*Recent rains present a reflection opportunity near Kiya Lake*

Wonderland Trail #40-The Leisure Hike (9/10-13/25)

September 15, 2025 by Willis Wall

My goal this year was to even up the numbers; complete 40 transits of the Wonderland Trail at age 70. It started with a trip the week before going CCW, but I was so hammered by heat and smoke that I had to bail at White River. That was a PITA because highway 123 is closed all of September. My wife spent over 2 hours getting to White River the next morning, then we had to drive over Chinook Pass 54 miles east to highway 12, then back to Packwood and the Skate Creek Rd to Longmire. That alone was over 3 hours, then we both had to wait over 20 minutes just to get out of the Longmire parking lot because of repaving and single lane operations. Add the 2 and a half hours home, and you’ve just spent the entire day in the car. This past week of September 8th originally had a poor forecast, therefore my attempt during the iffy smoke conditions. Otherwise it was wait until October and hope for a good weather window as the rest of the month was tied up. However, the forecast improved enough for another attempt, so I procured an almost optimal walk up permit at Longmire for September 10-13, opting for a 4 day trip vice my usual 3 day jaunts. Ideally, the camps for a 4 day trip would be Golden Lakes/Mystic/Indian Bar for approximately 20-25 miles per day. But Indian Bar was not available so my one long day would be Mystic to Nickel Creek at 31 miles. This, however, was good because that made the last day a short one of 14 miles. Links to July and August hikes (#’s 38 and 39)

*A rare look from inside Indian Henry’s ranger cabin*

Day 1: Longmire to Golden Lakes CW (25 miles/8,300' elev) This section going CW all the way to Sunrise is now remote due to the lack of Mowich Lake and Carbon River access. It also sports consistent elevation gains and losses along the way compared to equivalent distances over the rest of the trail. I started out with a tinge of trepidation because of the lethargic and slow progress the previous week. What if my age was catching up, or my thyroid levels suddenly took a dive, etc? I've done the trail so many times in both directions that I can tell my progress based solely on the month, time of day and where I am on the trek. I have transited Silver Forest (a mile and a half before Golden Lakes) many times in the dark on previous hikes but I still had light to within a half mile of Golden Lakes; that was a good sign. I arrived at 8 PM and was tucked in and ready to sleep by 9, in an actual tent vice a bivy. That may sound a bit strange, but I haven't used a tent on the Wonderland since 2009. I pulled out a zpacks Plexamid (no longer made) that I had purchased before I retired more than 5 years ago, but never used. It took up a little more space in my Durston Wapta 30 but at under 15 ozs was actually lighter than some of my bivy options. [my pack weight for all 3 transits this year has come in at 16 lbs or less with food and 1 liter of H2O] I gotta admit, it was kinda nice to have the covered space to hang in. For those interested, this hike my sleep system was a Nunatak 40 degree Nano quilt and a NeoAir NXT short pad. Although not continuous, I got more than 8 hours of sleep...UNBELIEVABLE!

Day 2: Golden Lakes to Mystic Camp (25 miles/7,200' elev). Cool temps prevailed through most of the day, and I enjoyed the "good on the feet" downhill trot to the Mowich Rivers. Having already been over this stretch twice already, I knew exactly where the trail meandered across the flood plain. On my previous hike I marveled at the rechanneling of the South Mowich River and how the South and North mixed right before the North Mowich bridge. You could see the silty muddiness of the South on the right and the more grayish usual look of the North on the left. Cool. From there it was the climb to the now deserted Mowich Lake. I did run into two couples and we chatted for quite a while. Meeting interesting people on the trail is a big part of the experience. They even gave me the Pox, which is a drink they picked up in Mexico pronounced "posch". Then it was off to Spray Park, as I had done the lower route over Ipsut Pass in August. The low hanging clouds and light mist eventually gave way once I was above 5,000', and I thoroughly enjoyed the solitude of this part of the transit. I didn’t necessarily enjoy the rocks. It's hard to make time on the entire trail over Spray Park due to all manner of things to step over, around or on. I knew what I was in for and I was glad my feet were comfortable and blister free, unlike the blister under callus I had endured on hike #38. The light stayed with me until Moraine Park, so not a lot of time in the dark. I was worried when I arrived at Mystic because both bear poles were crowded with bags and there must have been 8 bear canisters on the ground. I envisioned the nightmare of someone poaching a site and me having to figure it out at 9:30 PM, but site #6 was free. I fiddled with setting up the tent and was finally bedded by 10:30, anticipating an early get up the next day.

*Spray Park view on the Wonderland Alternate Route*

Day 3: Mystic Camp to Nickel Creek (31 miles/7,400' elev). Time for a long day, I set off for Sunrise and beyond. The day was clear and cool, perfect hiking weather. I ran into groups of people around Sunrise, looked like a guided thing going on. I made easy time going down to White River, where I stopped for a good break, washed my feet, applied some tape, changed socks etc. and disposed of trash. The White River was raging. I guess it was warmer than I thought, but that stretch of trail to Fryingpan Creek and then Summerland is just sublime. Wide boulevard, smooth trail, lack of rocks and roots, the smell of old growth forest; doesn't get much better. I transited Summerland after 5 PM, about the same time I would be there on a 3 day CCW hike. It was such a glorious evening, no wonder I passed a few people lounging in portable camp chairs and soaking up the late afternoon sun. I lingered on the climb towards Panhandle Gap following a goat family of 5. They passed me below Panhandle Gap and went over a saddle behind me. It was so quiet I could hear the shale stones clattering under hoof as the Dad led the way. By now I figured I would be able to transit Ohanapecosh Park in dwindling daylight, and indeed finally turned on my headlamp on the descent to Indian Bar. I knew what was ahead on the Cowlitz Divide, some steep up and downs until finally descending on good forest tread all the way to Nickel Creek. I was startled by a loud screech and then a bunch of hooting. I looked up screech owls but my cursory search did not come up with an answer. It definitely was not a cat. I continued on my way, perhaps at a little faster pace, until I had some distance on the screecher. I rolled into Nickel Creek late, like 11 PM, found a site and set up the tent, which I noticed was costing me about 15 additional minutes on set up and get up time. Dealing with tie outs and stakes is a bit more fiddly than throwing down a bivy. Since the following day was a short one, I set my alarm for 7:30 AM but woke up at 6:30 needing to go, and ready to go.

*The spectacular view from Skyscraper Pass*

*Dwindling light transiting Ohanapecosh Park*

Day 4: Nickel Creek to Longmire (14.5 miles/2,700' elev). This was truly a leisure day, and I anticipated getting into Longmire in time for lunch. Now, unbeknownst to me, my wife had planned a little surprise. The day before I had called her from Panhandle Gap and said I may hitch a ride from Box Canyon, which is only .8 miles from Nickel Creek, back to Longmire. I had already done this eastern section the week before. She encouraged me to "just do the whole thing, it's your 40th so make it a continuous hike." Well, she knows best and the weather was great. My legs felt pretty fresh, even after the 31 mile day, so I was making good time on the downhill from Reflection Lake. The dig was, my daughter was driving into the park to meet me on the trail with goodies, but she was stuck in traffic, an hour and a half, just getting through the entrance. My wife is texting her via inReach on my whereabouts. As it turned out, my daughter met me about 100 yards up the trail from Longmire, so actually worked out pretty well. I was very surprised to say the least. Then she presented me with some goodies including a cake with "40" on it and two t-shirts with a logo my wife had designed for me. I had plenty of time to drink a beer, take a shower in the van and my daughter and I had a nice lunch at the Inn. This was the best ending of any hike I've done, hands down.

Now I can relax from YoYo's and triples and just hike the Wonderland once per year, perhaps with a pie in the sky goal of doing #50 at age 80 with my daughter and grandson. I've used the Wonderland as a goal each year to help keep me fit as I age, and up to this point they've been mostly 3 day trips. I can still pull it off, as evidenced by two of them already this year, but I gotta wonder; why not kick back from here on out and do a 4 day trip? Or is it I just can't help myself? Time will tell. Happy Hiking!

*Lake Sils, Switzerland, where we based for a week of hiking*

Hiking Switzerland (July 1-6/2025)

August 28, 2025 by Willis Wall

A little late on this writeup; video and photos are piling up due to an active summer season, a good problem to have. My daughter and I enjoyed a week of hiking out of Sils, Switzerland. We flew into Zurich, then took the train to St. Moritz, a spectacular journey. A 20 minute very expensive taxi ride deposited us in Sils, where we rented an apartment for the week. Of note, we took the bus back to St. Moritz; a bus pass was included in our rental and we availed ourselves a few times during our stay.

Day 1: July 1, the day of our arrival, we walked to the Maria Gondola and rode that up to our hike. This was a lovely loop hike "Wasserweg" which had us marveling at the sheer volume of flowers in the alpine as we passed by a number of tarns and lakes.

*Flowers abound on the Lakes Loop “Wasserweg”*

Day 2: July 2, we did a loop hike through a valley to its end, where there was an eatery, enjoying wine, coffee and strudel in the middle of our hike. From there we crossed over to the other side of the valley, climbing to a peak named Muott' Ota. The views were never ending and simply astounding. When you're used to orbiting a volcano the views are sometimes directive, but standing on the top of this ridge we could rotate 360 and witnessed an ever changing landscape which was simply eye popping. And yes, flower overload on the entire hike. 12 miles/2600'

Day 3: July 3, Lake Sils Loop We decided to take it easy this day by circling the lake, also considering the weather forecast had some rain in it. Once again we got to stop and have tea/coffee/beer and dessert: twice along the way, the last stop under cover during rain, so good timing. A nice, relaxing day of 10 miles and 1,200'

Day 4: July 4, Lej da la Tscheppa. Today involved a late start because of morning rain, with a steep ascent and descent for accessing the alpine. Views were insane and the flora was non stop. We were both commenting how these 3 days were the best day hikes we've done. Lakes and flowers galore. 7 miles, 2,800'

*Flowers on the Lej da la Tscheppa hike*

Day 5: July 5, Corvatsch Gondola We had to take this ride up to almost 11,000' if only to have lunch at the restaurant whilst gazing at the surrounding peaks and glaciers. But hey, we did walk there past a different lake, so there's that.

*View from the top of the Corvatsch Gondola*

Day 6: July 6, Val Fedoz. This was a more remote valley that we saw from Muott' Ota, also available by foot from our apartment. In a nutshell, an insane amount of flowers, like every square meter. A gorgeous day, seeing only a handful of people and many more cows. 8.5 miles, 1,300'

*Lotsa cows during our hikes to the valleys*

Reluctant to leave this non touristy enclave (no crowds, few people on the trails), we trained back to Zurich and spent a few days there before the journey home. Hearing English again was almost a shock, the city was alive and the food was most excellent. This was yet another great trip for my daughter and myself. Last year I was solo on the continent what with my cycle across the Pyrenees and hiking Section 1 of the GR10, so it was nice to have some family time with my best hiking partner.

*The Milky Way above Rainier from Skyscraper Pass (Day 2)*

Wonderland Trail #39 (8/19-21/2025)

August 25, 2025 by Willis Wall

This was my second circuit this summer, or third if you want to count RAMROD. I'm aiming to do one more to bring my total to 40 this year, then I can back off as I march toward my 80's. This CW circuit, starting at Longmire, had me meeting people on the trail. Frank from the Wonderland Trail Facebook group was scheduled to be staying at the No. Puyallup camp on Tuesday the 19th, so I planned my hike to meet him there. However, the No. Puyallup camp is only 20 miles into the hike, so I got a permit to continue on to Golden Lakes for the relatively short 25 mile day. Short in that I needed to make up mileage in the ensuing two days to finish on Thursday. And they were long indeed.

Day 1: Longmire to Golden Lakes CW (25 miles/8400' elevation) This was a partly cloudy day but with cooler temperatures, keeping the sweat factor at a minimum. But I started out on the wrong foot, being tricked by confirmation bias. I had just transited the Kautz Creek area the week before going CCW, going back to make my WT #38 official by hiking the portion of trail I had left to road walk for foot relief. Unbeknownst to me (wasn't posted yet by NPS), the new bridge had washed out with the recent rains. I followed the route I had just taken to the "bridge", and finally paid more attention to my surroundings and all the evidence of a minor flood. I ended up crossing the Kautz 3 times to make my way back downstream to pick up the trail, eating up at least 30 minutes of extra time. The flow was but knee deep tho so wasn't a problem beyond grit in the socks and shoes. The remainder of the day was pleasant, transiting Emerald Ridge and St Andrews Park, still amazed that the flower show was hanging in there, although on the downside. I arrived at No. Puyallup around 5 PM and found Frank, where we drank the beer I had packed in and shot the breeze for close to 2 hours, joined by another couple for a little party. I took my leave at 7 PM and got back on the trail for the trip to Golden Lakes. I set up my bivy around 10 PM and eventually fell asleep, anticipating a 4:45 alarm.

*Kiya Lake, below Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground, Mt. Rainier*

Day 2: Golden Lakes to Sunrise Camp (33 miles/9200' elevation). I tried not to let the impending mileage for the next two days bother me or make me feel rushed. I trotted most of the way downhill to the Mowich Rivers crossing, which had also been altered by the flooding. The So. Mowich bridge was gone, but the river had rechanneled and I ended up staying left of this almost all the way to the So. Mowich camp. From there is was essentially last year's route to the main bridge over the combined So. and No. Mowich Rivers. The "climb from hell" (as my then 13 Y/O daughter called it) to Mowich Lake came next, but it wasn't the worst of the day. Since I had taken the alternate route over Spray Park in July, I opted to go via the regular Ipsut Pass route, having heard no news on the status of the lower Carbon crossing. When I got there the bridge was still standing but trail crews were essentially roping it off, deeming it unsafe to cross as the far end was perched precariously on an eroded bank. They did their due diligence in advising me not to cross, but the alternatives were scouting downstream for a log crossing, or retracing my route back to Mowich Lake and going over Spray Park; not gonna happen. I crossed the bridge uneventfully, deeming this the best option, but as of this writing the park is still posting to avoid the bridge and go over Spray Park to utilize the suspension bridge upstream. Now I could turn my attention to the remainder of the 3600' climb to Mystic Pass. I arrived at Mystic Lake before 8 PM and had good light for photos and video. I still had another climb coming, descending around the toe of the Winthrop Glacier and topping out at Skyscraper Pass. I took some exposures there (11:40 PM) then got my grit on to get to Sunrise camp around 1 AM. It always takes a while for my legs to settle down and finally fall asleep, and this was going to be a short night as my last day was going to be even longer, but thankfully with less climbing. Of note, aside from the trail crews I ran into, I saw but 1 other hiker the whole day.

*A boulder buried in the upended root ball of a fallen tree*

Day 3: Sunrise Camp to Longmire (36 miles/6800') I got up at 4:30 to tackle this last day, knowing that I was gonna be late into Longmire. I'm used to starting day 3 from White River, and although it doesn't seem like much, that extra 3 miles and the downhill from Sunrise really adds on. At White River I spent some time on foot care, nutrition and unloading trash. In contrast to Day 2, there were plenty of people on the trail this day. The clouds were gone and the skies were clear, but it was getting warmer and downright hot transiting the exposed Ohanapecosh Park. I had planned on meeting an off duty ranger at Indian Bar (she issued my permit at Longmire and was going to be there with some friends). She surprised me by packing in watermelon, a treat so treasured after a hot afternoon, well, you cannot imagine. We visited for over an hour and then I steeled myself for the climbs on the Cowlitz Divide. Things start to blur after 3 days on the trail, putting in 17-20 hours a day. After Nickel Creek and Box Canyon I finished out these final hours in the dark, succombing to the suffering but at the same time embracing it; all part of the the experience. Beats staying on the couch and watching TV. I arrived at my van at 2:15 AM, feeling a little comatose. My system was already shutting down, my overlord brain finally giving all those niggly muscle parts permission to give in. #39 was in the books; we shall see if #40 happens in September. Happy Hiking! Link to #39 video

*Reflection Lake on Day 1 of Wonderland Hike #38*

Wonderland Trail #38 (7/22-24/25*)

August 15, 2025 by Willis Wall

I think of this hike as something I had to go back and “repair.” I'm planning on doing the Wonderland 3 times this year to bring my total to 40 at age 70. That way I can tick off one per year as I march on towards 80 Y/O and aim for a total of 50x. These yearly jaunts on the Wonderland are one of the goals that keep me moving. As usual I planned on a 3 day trip, probably 'cause I'm just used to it. 3 days logistically are much easier, as I can always get a walk up permit and target days with good weather, plus 3 days of food is very manageable. However, I have to admit, on day two this year as I was climbing to Spray Park I was thinking to myself WTF am I doing. But at the same time the weather was pristine and the flower show was non stop in the alpine, so it was a mixed bag of suffering and reveling. But let’s backtrack a bit. I have been using Inov8 shoes for over 11 years. I can always buy a size 11.5 off the shelf and be assured of a good fit. But recently it's been harder to find them on sale so I deviated this year and bought a pair of La Sportiva trail runners, as they have a narrow last for my narrow feet. I put 100 miles on them hiking in Switzerland and Rainier, including one 26 mile day, and things seemed dialed in. BUT, these days were long and lots continuous foot flexing adjusting to varying terrain.

Day 1: Longmire to White River CCW (33 miles/8800' elevation) This day went as planned, covering the east side of the park with a splendid trip over Ohanapecosh Park and Panhandle Gap. I had company for a while with 3 ultra runners who were doing the Aspire supported thing. We kept pace with each other in Ohanapecosh and Panhandle Gap, and I stopped with Mike to film him taking a dip off an "ice berg" in the Green Tarn. After that he turned on the burners and dropped me to catch up with his other partners, so I enjoyed quiet solitude in Summerland and all the way to White River, only having to use my headlamp for the last hour or so. When I arrived at White River I saw Mike at the Aspire site, and while chatting the Aspire guys offered up beer and chips. That was an unexpected treat for sure. I settled down in my very minimal sleep system (Borah Gear bivy/NeoAir NXT short pad/Timmermade custom Alpha Direct overquilt: 24 ozs total) and got decent sleep, waking up around 5:30 and back on my feet by 6.

Day 2: White River to Mowich Lake (26 miles/8200' elevation) Sometime during this day I started to notice my outside heels talking smack. When I inspected the feet, there was only callus there. Onward. At some point between Mystic Lake and the Carbon Glacier, I ran into Rita who recognized me from YouTube. She was also doing a 3 day trip going opposite direction, CW, and we had a nice chat. She asked if I was going over Spray Park and I said that if I hit the bridge before 5 PM, then I'd do it, assuring I had plenty of light. As it turned out I was at the bridge by 4, so set off on the climb. By now it was becoming obvious that my heels had a problem and upon closer inspection I knew that I was developing blisters under the callus. Turns out my shoes were just a bit too stiff, and contorting over roots and rocks over two days of practically constant movement for 16 hours a day; well, by then it was too late to do anything about it except slow down and try to be very cognizant of foot placement. I was dealing with the PITA of babying my feet and at the same time soaking in the glorious late afternoon sun backlighting every species of wildflower one can imagine. It was especially cool to see large patches of Avalanche Lilies sprouting where snow had obviously been just maybe a week before. Speaking of which, there was some snow to contend with but very normal for this time of year. I slowly limped into Mowich Lake around 10 PM and set up my system. Mowich can be on the raw side and I had to make some adjustments to my sleep system, feeling cold moist air on my back when side sleeping. I draped an original 3 oz zpacks tarp over the left side of my bivy to block the air and also donned a silpoly rain pullover, and this seemed to block most of the chilly intrusion so I could get some consistent sleep. I woke up and saw no stars in the sky, telling me that predawn was here so I packed up at 4:30 AM and was on the trail by 5.

Day 3: Mowich Lake to Longmire (36 miles/6200' elevation) This was a tough day dealing with my feet, and my pace had slowed somewhat. However, there were long stretches of trail that allowed even foot placement so my suffer meter was lower range. The descent to the Mowich Rivers (pretty much unchanged from last year) and nice steady grade up to Golden Lakes went well. The bugs had not been bad and the climbing was mostly shaded. The North Puyallup was aroaring and the climb to Klapatche Park was overgrown. I was glad to see Aurora Lake still full, as my usual transits later in the summer see no lake to speak of. When I arrived at St. Andrews Lake I had a good foot soak, and a couple who I had seen off and on most of the day offered me some Leukotape (gotta get me some), which is slightly slippery on the outside and very sticky so stays put (unlike moleskin). By now I could see the blisters poking through the callus so the tape over a padded bandaid gave me a great deal of relief. I was also thinking of an alternate plan; exiting the Wonderland at the South Puyallup camp to the West Side Road, then walking the road to the main drag. Although I was at the South Puyallup junction with plenty of time to have daylight over Emerald Ridge, I was concerned about the final outcome on my feet having to do so many more hours over rocky, rooty terrain. The road would allow normal foot placement and then it is just a matter of self extricating and walking out. When I hit the main road it was past 11 PM and only two cars passed me as I walked towards Longmire; can't say I blame them for not stopping. Around 1:30 AM a car approached from the opposite direction, and it turned out to be Rita, who had just finished her CW 3 day loop and was heading home. She slowed down and said hi ("It's Rita!"), turned around and saved me a few miles of road walking. Rita is an angel.

* Forward a few weeks to August 13. In good conscience I couldn’t count #38 truly done until I actually hiked that last bit of trail from So. Puyallup to Longmire. I parked at Longmire and set off at 8:30 AM, biked to the parking area on the West Side Road, then walked the road to Round Pass, then hiked the Round Pass Trail to the So. Puyallup River Trail and the intersection with the Wonderland. I guess you could consider this extra mileage to get there (8.5 miles biking/6.5 miles hiking) a downside, but the upside was I could do this whole remaining section to Longmire in daylight, good for video and photos! I carried my full frame S9 since it was only a day hike. It stayed cool the entire day and even blustery, but the breeze felt great and the sweat factor was near zero. Bonus, flowers were still hanging in there. I ambled into Longmire at 6:30 PM with plenty of time to shower in the van and have dinner at the Inn.

*Tahoma Glacier, on the climb to Emerald Ridge*

This extra make-up-bit compressed my time between hikes, so next week I will embark on WT #39. Let’s hope the old legs will scream a little less this time around. Link to #38/39 video Happy Hiking!

*The ridge leading to Naches Peak (photo by TJ)*

Naches Peak (6452')

June 24, 2025 by Willis Wall

On June 22, 2025 I joined Peter and TJ for a scramble/climb of Naches Peak (6452’). Technically this is just a class 3 scramble with an exposed down climb and traverse, but we decided to put in a line for protection. The weather was chilly in the morning with fog but the forecast was for improving conditions. We met up at Chinook Pass for the short access to the peak, just 1 mile.

Right from the get go we were on snow, not surprising with the early season and altitude, but it was conducive for kicking in steps. Peter had instep crampons and TJ used microspikes, I used neither but made use of an ice axe. We soon gained the ridge leading to the 8 foot down climb and Peter set up the main anchor and proceeded to run the line to the base of the summit block on belay. TJ and I followed using a prusik to advance along the rope. Once past the exposed section, it’s an easy walk to the summit, which in our case had limited views due to the cloud layers.

We traveled a slightly different course on the way back, avoiding some of the ridge line we came up, ending with a nice glissade and walk to the vehicles. This is the second peak where Peter has provided the technical assistance and know how, of which I am very appreciative. This was #76 for me on the Mt. Rainier 100 Peaks list and, despite the lack of views, it was a splendid day in the mountains.

*Wonderland trail sign near Klapatche Park*

Wonderland Trail Hike Prep 2025

May 20, 2025 by Willis Wall

This year could be a big one for me, especially in the quest to finish Wonderland Trail hike #40. As I am currently up to #37, I obviously have to do 3 this year to end on 40. One of the big complications in 2025 for most hikers is the closure of highway 165 into the Carbon River and Mowich Lake areas, leaving the 57 mile expanse of the trail on the west side with few options for access, those being the Longmire area and Sunrise. Because I usually do the Wonderland in 3 days, this does not affect my itineraries, which usually take advantage of White River and Mowich Lake for overnights. With no drive in access to Mowich Lake, there should be no problem getting a walkup permit for that one night as the whole shebang will be treated as a backcountry camp. So in sum I will be planning on three 3-day transits; early season, mid season and late season, which will probably work out to be July, August and September.

*Love my endurance challenges: Strava stats for RIMROBOD cycle trip in October 2023 (click box for link)*

Since I have the experience of doing over 30 three day trips, most of my gear and prep is pretty much dialed in (link to my 2021 fastpack kit article). Despite last year’s transits involving some nasty weather, I will try to plan on a good weather window for each of these trips (I’m retired so very flexible in when I can hike). However, the fact that I’m retired also means I’m kinda old, 70 this year. There’s a very important aspect of my fitness that I need to address, something I have neglected over decades: mobility and flexibility.

I’ve always been an endurance hound, be it on foot or on a bike. For all these years since my 40’s I prioritized endurance training with mere nods to that other stuff, like strength, flexibility and mobility; no time ‘cause I gotta run on a treadmill for 6 hours. In fact I have suffered from mild lower back pain for decades, especially after running. I tried to address this 5 years ago with doctor sanctioned PT, which revealed that my hip flexibility was atrocious, and the supporting muscles were weak. That helped a bit, but after PT I was not diligent in keeping up the exercises and stretching so basically was back to square one. My overall flexibility was so poor, I had a hard time getting up from sitting on the floor. I could not sit cross legged, like not even close; if I didn’t use hand support, I would topple over backwards. I’ve never sprained an ankle, but my ankle flexion was atrocious. Notice that the word “atrocious” slips from my typing fingertips fairly often, but I’ve always told myself that I am a naturally inflexible person and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Turning 70 had me thinking a bit; if I didn’t address these mobility and flexibility issues at this relatively ripe age, I would certainly pay the piper in my 80’s. Lack of mobility rears its ugly head all the time in everyday life, like holding two drinks after a coffee run and trying to get out of the car. Bending over to put on socks or shoes. Getting a foot up on a small ledge on the first move climbing Unicorn Peak, which my lead partner did effortlessly. Squatting next to my grandson who’s fascinated by tiny ants on the ground, or sitting next to him ON THE FLOOR as he does puzzles or plays with trucks or when he climbs on me. “Dude, you better do something about it.”

*Leg and hip work have helped my sprinting on the bike (taking the green jersey on Zwift’s Sasquatch Sprint)*

So some 5 or 6 months ago I began the painful process of addressing these issues. I am learning that what I once thought was impossible, I can in fact address with training. My mobility has improved, I am getting stronger (especially in the core), and my flexibility is improving, albeit at a slow pace. I have turned the corner from ignoring these issues to embracing the process of fixing them. And fixing them is now on equal footing with endurance training, which now is mostly cycling. However, many of the mobility routines are close to an hour long and have my heart rate up there like going on a run. The cycling keeps my aerobic capability tuned up, plus the mobility work has given me more glute strength (a key component in cycling and trekking). I already notice an improvement in climbing and sprinting on the bike. Combined with gains in shoulder, leg, back and core work, my back pain has disappeared. My walking gait has changed for the better, to the point where I sometimes I feel like I’m floating along the ground. I fully expect that my fastpacking legs will be much improved this year. I have no problems with getting up from the floor (still gotta use my hands), and my flexibility has improved dramatically; I am almost to the point of a normal person! I also realize I have years to go in the process.

*Floor time mobility training eases floor time with the grandson*

OK, I am not physically gifted, my VO2 Max is genetically average, my body is not flexible etc. I have blogged about his before, but it bears repeating here. 1) I am lucky to have good mechanics and essentially no limitations in what I can do or train for. Many people my age are dealing with arthritis, knee problems, disk problems, you name it. 2) I have been consistent in physical activity since my 30’s, and even more so now that I’m retired. This consistency is key in maintaining a base fitness level, allowing me to switch focus like trotting the trail or skiing with minimal extra training. 3) I have a mental aptitude for suffering, along with much experience in the doing. A 3 day wonderland trail hike has been a staple for me for decades, and I will continue cranking them out as long as I am able. 4) I have experience in fastpacking, mountaineering, trail ultra running, scrambling, backpacking and skiing. 5) I am constantly looking for ways to improve my craft, be it training or equipment. 6) Familiarity: I know the Wonderland Trail intimately, along with Mt. Rainier National Park in general, and am still exploring. IF you consider all of the above, it’s no stretch to understand how a completely average person like myself can still fastpack the Wonderland in 3 days at age 70 and beyond.

*Beyond Clothing Alpha Aura jacket: Dungeness Spit, February 27*

Equipment: my wife teases me; “Is that the jacket that is only good for 50 degrees with light rain?” Yes, I have a lot of gear, and I have tested and used it all in an ongoing process. This year will see few changes in the kit, but I will highlight one piece of gear: the Beyond Alpha Aura jacket. Alpha Direct fleece is a marvelous textile, packing an incredible amount of warmth in a light weight package. I have a Timmermade pullover made out of this and it is a great piece of kit, but the problem with Alpha Direct is the open weave; it’s fantastic in dumping heat and moving moisture when you’re workin’ up a sweat, but the wind will cut right through it. The weave is delicate, so an errant branch or squeezing under a blowdown can easily tear the fabric. It doesn’t take kindly to pack strap wear. It does shine for warmth under a light wind shirt or other garment, and excels on its own as a warm layer that breathes. Now the Beyond jacket isn’t the lightest, it has some extras on it that the Timmermade pullover omits: a full front zipper and two zippered side pockets. The thing that makes this jacket so utile is the simple addition of 20 denier ripstop paneling over the hood and shoulders, allowing this piece to be worn with a pack with much less worry of damaging the fabric. On April 17th of this year I packed this jacket on a hike to Camp Muir (10,188’). The day was warm enough for me to have two layers on top, a hooded sun shirt and an OR Ferrosi jacket. That was until about 8,000’ when a cold biting wind hit. I stopped and put on the Beyond Alpha under the Ferrosi shell and pulled up the hood. It was amazing how much warmer I felt for the remaining climb to above 10,000’. This simple piece of kit will negate me having to carry a puffy on the Wonderland: sun shirt, Aura Jacket, wind shirt and rain jacket will do the trick, both for moving and static activities like enjoying the view, eating or even taking a quick nap. It still works when wet and dries out fast. My rain protection is a proven piece from last year, the Timmermade Megazip Silpoly pullover. Silpoly is a non breathable fabric and totally waterproof. The beauty of this piece is the ability to vent, with full side zips (bottom hem to end of sleeve) and a quarter front zip. Ventilation is key for mitigation of internal moisture buildup, and these features have been validated in constant rain and drizzle on the Wonderland last year over multiple days.

*I’ve been using bivies for decades: Kennedy Glacier, early 90’s*

*Timmermade Megazip Silpoly pullover on Wonderland Trail hike #37*

For sleep gear I choose from multiple setups, but usually gravitate to a bivy bag, a 40 degree Nunatak quilt (12 ozs), and a NeoAir Xlite NXT short pad (12 ozs). If I’m using my Borah Gear bivy (5 ozs) I will carry a zpacks pocket tarp with stakes (4 ozs). My other choices may include a custom Borah Gear WPB bivy (9 ozs) or a more substantial OR Helium bivy (1 lb).

Alternate choices for a sleeping bag are a Nunatak Nova Insulated 50 degree bivy (1 lb) or even a Feathered Friends 35 degree Rock Wren (1.5 lbs) which allows me to walk around and poke my arms out if need be. I’ll be using my Durston Wapta 30 pack and Durston Iceline poles, both proven in last year’s various sojourns.

*Feathered Friends 35 degree Rock Wrens: still viable after 16 years*

In 1999 I did a 36 hour Wonderland with practically nothing: a hydration pack with enough room for some rain gear and food. I stopped once for some sleep at Ipsut Creek on a picnic table, wearing the rain gear. After 3 or so hours I was cold enough to get up at 4 AM and finish the hike/trot. I was so tired leaving Indian Henry’s for the final stretch to Longmire that I was hallucinating. I’m wiser now, and were I to attempt a similar itinerary I would bring a better rest kit. Here’s what I would call my “extreme” sleep setup: a 3/4 length 1/8” closed cell foam pad (3 ozs), a MLD (Mountain Laurel Designs) bag liner as a bivy (3 ozs) with that zpacks 3 oz. tarp. I would sleep in just my clothes if the temps were favorable, but I could add my Timmermade custom alpha direct bag liner as a pseudo quilt for another 7 ozs. Total sleep kit weight: 9 ozs without the bag liner, 1 pound with. Were I to consider this option, I would have to be in excellent fastpacking shape, with at least one Northern Loop Trail and one Wonderland under my belt, plus longer daylight hours, which would point to a July trip with a fine weather forecast involving 20 hour moving days. Very optimistic, but an example of how light one can go if you have the skills, legs and mindset.

*Durston Wapta 30 pack on Wonderland Trail hike #36*

*Willis Wall on Wonderland Trail hike #1: 1987*

Another benefit of doing a 3 day Wonderland is the food carry. The loss of Mowich Lake as a food cache point is making hikers rethink packing food. That 57 mile stretch could necessitate upwards of a week (or more) of food carry, depending on one’s itinerary. I’m only carrying for 3 days anyway so it has no impact on my logistics. Bottom line, even with poor weather, my total pack weight is always under 15 pounds (that includes food and 1 liter of water). This low weight is a primary factor in my ability to cover long distances per day, usually about 30-35 miles. I have done a few 40+ mile days, those approaching 20 hours on my feet vice a usual 15-17. 15-17 hour days include rest stops and leave plenty of time for sleep.

Things have changed in the park since I moved here in 1983: closure of the West Side Road to non park vehicles in 1992, closure of the Carbon River road to Ipsut Creek in 2006 (along with the loss of Sunshine Point campground), increased visitation leading to lotteries and timed entries, then there’s the latest loss of access to Mowich Lake and Carbon River. But one thing hasn’t changed much, and that’s the Wonderland Trail. Sure, it seems every year there is a reroute due to wandering rivers, but otherwise it’s much the same as 40 years ago. People experience the difficulty of getting permits, but consider that the number of backcountry campsites is essentially unchanged, it’s just that so many more people are trying to get out there. And with luck and work, there will be Willis Wall doing the Wonderland for many years to come; aiming for 50? Why not.

Dungeness Spit

March 01, 2025 by Willis Wall

Taking advantage of good weather and spare time, I drove my van out to Sequim, WA after skiing to hike the Dungeness Spit, the longest sand spit in North America. I had stopped here before in 2023 but, due to time constraints, was not able to hike all the way to the lighthouse. This time I wanted to do the entire round trip, which works out to 11 miles.

I camped in a nearby RV park for two nights and set out on trail around 10 AM, Thursday February 27th. The weather was fabulous, fairly warm with sunny skies and a light breeze. I knew high tide was at 2 PM, so starting off at 10 AM would make the entire trip orbiting the high tide point. This is not a problem, it just leaves less room on the transit, which is relegated to the left side (leaving) of the spit. The other side is off limits as a wild life refuge.

*Driftwood keeps erosion at bay on the Dungeness Spit*

During my 5 hour jaunt, I saw but 4 people (excluding the keepers at the lighthouse). At one point I sat on a log with my camera trained on a juvenile bald eagle, perched on a log. I sat in this position upwards of 20 minutes before he decided to take flight, but I was ready and did some rapid fire shots of his launch. This, of course, was a highlight of the day.

The entire trip had a slow rhythm, my steps naturally synching to the waves. Once at the lighthouse I encountered some of the weekly residents there (there is a separate house) that take care of the grounds and conduct tours. Ryan was my tour guide up to the light, giving me a smattering of history and identifying distant points from the high vantage. The former apartment rooms (the light has been automated since 1992) are now home to the museum. After having my packed lunch (there is no water available on the hike) on a bench overlooking the water, I was off to retrace my steps back to the vehicle, 5.5 miles away. All in all, this was one of the most serene hikes I have ever done. The Spit video can be seen here.

Wonderland Trail in 13 Minutes CCW

January 19, 2025 by Willis Wall

This video fast tracks Mt. Rainier's Wonderland Trail Counter Clock Wise starting and ending at Longmire and includes the entire Stevens Canyon washout section with the bypass, plus the regular and alternate routes over Spray Park via the Mother Mountain Loop. I call on various recent Wonderland hikes for the content. Music by Willis Wall and Forrest Kinney (piano). Authored in 4K Cinematic with map reference for the viewer to keep bearings.

Willis Wall Holiday Video 2024

November 29, 2024 by Willis Wall

It was a good year for me, with continued excellent health and some great excursions. This 3 minute video shows highlights of backcountry skiing, the Incubus 50th Reunion Gig, Olympic National Park, biking across the Pyrenees, Section 1 of the GR10, Mt. Rainier outings including 2 Wonderlands, peakbagging and the Northern Loop Trail. Add in RAMROD (Ride Around Mt. Rainier in One Day) and a late season overnight at the foot of the Tahoma Glacier to cap it off.

Unicorn Peak (6971')

October 15, 2024 by Willis Wall

Sunday the 13th was the probably last nice day of fall, and many of the access roads to Mt. Rainier were closing the following day. Highways 410 and 123 should be open to mid November, but the White River, Ohanapecosh entrance, Stevens Canyon and Mowich Lake roads are now in hibernation. I proposed to Peter that we should hit Unicorn on Sunday. My motives were quite selfish, in that I don't have the skills or the experience to do this peak, and I needed a partner. Peter and I had done a ski trip together and I knew he had interest in alpine climbs. We met at Mt. Rainier’s Snow Lake trailhead Sunday morning and set off. The video of this trip is at the end of this post.

I had some knowledge of the route to the Unicorn Glacier from my failed attempt at Boundary a while back...I had to turn around below the saddle, stymied by the moat and my lack of an ice axe. This time we had tools, and although this same area was shrunken compared to my past visit, it was tricky in that we needed to descend steep scree to the side of the snow ramp. Peter set a hand line, sent down his pack, then we both followed. There was muck and rock over hard ice, some of it sliding in small sheets. I had an ice tool and this served me well in providing some protection from sliding to where we could walk on the snow. Clearly the best time to access this peak is in the spring, when the gully and boulder field below are covered by firm snow. Our travel was not especially difficult, but tedious and slow. After skirting the base a bit, we attained the shoulder of Unicorn via a class 3 gully; then it was a nice ridge walk to the base of Unicorn.

*Looking south to Mt. Adams on the route to Unicorn Peak*

Bottom line, I had never done a trad climb before, only scrambles. Peter had the gear and experience and I appreciated his attention to safety and protection. He easily climbed the route, placing protection in the process. When I was ready to follow, I just couldn't get the first move; a left leg up on a skinny ledge feature. Every time I came close my foot slipped off, especially since I was in trail runners. Gotta invest in the proper gear if I'm gonna do more of this. Peter was very patient as I tried over and again until my grip gave out, then suggested I move to the right. This did the trick and I had no further problems going up the route. The weather couldn't have been better, it was a perfect fall alpine day with no one else in sight. The 360 degree views were nothing short of eye popping. We reconfigured at the summit and I elected not to rappel, as I hadn't done this since my mountaineering days over 20 years ago. He belayed me as I down climbed the route, then he rappelled off a good size boulder, leaving an additional sling.

The rest of the day was just reverse course, with a few deviations, and then the nastiness. We got to the place of the hand line and he got himself up, but in the process of opening his pack to improve the anchor, one of his rock shoes fell down the slope. He had to extend the hand line for me to reach his shoe, and then I struggled to get up the slope. I had just about made it when the crap under me slid, and down I went in slow motion, still holding the hand line with a twist or two so there was enough friction to keep things slow. Peter: “Do you have the video of you sliding down the Unicorn glacier? Cause that was intense to watch.” Indeed I do.

I eventually tied his shoe to the end of the line and moved lower to a slightly less angled area, using my ice tool in the dirt to eventually make the top, completely anaerobic from the effort. Type II fun for sure. This didn't dampen the spirits though and the remainder of the trip down the boulder fields to Snow Lake was just kinda cool, both of us looking up with satisfaction at what we had just climbed. My thanks and appreciation go out again to Peter for his exemplary geriatric baby sitting, his attention to safety and just being a cool guy to hang out with. I was quite pleased he agreed to take me on my first trad climb, but hopefully not my last.