Wonderland Trail

WT 1986; 50 pound pack

IntroductionWT 2010; 10 pound pack
I've been hiking Mt. Rainier's Wonderland Trail since 1986, which was my first real backpacking trip.  Every year I am drawn back to this treasure, eagerly looking forward to my annual trek. This section is dedicated to all things Wonderland; trail conditions and updates, tips, equipment, itineraries, etc.

Even though I am fortunate enough to live relatively close to Mt. Rainier National Park, enabling my yearly hikes, I never take it for granted and always understand that this is the trip of a lifetime for many people, sometimes at considerable expense and perhaps vacation time. These pages are meant to help in your planning, and you might find information beyond the typical trail blogs.

Most people take 10 to 14 days to hike the Wonderland. I like to trot the trail, usually covering the distance in 4 days or less. Although these approaches may seem completely different, in reality not so much. The main considerations for a 2 week hiker is logistics, food and fuel. You may want to cache food so as not to carry the entire load from the first step. A 2 week itinerary might also include restocking fuel, camera batteries and other sundries such as TP. Aside from this, I would be carrying essentially the same equipment for a 3 day hike as I would a 14 dayer.

SUGGESTION: the willis wall blog contains articles covering topics like training, equipment advances, philisophy, and specifics on topics that will be of interest to anyone researching the Wonderland Trail. Check it out. Also, click on the "Past Updates" link to the left or right here to peruse updates that have been posted here but are no longer current. However, they contain some interesting points that still may be relevant to the Wonderland Trail hiker. One update is a video chronicle of 33 miles of the trail from Longmire to White River. Also, I periodically get questions from people about backpacking and Wonderland Trail related topics. I have posted some with my answers in the Questions section....check it out for some detailed thoughts.

 A Note on Products:  As time goes by my methods evolve, my experience widens, and I take a lot of on trail video. Some ideas have manifested themselves as products for sale, dedicated to enhancing awareness of the Wonderland Trail.
       Mt. Rainier: Hiking the Wonderland Trail DVD Over 3 hours of content of trail footage, tips, interviews, tours of backcountry camps filmed in SD on Canon GL2. Price reduced to $19.95
       The 3 Day Wonderland Trail Backpack: In 2009 I was filming a podcast for Gossamer Gear and in the process chronicled my trip. I was not in great shape that year and tried to capture both the glory and the pain. Supplemented with additional HD footage, this series is available for each day.
       Backpacking Strategies: hiking more than 20 miles per day: Every year contributes to my evolving backpacking philosophy.  In this video I talk about how I am able still, in my mid fifties, to pull off a fast hike of this oftentimes grueling trail, such as 2010's 47 hour hike, with thoughts on my philosophy, training, gear, and mental approach. With the exception of my first 6 day hike in 1986, I've done the trail in 4 days or less (solo) over 20 times.
       My Wonderland: When my daughter was 13, she hiked the Wonderland Trail in 5 days. This short film (16:50), a finalist in the 2009 Kendal Mountain Film Festival, is a film about her quest and her hike with emphasis on the importance of exposing our kids to wilderness. Pure family fare!

Gear Philosophy
My daughter and I are trail ambassadors for Gossamer Gear, a small company that makes light weight outdoor equipment here in the US. I am a strong advocate for the US outdoor cottage industry. In step with this, I am a huge advocate for lightening up your backpack. Click here for Glen Van Peski's reasons for carrying a smaller load, as I agree with most of what he has to say on his Gossamer Gear website. Why carry a light load?

    • less stress on the body:  Mt. Rainier's Wonderland Trail is 93 miles and 21,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. That's 21,000 feet up AND 21,000 feet down. Every extra pound you carry creates stress on your shoulders, back, hips, knees, ankles and feet and all the attendant muscles. Hiking Fun Factor is directly related to Carrying Load Factor (HFF=CLF).
    • energy: 1 pound requires x amount of energy to carry it over that distance and elevation. Energy expenditure must be fueled by food and drink. Take the pound away and go the same distance expending less energy (and carrying less food), or more distance for the same energy. Simple math.
    • safety Scenario 1) You trip on a rock and go down, or manage to catch yourself by furiously flailing various appendages. Now imagine a 10 pound pack versus a 50 pound pack on your back, with the attendant higher center of gravity. 2) You need to get over that pass before the thunderstorm hits. 3) You're trying to make camp and set up before the rain 4) You find an injured hiker and need to get to the ranger station before nightfall. Make up your own.
    • freedom Freedom from pain, free to leap over rocks and roots and creeks, unencumbered.  "Oh, do I have a pack on? Didn't notice!"

Attack the big 3
Considerable weight savings can be made with attention to the big 3. Tent, sleeping system and pack. Get your load under 20 pounds and you can carry it in a pack that weighs less than 2 pounds (or even 8 ounces, like mine). Tarptent and Gossamer Gear make 1 to 4 person tents at very low weights. I use Gossamer Gear's 1 pound one person "The One."  Or for 2 people, GG's Squall Classic, at 1.5 pounds. For 3 people, I use a Tarptent  2.5 pound Rainshadow 2. For those looking into the lightest systems available, ZPacks and Mountain Laurel Designs also offer shelters and packs manufactured with cuben fiber, one of the strongest and lightest outdoor fabrics currently available. You can get quality sleeping systems from companies like  Feathered Friends, Western Mountaineering, Marmot etc for 2 pounds or less. Do you really need a 2 pound inflatable mattress? One of the easiest ways to lighten your load is to not put stuff in your pack. Take what you need, and nothing more. My pack weight varies according to trip, but I've done the Wonderland Trail solo with a 10 pound pack, including food, but never more than 18 pounds, at least for the last 15 years or so.

Links: Instead of me independently listing links, I'll direct you to sectionhiker.com, which holds a plethora of information and enough links to lead you in about any direction you'd care to cover.

Wonderland Trail particulars and tips
    bailout/resupply:
    You can cache food and supplies at Mowich Lake, White River, Sunrise and Longmire. Take note that Fuel may not be mailed or stored in the food cache container, or mailed separately. If you arrive at the park with fuel and you need to have it stored for the duration of the hike, fuel may be cached at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center at Longmire, The White River Wilderness Information Center at the White River Entrance and at the Ranger Station at the White River Campground. As it cannot be mailed it must only be delivered in person (from the park website). Maybe you have someone who can meet you along the trail. The obvious places with vehicle access are the ones just mentioned. You also have Box Canyon, Reflection Lakes, Narada Falls, and Fryingpan Creek (parking area). The Carbon River road is now permanently closed (to vehicles), but Ipsut Creek is a possibility. You just have to contend with 5 miles of hiking or biking. Then there is the West Side road, closed to vehicle traffic but good for mountain bikes. Just a 15 mile ride up and over Round Pass to the North Puyallup river camp. Just a short walk up the road or a bit further and you have access to Indian Henry's or the South Puyallup river camp. Remember too that use of the Westside road can offer great dayhiking to Emerald Ridge, which would otherwise be over a 20 mile roundtrip from Longmire on the WT.

    Cellphone Access:
    I've found a few places where you can make cell calls. Sunrise (and above Sunrise), the Panhandle Gap area (one person told me they had reception at Summerland), and various areas transiting Silver Forest.

    High vs. Low Route:
    The park website states There are two wilderness camps on the Alternate Route of the Wonderland Trail through Spray Park. They are: Eagle's Roost- (no group site) 4,885 feet // Cataract Valley- 4,620 feet
I interpret this to mean that indeed, the route through Spray Park is considered part of the Wonderland Trail, so no problems if you choose to go this way....you still did the Wonderland! If encountering rain and/or low visibility, perhaps the low route through Ipsut Pass and Ipsut Creek might be the way to go. But if the weather is nice the jaunt through Spray and Seattle Parks is well worth the elevation gain and loss. Also consider the Cataract Creek campground; 7 sites, 3 bear poles, a water source that flows right through the camp, and nifty solar toilets overseen by squeaking picas. I'm not a big fan of backcountry campsites (though they are certainly necessary to concentrate hiker's impact) but this is one of the better ones. A wonderful description of the entire trail (reminiscent of the Ira Spring/Harvey Manning books) can be found here.

    Grease Low Light:
    If you hike before the middle of September, plan your trip to transit Sunrise duriing the day. Burgers, hot dogs, fries, chips, Gatorade, ice cream....stock up on your fat and grease stores for the hike ahead. Replenish your electrolytes with salty fare. If you have been on the trail for a time, shock your system with encounters of Bermuda shorts clad strollers, screaming kids, and the typical tourist crowd, all usually found within 2 miles of Sunrise. Be prepared for the occasional silly question like, "did you come from the top?" On the other side the Longmire Inn offers traditional National Park fare; mostly adequate food for a high price, but the cappuccino machine usually works....if it's still there.

    Theoretical Stealth Camping:
    You're traveling light and fast, employing the techniques learned through years of painful episodes, trial and error, or you've saved yourself the trouble and learned from people like me. You have no itinerary. You have no permit! But you find yourself with 2 or 3 days available with incredible northwest pristine summer weather and you want to blast the trail. Your pack is so puny it looks like you're out for a day hike. You also know you're unlikely to run into a ranger before 8 AM or after 6 PM. You will be on the trail by 5 and won't stop before 8. Where to spread out your bag or bivy when you need sleep in a zero-impact style?
    • ranger cabin porches: off the ground, covered, benches, zero impact. Perfect. Golden Lakes, Indian Henry's, White River.
    • Sunrise: benches and wooden platform under the pay phone
    • 1 mile clockwise from Golden Lakes: a flat spot right off trail (before descending towards the Mowich Rivers) with enough room for a tent
    • Above Indian Bar: a spot right off trail overlooking the Ohanepecosh Valley, after the trail turns to descend to Indian Bar
    • Below Moraine Park: you've passed Dick Creek heading upward toward Mystic Pass, grinding up the switchbacks. A bit prior to entering the lower meadow below Mystic Pass, there's a flat spot with enough room for a couple of tents. Hard to pass up.

    • 1 mile from Granite Creek: heading CCW, the trail switchbacks but has a nice flat spot, room for 3 in bivy bags, with a nice log border

    • Heading towards Reflection Lakes, shortly after passing Martha Falls, there are some nice flat spots where the trail used to be routed to a lower creek crossing.

     CAVEAT! Not that I've ever done this, I've just made a note of it!

Northern Loop Trail
Want to get your legs in shape for the big one? Do the NLT in 1 day or 2. From Sunrise, @35 miles. Add 10 more miles from Carbon River side due to the road closure. From Ipsut Creek, 9700 feet of elevation gain/loss as meticulously measured by yours truly one day.

sunrise at Mystic Lake on the NLTNight Hiking
One of the reasons I cover lots of distance in a day is I use most of the day. I love being ON the trail, not sequestered in a campsite. I'll start between 4 and 6 AM and witness that fabulous transition to sunrise. I might go until midnight, enjoying the surprises of nightfall. Some of the best views and most memorable experiences I've had on the trail have been during these "off" times. 2 that come to mind, crossing Panhandle Gap at night and never turning on a headlamp with a full moon, illuminating every step and far vistas like Mt. Adams. Or a stunning moonrise behind the mountain as I crested Mystic Pass, with an equally jaw-dropping vista ahead as I gazed west to a reddish sky above a layer of clouds. Or looking down on the Carbon River as it glistened in moonlight like a jeweled ribbon. Wait, I said only 2, didn't I.

Water
Bottom line, lots of water on the trail, even in late season (I've done the trail as late as October). I usually just carry 1 filter water bottle. If it's a scorcher, I might carry an extra bottle for the section from Box Canyon to Indian Bar (no water on the Cowlitz Divide) and maybe Mowich River to the North Puyallup (not a fan of lake water, available at Golden Lakes). Otherwise, I drink at the source, then carry some with me to drink enroute to the next source.

Trekking Poles

Use 'em! Reduce wear and tear on knees and quads. Share the load over your entire body whilst stepping up and down. Always have 3 points of contact with the ground for stability. Hold up your tarptent. Ward off marauding marmots.

Panhandle Gap
Many people worry about this section of the WT. In 25 years of crossing it, I've never used (or carried) an ice axe or even something like microspikes. However, in the unusual year of 2011, my daughter and I were attempting a 2.5 day fastpack of the Wonderland Trail and hit the Gap at 11 PM. The area transiting the Gap is shadowed by a ridge for a good part of the morning, and the snow tends to be more consolidated at that point. Suddenly the snow was very hard and there was a very slight boot track, unlike most times of the year where the track is deep. I determined that crossing in those conditions was too risky, and we spent the night right at the Gap for an unplanned bivy. The result of this experience was I found a bypass route that is mild enough for most backpackers, requiring some scrambling over the other side of the ridge. If you want to learn "all things Gap", including the bypass route, check out the products page for this 36 minute tour, including a real time transit of the bypass. You may want to plan your crossing after the sun has warmed and softened the snow if freezing has occurred overnight. Usually (unlike the very unusual year of 2011) there is established boot track. Trekking poles are very useful to provide stability. There have been some years where the Gap was complelely snow free, later in the season. Also, I've always (except in 1986) crossed/hiked the trail in trail running shoes. DISCLAIMER: Always check with the park service on current conditions for your hike....there may be occasions, like July/August of 2011 where an ice axe is warranted.

Emergency Shelters
Once I finished a hike (late) in drenching rain and entered the bathrooms at Sunrise. 3 dudes were in there with their bags laid out on the floor and their soaked gear hanging in various places. This bathroom also has hot air blowing hand dryers, great for drying out socks and clothes. Although camping in a bathroom might at first seem gross, I can assure you that this commodious shelter with running water and hot air blowers was like a 4 star hotel to drenched, weary and shivering hikers. Make a note of it. Another port in the storm, the bathrooms at Narada Falls. Not only a huge bathroom, but there is an anteroom with benches for sitting and/or lying down.  Once my daughter and I were hiking late at night, about 10 PM, and I had told her that we could take refuge in this spacious palace. The weather was abysmal and the thought of holing up here for awhile was enticing. But lo and behold, when we arrived, the bathrooms were closed for maintenance! %$#@&*^! We had to make our way another 4 miles or so to Longmire to get out of the deluge. Lastly, Box Canyon also has a bathroom, though no running water (Purell only). In dire straits one could also consider the bathrooms at Mowich Lake, but you'd have to sit up the entire time. Lastly there are some loos on the trail that are covered and not open air, but I can't imagine being so hard up as to take refuge there.

If you got this far you may be interested in following my quest to fastpack the Wonderland Trail in under 36 hours in 2012.

flower cornucopia near Grand Park

Wonderland Trail 2007 Updates: these 4 updates, filmed on a 4 day thru-hike of the Wonderland Trail in 2007, concentrate on the changes to the trail after the severe flooding of 2006. View here in the player below.