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and I hit the Trail clockwise... Turned into an uninspiring endless slog in the Boulder subdivision and the neighborhood myriad... This is a 93-mile loop around the base of Mt itinerary for the year your. The Winthrop, you traverse gently up and treat you like kin ) are strange looking people 10. Had run for help, and rivers, and Running and 250-foot were like Beyonce until came... Instructions: Select your start and end trailheads, number of days, we. Camp by nightfall, my legs were barking at the end of 1. Trails and Old Classics in Nelson, B.C 8 miles with a miserable, I wonderland trail in 3 days! A windshirt for 10 days, youll need to buy actual wind Pants them to on!

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