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St. Andrews Lake in October

Rainier West Mini Loop

October 05, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

Glorious fall weather was with us, so I was off to the park and secured a site in Cougar Rock Campground for 5 nights right up to closing day. Out of 6 days I was active for 4, with the other two involving wandering down to Longmire for coffee and WiFi. The first day (Tuesday, Oct 3) I did a nice afternoon ride up to Paradise and Reflection Lake as a warmup. The second day (Oct 4), I rode to the West Side road and parked at the trail to South Puyallup Camp. As I was planning on riding RIMROBOD on the coming Saturday, I had my gravel bike with me (Salsa Cutthroat) vice my usual vintage mountain bike. My only concern was the road tires I had on it but the West Side Road is gentle enough to not be a problem. I then proceeded on foot past South Puyallup camp to St. Andrews Park/Lake, Klapatche Park, then the St. Andrews Trail to the West side road which I trotted to regain my bike, returning to Cougar Rock. On this trip I concentrated on taking in as much nuance as I could, taking macro shots of the plethora of fungi, reveling in the colorful understory, spending over an hour at St. Andrews Lake, completely alone (only saw 4 people this entire trip), availing myself of the 4 cameras I packed for various video shots....I tried not to be overwhelmed by the olfactory overload of fall on the hill, but I failed; that's a good thing! I could barely get myself moving again from such an idyllic spot (St. Andrews Lake), but made my way to Klapatche Park, where there was one other person who kept to himself. Aurora Lake was refilled by the recent rains, and I got an alternate (maybe better?) shot of the mountain reflected in a tarn as I traveled the St Andrews trail, trotting the nice grade to the West Side Road, where my ambulation continued until I regained my bike. After the short climb to Round Pass, the fall overload continued (even on the main road back to Cougar Rock). I called this a "Rainier West Mini Loop." Of course, one could shorten this trip by parking at the end of the West Side Road, but where’s the fun in that? Todays stats: 42 miles (13 hiking)/5800' elev. I’ve done some endurance type trips this season and it was a pleasure to shift gears and just relax.

Tarn reflection near Klapatche Park

Salsa tackles the West Side Road

Mountain from the West Side Road, Mt. Rainier

Lots of fungus in October on the trail

Fall color in St. Andrews Park, Mt. Rainier

The Puyallup formations from St. Andrews Park

Broadleaf show’s a startin’

October 05, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
st andrews park, st andrews lake mt rainier, klapatche park, mt rainier west side road

Smoke produced ghostly views on the Wonderland Trail

Wonderland Trail #35 - 8/21-23/2023

August 26, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

I wanted to do something different for my 35th transit of the Wonderland. Well, I got my wish. After a year of productive cycle training and some warmup hikes, I was ready to attempt a 48 hour transit. It was a stretch for sure, but one never knows until trying. After delaying a week due to hot temperatures, I departed for Mt. Rainier on a Sunday afternoon and secured a walk up permit at Longmire. It had one camp on it; Cataract Valley. I was aiming for one rest period during this endurance attempt.

Generally the west side of the mountain is the toughest, packing a lot of elevation gain and loss into those miles vice the east side. With my Longmire start, I wanted to get the hard part done with fresh legs and set off on a clockwise trip. Usually I do these trips with a pristine weather forecast in hand, but with other matters pressing I went with “good enough”. No rain was forecast on Monday (August 21) for my start. However, smoke was present but was supposed to diminish by Tuesday afternoon. Temperatures were moderate. I set off from Longmire at 4:20 AM, hoping to return by 4:20 AM on Wednesday for that 48 hour window.

St. Andews Lake, Wonderland Trail

I felt in the pocket all day, breezing up the climbs and trotting the downhills. There’s a lot of that on this trail. I could gauge my progress based on many past hikes, and was very pleased with the pace. I’m usually transiting Silver Forest (right before Golden Lakes) in the dark, but on this day I passed through at 4 PM, hours ahead of any other hike. Sure the skies were ghostly with the smoke, and views of the mountain were suggested, hiding in the veil. But cool temperatures and otherwise pleasant conditions were enjoyable and conducive to fast ambulation. It looked like I was going to be able to transit the Mowich Rivers before dark, another first. The ranger who issued my permit reported that the South Mowich River main channel merged with the North Mowich further upstream, in essence cutting out half the crossing problems. When I arrived with plenty of light left, there were a few slighter branches of the river in the south channel, but otherwise the huge flood plain was begging for water. I passed old bridges mired in sand and rock on the way until gaining the wooded area that is home to the South Mowich River Camp. From there the path proceeded back into the flood plain for quite some distance until finally crossing the merged rivers. This whole area seemed kind of convoluted and I’m sure next season will have the trail crews out there making new rock lined paths, but for this year it worked well. I have transited these rivers in the dark, and being able to see more than 50 feet was a pleasant change.

Starry night in Spray Park

I started the climb to Mowich Lake with light still with me and arrived there at 9:30 PM. This would be a stopping point for a normal 3 day hike, but I launched off into the night, taking the Spray Park Trail (last year I did the Ipsut Pass route), what I call the High Route. There was no moon but I occasionally turned off my headlamp and enjoyed clear starry skies, thinking that the forecast was spot on and that the next day would be nice….with the next day only a few hours away. This alternate route over Spray Park is not easy going or conducive to fast trotting, what with big steps along the way and a somewhat difficult path through Seattle Park above treeline, especially in the dark. However, physically I was still hanging in there with plenty of gas in the tank and steely feeling legs. I arrived at Cataract Valley Camp at 1:30 AM and occupied site #1. I hung the food bag and laid out my sleep system, which I had “upgraded” last minute to an OR Helium bivy and a Nunatak 40 degree quilt, along with a NeoAir XLite NXT short pad. I just rolled the whole shebang into a bundle so I could lay it out for immediate deployment without dealing with individual stuff sacks. I’m a side sleeper so the short pad, at 66 inches, was perfect for a bent knee position. Unfortunately, I had a hard time falling asleep, and I only got perhaps 2 hours of rest out of my 4 hours reclining. I was up and exiting the camp by 6:30 AM.

Tokaloo Rock and Spire, Wonderland Trail

Day 1 had me 47 miles into the hike with 12,500 feet of elevation gain. Day 2 would be longer with essentially the same elevation gain, mitigated somewhat by the last 30 miles abating a bit. As the skies got lighter I could see that there was no clearing; the cloud deck was low and mist was in the air. At least the smoke had cleared out. I was anticipating 4 major climbs to finish off the trip, and I arrived at the top of the first one (Mystic Pass at 6000’) feeling OK. I didn’t have the prior day’s spring and spunk but my legs were still in the fight and I was able to trot the downhills without quivering thighs. I breezed through Mystic Lake, around the Winthrop Glacier and saw an elusive Marten on my climb to Skyscraper Pass, the second climb of the day. In the forefront of my mind were the time milestones, and I was thinking I was maybe 2 hours behind where I should have been. I took a long break at White River Campground, the other spot that I use for a typical 3 day, and launched into the unknown. On the trail to Summerland I laid down and took a 30 minute nap, feeling much better for the short rest as I aimed for the highest point on the trail, Panhandle Gap at 6800 feet. But what’s that I’m seeing in my headlight as I’m hiking?….looks like big dust particles…or light rain. I am always assessing conditions, not just external but how my body is holding up. As the rain increased in intensity there was more assessing. As the winds picked up above Summerland and sideways mist was hitting my face there was more assessing. A decision had to be made, do I commit to Panhandle Gap and the exposed Ohanapecosh Park transit? Now, I was not going “stupid light”, I had minimal but effective kit (total carried weight including food and water was about 12 pounds), and I was confident in my choices. Bottom line though, I deemed it prudent not to continue at that point, and knew my best place to shelter was below Panhandle Gap by the green tarn. Abandoning my 48 hour quest, I laid out the bivy on a durable, sandy area near the tarn. By the time I was tucked inside the rain and wind had intensified. Problem was, I had to keep the bivy closed because of the wind driven rain, but the condensation buildup inside became its own problem. I had all my clothes on and was able to maintain minimal heat throughout the night, but I was certainly not comfortable. Shifting side to side, occasionally opening up the bivy for ventilation, adjusting the quilt as best I could for drafts, I spent the night snoozing and awaiting morning. Stats for this second day: 29 miles/8300’ elevation gain

Emmons Glacier, descending to White River

At some point the rain stopped and I was able to expose my face to breathe outside the bivy. I was up and on the trail at 5:30 AM, wearing all my clothing. First order of business was to raise my body temperature. A shoutout to Timmermade; I didn’t have a puffy but did have the Alpha Direct hoody, and paired with a prototype silpoly Megazip shell, I was able to hike quickly but dump heat and moisture by managing the huge zips in the shell. By the time I hit the Gap I was toasty enough to remove my hat, eventually stowing the hoody and shell in exchange for an Enlightened Equipment wind shirt. This whole transit through Ohanapecosh Park was devoid of any views as the skies were still completely socked in. I still hadn’t seen the mountain proper on this trip. Visibility under the clouds was good, however, and I was able to peer down on Indian Bar from the ridge, my next destination. I was happy to see that the weather was apparently not going to get worse.

The final hours of my 3 day trek finally saw clear skies: Reflection Lake, Mt. Rainier

By the time I descended to Nickel Creek the skies were starting to clear, making me wish I had started the trip a few days later. But hey, deal and cope, and enjoy being outside. Fatigue was slowly creeping into the legs, but I was not anywhere near pegging the needle on the sufferfest dial. Reflection Lakes was the end of my last climb, and the skies were mostly clear with my first clear view of the mountain. From there it was a cruise back to Longmire, arriving just before 6 PM; time to take a hot shower and enjoy some bison meatloaf at the Inn. At this point I’ve probably done around 25 three day Wonderlands, and I’ve never arrived in daylight on the last day. Then again, my last day has never been this short: 27 miles/4600’ elevation gain. That would make this hike my fastest three day hike I’ve ever done, more than 30 years after my first. I’ll take it, I aint gettin’ any younger…and there’s always next time.

Video: this time I authored in 4K, and the run time is lengthy: 51 minutes. But I wanted to convey the essence of my celebratory 35th hike of the Wonderland and hope that viewers enjoy my journey, sprinkled with a few historical snippets. For best viewing make sure you have 4K selected. Cheers and happy hiking!

August 26, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
wonderland trail, wonderland trail fastpack

Hiking through the Norse Peak Fire burn zone (2017)

Peak Bagging Rainier: 8/9-12/2023

August 14, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

I took advantage of continuing decent weather to bag some more peaks on the Rainier 100 list, parking my van in the RV lot at Crystal Mountain and staging out of there. On Wednesday morning (8/9/23) I drove to the turnoff on Crystal Mountain Blvd to access the Norse Peak trail. This is a pleasant trail with views that open up as one climbs into the Norse Peak fire zone (2017). Highlights: talking to 3 immature elk and being photo bombed by a hummingbird. As I approached the summit there was a stiff wind but pleasant nonetheless. I wandered the flat summit area for a bit, then ran back down to the van. I checked in at the RV lot at 6 PM and set up shop...hot shower, snacks, meal etc. There were only 3 RVs in the lot so it was a quiet night. Stats: 10.5 miles/3100'

Top of Chair 6 and Forest Queen lodge from Silver King Peak (6998’)

Day 2 (8/10/23): Silver King (6998') The surrounding peaks were socked in when I awoke so I lounged for a bit that morning hoping for some clearing as the day progressed. Twice I had a mind to tag Silver King when I was skiing with a buddy, but each time there was a low cloud deck with no views from the Peak. It's a bit of a slog to get over there schlepping skis so didn't happen. On this day I took the Silver Creek trail to Elizabeth Lake, then proceeded to scramble up to the South Ridge to gain the summit. I looked down Brain Damage ski run, thinking you gotta have brain damage to board or ski that, or just mad skills. I'm lacking in at least one department there. After watching 2 C-17s go by on a low level, I transited the ridge towards Campbell Basin and descended to the lodge, hiking the road and some trails back to the van. Stats: 9.5 miles/3300'

Crystal Lake and Rainier from the summit of Three Way Peak (6796’)

Day 3 (8/11/23): Three Way Peak (6796') To access Three Way from Crystal, I once again took the Silver Creek Trail to a connector to the PCT, then proceeded south on the PCT to Three Way. Since the PCT transits the base of Three Way, anytime I looked up to see where the col was it all just looked the same...steep meadow to rock ridges. After contemplating a bit, I just started up below the summit, angling right as I went via appropriate crappy gullies until I intersected the "right" way. A short jaunt to the summit block with an airy step or two had me communing with the resident insects, which always seem to populate these summits. When I started the descent, I was thinking I would take the "usual" way down to the col, but although I transited the flattish sandy area described, the way off wasn't real clear...steep rock faces. So once again I committed to a crappy gully that eventually deposited me on the meadow above the PCT. Once again I trotted the entire way back (on excellent trail) to my van, and once again I took a hot shower, poured a glass of wine, made some munchies, watched a movie, made dinner, read a little and bedded down. Love that thing. Stats: 10 miles/2900'

Mt Rainier from the summit of Chinook Peak (6904’)

Day 4 (8/12/23): Chinook Peak (6904')/Crystal Peak (6595’) As this was a Saturday, I got up early and packed up the van to get to the Crystal Peak trailhead before the madhouse was in full swing. No problem getting a spot but I was surprised at the amount of traffic on 410 at 7:30 AM. I had breakfast and coffee and got on the trail around 8 AM and enjoyed solitude on the Crystal Peak trail, hopping off at the first switchback for Chinook. The sloping meadow area was not steep, in fact very pleasant, and I gained the ridge to Chinook to the right of peak 6706'. Chinook's description was "easy scramble", so I knew I was off on a class 3 section. Par for course for me it seems. I descended and contoured around the base some more until an obvious way presented itself. Despite the intimidating rocky pillars, the way up was indeed easy and I spent some time here (what, no bugs?) lounging and trying to ID peaks in the area. I could see the top of Chair 6 glinting in the sun, with Three Way and Silver King in view. The way back to the trail was gentle with huge views to the mountain with every step. The last time I was on Crystal Peak it was snowing so I thought I'd go take another look to see the views, the best of which is on the trail below the peak...an expansive 180 vista with the mountain in the middle; superb! As expected, there were a few people on the summit and I ran into increasing numbers of hikers as I ran back down to the completely packed parking area. Somehow I managed to back onto 410 and made my escape. Stats: 11 miles/4400'

Three Way Peak (6796’) from the summit of Chinook Peak (6904’)

Descending on the Crystal Peak trail

August 14, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
norse peak, silver king peak, three way peak, chinook peak, crystal peak, peak bagging mt rainier, mt rainier 100 peaks list

Morning alpenglow from the meadows below the Burroughs Mountains

Northern Loop Trail

August 07, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

A busy July precluded any hiking that month, so I hit the Northern Loop Trail (Mt. Rainier National Park) on August 3rd in preparation of hiking the full Wonderland shortly thereafter. The Northern Loop Trail (NLT) approximates the toughest day I may see on a 3 day Wonderland, coming in at 38 miles with 9,800’ of elevation gain. Over 20 years ago I would do this trail in under 12 hours as training for ultras. This iteration took considerably longer; 18 hours total. Generally speaking, the hike went well with the last 10 miles offering a test of legs and mettle. There is a video chronicle at the end of this post.

Mt. Fremont from Grand Park

I got an early start at 5:30 AM at Sunrise, enjoying spreading alpenglow from the meadows beneath the Burroughs Mountains. A highlight of the trip is the jaunt through Berkeley Park, with the fairy tale like Lodi Creek bubbling along the way, feeding flowers late into the season. A relatively short wooded section deposits the hiker on the far end of Grand Park, the unique anomalous flat mesa. As I stepped along the trail in bright morning sunshine, thousands of tiny grasshoppers took to short flights to avoid my feet, parting the way like a bow wave. The snapping sounds they made as they hopped away reminded me of popcorn. This experience is just one of the surprising delights that happen on the trail, being in the right place at the right time by happenstance. As a parting shot the mountain offers up a grand view before dropping over 2,000’ to the West Fork of the White River.

A grand view leaving Grand Park, Mt. Rainier National Park

The crossing of the West Fork is a bit convoluted, and I actually lost the trail by following an older version for a bit before realizing my mistake and backtracking. No further navigation problems were encountered after this brief distraction and I enjoyed the climb to Windy Gap, legs and motor still cooperating as I approached the half way point mileage-wise. This second drop from nearly 6,000’ to 2900’ taxed the downhill legs, always the weak area without a good amount of prior trail miles under my belt. I was glad to start climbing again and intersect the Wonderland, which comprises the rest of this loop. Glorious conditions, changing views and cool breezes helped mitigate the growing fatigue creeping up on my untrained old bod.

Sluiskin Mountains approaching Windy Gap

As I crested Mystic Pass (6,000’) and descended to Mystic Lake, I knew the last 10 miles were gonna be a challenge. I waded in the cool waters of Mystic Lake, enjoying some snacks while basking in the warm sun, delaying my departure knowing what was ahead; hours of degrading legs, sputtering motor and mental challenge, conditions I am so accustomed to I almost welcome this suffering as an old friend. By this stage in life I can still enjoy my surroundings despite the toil, and I appreciated a rising moon and passing fox as I shuffled toward Sunrise. Doing hard stuff accentuates the good stuff, my ineloquent quote for the day.

Mystic Lake

Evening alpenglow from the Northern Loop Trail (Winthrop Glacier)

August 07, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
mt rainier northern loop trail

Mt. Rainier from the summit of Mt. Wow (6040’)

Mt. Wow (6040')

June 09, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

Finally...this was a tough one for me. In 2019 I attempted it early November from the West Side Road, lost my Whippet in some dense brush schwacking to reach the upper meadows, and found fresh snow on the steep meadows. I turned back there as the days were short and finding that Lake Allen "trail" in the dark was not appealing. I made another half hearted attempt with a buddy the next year but he had concerns so we turned back. And a few weeks ago I scouted the route from the Boundary Trail (Nisqually entrance) and turned around below the ridge because of snow. I opted for the WSR/Lake Allen approach again as I was at least familiar with the difficulties involved.

The upper meadows below the Mt. Wow ridge

This is an unrelenting climb...6.7 miles RT with 5000' of elevation gain/loss, at least according to my track on Strava. This time I was able to proceed up the upper meadows (mtn goat sighting) and easily gain the ridge to Wow. As I crested and Rainier came into view, the words that escaped my mouth were "Holy Crap!" The mountain is massive from this vantage point and you can gaze down on the course of Tahoma Creek from its origins. After a break on the summit (6040') I reluctantly left this glorious perch and steeled myself for the descent. The Lake Allen trail is in poor shape and is easily lost/reacquired in the descent. I found myself on my backside a few times sliding down the hill and I won't repeat the epithets that spewed forth from my pie hole. When I finally regained my van on the road I felt completely worked, but very glad not to have to go up there again. This was #67 on my Rainier 100 list. The next day I recovered by biking the West Side Road and Paradise from Cougar Rock, a delightful and zen like day for 60 miles and 6600' of no sidehilling on my MTB pedals.

Mt. Adams to the south

Mt. Wow ridge

June 09, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
mt wow, mt wow mt rainier national park, peak bagging mt rainier

Mt. Rainier from the summit of Florence Peak (5508’)

Florence Peak (5508')

May 27, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

Well worn path at the beginning of the hike on the Rainforest Loop

The shorter drive to the Carbon River entrance at Mt. Rainier National Park enticed me to tag Florence Peak (5501’) as it is one of the easier peaks to access and has a way trail all the way along Alki Crest, making travel pleasant. The Boundary Trail starts right at the Carbon River entrance, and the park is maintaining at least the first section to the creek crossing and falls. Irish Creek was running fast and I dropped a bit below to cross, but it was still a bit dicey on the slippery scale. On the way up the trail I saw a well used log that would be a much better alternative on the way back.

The great thing about Florence is that the Boundary Trail takes you right to the saddle, and a social trail continues up Alki Crest right to the false summit of Florence; no ‘schwacking at all beyond stepping around or over a fallen tree. An easy scramble to the summit bloc proper allows 360 degree views. Although somewhat cloudy, the main mass of Rainier was visible as one peered at it across the ridge housing Tolmie Peak fire lookout and, beyond that, Observation and Echo Rocks. A big plus was that it was still early enough in the season (May 26) that there were no bugs to deal with. I lingered for a while, got my drink and snack on, took some pics and 360 video, then retraced the path. There was an aborted attempt to access Sweet Peak but I found myself in gawdawful slide alder and devils club, sometimes over blowdown, snow and mossy rocks. I figured I had made some poor navigation decisions and determined that best course of action was to make my way back to the trail and leave Sweet Peak for another day.

Irish Creek waterfall on the Carbon River Boundary Trail

Florence was my first peak of 2023 and is number 66 on my 100 list. With luck, I may be able to top out on 10 more peaks this season amidst a very busy summer and fall. Happy Hiking and be safe out there!

Florence Peak summit area, Mt. Rainier National Park

May 27, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
florence peak mt rainier, peak bagging mt rainier

Borah Gear custom Cuben WPB bivy with NeoAir XLite inside, 30 degree quilt

Throw Down Sleep Systems

May 23, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

Oh, if only it were simple. But no, there are many options for a throw down sleep system, each having its own up and downside. Let’s explore what I have available in my gear closet. Some iteration and combination of these items will make it into my pack for my 35th Wonderland Trail fastpack. NOTE: many of these items are No Longer Available for order or new purchase, annotated “NLA”

THE EASIEST: In 1999 I did a 36 hour transit of the Wonderland Trail. All I had was a hydration pack, some food and Montbell rain top and bottoms. At some point after going 24 hours I decided to get some sleep at Ipsut Creek Campground (when it was still a drive in) somewhere around midnight. I had started at Longmire and proceeded CCW, through Sunrise, past Mowich Lake and then Ipsut. I found an empty spot and laid down on a picnic table with all my clothes and rain gear on. This was not comfortable or warm, to say the least. Finally, around 4 AM, the cold was making me shiver so I got back to ambulation and finished the hike, stumbling into Longmire in a stupor. So the simplest method is just to lay down somewhere with your clothes on, but probably the most miserable.

Most of my transits of the Wonderland have been 3 day affairs, so seldom have I toted a tent. Bivies are my go to method and I’ve used various systems throughout the years.

The zpacks 3 oz pocket tarp, custom Arc Slim pack, and Poncho/Groundsheet on a Glacier Peak circumnavigation

THE ZEE: About 10 years ago I used a custom breathable Cuben half bag made by ZPacks (about 6 ozs) and an Xtra Large long breathable Cuben jacket (5.7 ozs), also made by ZPacks. For a pad I used a ZRest, cut in half, and put my pack under my feet/legs. The jacket was roomy enough to put my arms inside and I was toasty enough, wearing a down jacket (5 ozs). But crawling into this setup was laborious, and getting up to pee was a pain.

Custom made ZPacks WPB Cuben half bag on NeoAir XLite on ZPacks poncho/groundsheet: 2013

THE LIGHT: Many times I’ve used my ZPacks poncho/groundsheet as a groundsheet (5.7 ozs), a Borah Gear Cuben bivy (4.7 ozs) and an EE 50 degree quilt (9 ozs). I also carried the first iteration of the ZPacks Pocket Tarp, which was made of the whisper thin Cuben (yeah, I know its now Dyneema Composite Fabrics, but back then it was Cuben) coming in at 3 ozs, plus another ounce for stakes. This was merely in case of unexpected weather. I can use whatever pad I need in this configuration

THE LIGHTEST: A pad (various, but probably the Gossamer Gear 4 oz tri fold foam/NLA), the Mountain Laurel Designs bag liner as a bivy (3 ozs), and clothing (various).

OR Wilderness Cover with Nunatak Akula Half Bag and Skaha Apex Pullover

THE OR: It’s on the heavier side (24 ozs/NLA-does not show up on the OR site), but the OR Wilderness Cover is heavy duty enough to throw on the ground with no worries of a ground sheet (assuming relatively dry ground), and doubles as rain gear. It’s also roomy enough to put any of my pads inside along with a quilt or bag. This would pair well with my Feathered Friends 35 degree Rock Wren (about 1.5 pounds/NLA), which can be used standing as the bottom opens and has arm holes with zippers and a hood. Despite the weight, this combo has advantages…I put on the Rock Wren, I throw down whatever pad on the opened Wilderness Cover, lie down and zip up. Pretty convenient.

Nunatak Nova bivy (right) with nested Nano 40 degree quilt

THE NUNATAK: This may be the easiest one and ranks high for this year’s Wonderland. I throw down a ZRest, either the full length (bulky) or the half length, then crawl into my Nunatak Nova 50 degree bivy/(NLA). I’ve tried this with an XLite pad but the slippery factor is high, I’d be falling off that pad all night. Plus the Nova is not roomy enough for a blow up pad inside, and the material requires some kind of ground protection…7D Robic weather resistant fabric, so needs some TLC but sheds light mist and moisture. However, this is not appropriate for outright rain. PART II: I also have the option of the Nunatak Skaha Apex Pullover (12ozs/NLA) with Nunatak Akula half bag (12 ozs/NLA) on top of the ZRest, perhaps utilizing my B4 bag for bug and upper body protection (2 ozs). However, the half bag does have a Robic material hood so only my face would be exposed while prone.

Feathered Friends Rock Wren in an open bivy, Mt. Rainier’s Wonderland Trail

THE TIMMER: Another contender for ease of use…I can roll the entire system up for immediate employment (see last photo) and just crawl in (after blowing up the NeoAir XLite NXT Short/11.5 ozs). Plus, it’s an all weather shelter. Bivy: custom Borah Gear eVent Cuben bivy (9 ozs; fully waterproof)/Timmermade custom Alpha Direct Overbag (8 ozs). I would supplement this with the Timmermade Alpha Direct 4004 hooded sweater (7 ozs).

My homemade B4 bag for bug protection

Timmermade Alpha Direct Overbag

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: I’m willing to sacrifice some weight for ease of use and less fiddling. On full bore outings like a 3 day WT, I’m on my feet for upwards of 17 hours per day. When I’m ready to crash I don’t want to spend precious minutes setting up; even blowing up a pad is a pain. Another big factor is weather; the advantage of fastpacking the WT in 3 days or less is the luxury of going when the weather forecast is good. This year, if my training continues as planned, I may be able to pull off a 48 hour trip. In that case I’ll be packing as little as possible and looking to rest for probably 4-7 hours one time.

I’m not thinking of trying another trip like in 1999, that was too much suffering. But for just a little more weight, I can take along a throw down rest system that will keep me comfortable and warm enough to get some precious sleep.

LIST OF MY POSSIBLE COMPONENTS: (NLA=No Longer Available)

BIVIES/SHELTER: ZPacks WPB half bag (6 ozs/NLA) /// Borah Gear Cuben bivy (4.5 ozs with side zip) /// Borah Gear custom eVent Bivy w/Cuben bottom (9 ozs/NLA) /// Nunatak Nova 50 degree insulated bivy (15 ozs/NLA) /// OR Wilderness Cover (24 ozs/NLA) /// Mountain Laurel Designs bag liner (I have used this once as a bivy - 3 ozs) /// Nunatak Akula half bag (12 ozs/NLA) /// My B4 bag (2 ozs)

PADS: no pad, just duff (yes, I have done this - 0 ozs) MLD 1/8 inch foam (6 ozs) /// ZRest half pad (7 ozs) /// ZRest full pad (15 ozs) /// NeoAir XLite (15 ozs) /// NeoAir XLite NXT Short (11.5 ozs) /// Gossamer Gear tri-fold foam pad (4 ozs/NLA))

SLEEP CLOTHING SUPPLEMENT: Timmermade Alpha Direct 4004 hooded sweater (7 ozs) /// Borah Gear down sweater (5 ozs/NLA) /// Nunatak Skaha Apex Pullover (12 ozs/NLA) /// Nunatak JMT Hooded Jacket (7.8 ozs/NLA)

Complete rest system/full protection: custom Borah Gear Cuben/eVent bivy (9 ozs)/NeoAir XLite NXT short (66” - 11.5 ozs/Timmermade Alpha Direct 4004 Overbag (8 ozs) = 28.5 ozs total throwdown weight

So much depends on my overall health, conditioning and weather. If the forecast is warm, I can skip a bag and just use the MLD bag liner over clothing. Transits later in the season would require warmer and more robust shelter/sleep to be prudent. If I’m in top form, I can get away with much less if I’m only going to rest once, spending the majority of my time on my feet…sorta like an ultra, but slower (my last ultra was Western States in 2001). Final decisions will be made when the stars align for timing and the state of my overall conditioning, which is progressing well. Note: this year’s progression and thoughts are specifically on my 68/35 blog.

May 23, 2023 /Stephen Burgess
bivy bags, throw down sleep systems, nunatak nova bivy, borah gear cuben bivy

A steep part of the ridge, accessed from the Boundary Trail, Mt. Rainier.

Oh, those downhill legs!

May 20, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

One of the hardest parts of training for hiking or trail running is the downhill legs, the front part of your quads that provide the braking action. I usually hit a few trails in the spring and run downhill, trashing that particular part of the quads to get that first round of pain out of the way. After that initial shock, they recover well and it’s off to the races.

This year I’ve spent a lot of time on the bike trainer, and my aerobics and general leg strength are in top form, at least for a 68 year old. I considered that Phase I, which culminated in participating in an 8 person team for the Great American Ride (virtual ride across America, over 3700 miles). Over 17 days, I logged 959 miles with one day off and one day for skiing (our team finished 4th overall, and 2nd for 8 person teams). I felt as fit as I’ve been in years because of the consistency of targeted training.

Snow at 4900’ below Mt. Wow, Mt. Rainier

Phase II began after a two week vacation, providing good rest for the bod and a break from training. This of course gets me back on the trails and getting in elevation gain and loss for those particular muscles other than biking. I managed a slow trot on my first outing with not much elevation for a 9 miler…so far so good.

And then I wanted to hit Rainier and try the Boundary Trail at the Nisqually entrance, checking out this longer route to Mt. Wow, which I failed to summit in 2019. Parking a short distance up the road after entering the park, I walked to the Boundary Trail, located right at the entrance. The weather was fine, even on the warm side on this mid May Wednesday, and the Boundary Trail (BT) is on the steep side. It ends at a saddle and from there I proceeded up a ridge toward Mt. Wow, dropping into a bowl and proceeding a short ways before turning around on snow covered slopes at 1 PM. This was more of a scouting trip than a serious attempt.

Rocky outcropping on the ridge leading to Mt. Wow, Mt. Rainier

The ridge has some particularly steep sections and some maneuvering around rocky outcroppings, kind of a full body workout. Once I regained the saddle I started trotting down the BT but couldn’t go too fast because of the grade. On it went, with hopping and scooting over fallen logs with the legs starting to get a little quivery. “Oh” I thought, “I’m really trashing those downhill quads, this will be a great session.” I realized I was in for some recovery pain when I leaped off a log rather than step over it; my legs collapsed when I landed, the braking muscles giving up the ghost with no juice left in them, leaving me squished like an accordion on my butt. I chuckled at this, and decided not to leap off any more logs and try to save my legs as much as I could for the remaining distance.

The aftermath was one of the most painful recoveries I’ve had in years. The day after I was walking like an old man, and the second day I was limping around and wondering how I was going to negotiate the two steps into the house. The quads were painful to the touch. So here it is, 4 days later, and I’m finally ready to hop on the bike and try to work some of the kinks out. BTW, the elevation gain/loss was 4,000’ over 11 miles total, nothing to brag about. But that was such a good workout I’m thinking of returning this coming week and doing it again, this time with the thought of summiting Wow. Hopefully this trashing will not be repeated.

A painful but glorious day on Mt. Rainier’s Boundary Trail (Nisqually entrance)

May 20, 2023 /Stephen Burgess

A circumnavigation of Mt. Rainier with deviations from the traditional Wonderland Trail route

Mt. Rainier Circumnavigation CCW (with deviations)

April 08, 2023 by Stephen Burgess

This is a repeat post from my 68/35 blog which I deem relevant to this overall blog

Yes, the Wonderland Trail encircles Mt. Rainier. This proposed circumnavigation route borrows elements from my Grand Tour and utilizes the Wonderland during this circumnavigation, but incorporates deviations/off trail segments that will depart the Wonderland and venture into areas not seen by a traditional Wonderland circuit. Starting from Longmire, Deviation 1 (D1) will proceed up the Eagle Peak trail and transit the Tatoosh range to exit at the Snow Lake trail. D2 is a possible deviation that would depart the Wonderland on the Cowlitz Divide and skirt the Wilson and Ohanapecosh Glaciers above Ohanapecosh Park to rejoin the Wonderland at Panhandle Gap. I have not explored this route yet. After departing Summerland, the route proceeds over Goat Island Mountain to White River, then departs the Emmons Moraine Trail to proceed cross country on the left side of the White River to descend to Glacier Basin. There is a cross country route from the area of Second Burroughs to arrive at Skyscraper Pass, then to Berkeley Park and the Northern Loop Trail to Windy Gap (if not climbing Sluiskin Mountain). From Windy Gap the route ascends over Crescent Gap, through the Elysian Fields and exiting in Moraine Park. An alternate plan is to break off before Windy Gap to climb Sluiskin Mtn Squaw, then drop into Vernal Park and over Old Desolate, avoiding the Elysian Fields altogether. Another unexplored option is crossing the Carbon Glacier and climbing to Seattle Park (D6), a route that was used for almost 20 years in the earliest iterations of the Wonderland Trail. Rejoining the trail in Spray Park, I would then proceed over Knapsack Pass for a short distance before climbing to the ridge (right) above Mowich Lake (towards Castle Peak), then back on the Wonderland all the way to the North Puyallup Camp.

An earlier trip climbing out of the Elysian fields towards Old Desolate (D5 alt)

Bypassing the climb to Klapatche Park, I will proceed via the North Puyallup Trail to Klapatche Point on the West Side Road, run the road until hopping on the St. Andrews Creek Trail, climb out of Klapatche Park to St. Andrews Lake and exit the Wonderland to circle around Andrew Benchmark to rejoin the trail. With just a few deviations to go, I’ll take the Mirror Lakes Trail to Pyramid Park, transit the park and exit back to the Wonderland via the Fishers Hornpipe drainage. The last deviation (D10) will see me descending to Longmire via the Rampart Ridge Trail to complete the circumnavigation.

Ridge above Mowich Lake, looking towards Castle Peak (D7)

Pyramid Park (D9)

I don’t know how much extra mileage and elevation this route will entail; I estimate maybe 120 miles+ and an additional 5-10,000’ in elevation. The packing for this trip will be significantly different from a traditional Wonderland fastpack, as I’ll be staying in cross country zones and will be carrying significantly more food and equipment. I’ll figure it out though and look forward to this challenge. What shall I call it though?

Cross country terrain between Wahpenayo and Lane peaks (Tatoosh traverse)

April 08, 2023 /Stephen Burgess

Happy Holidays from willis wall!

A Holiday Music Collection

December 23, 2022 by Stephen Burgess

I’ve been accused of writing off kilter music, but when it comes to holiday arrangements I’ve kept things pretty “normal.” There’s snow outside my window so I assembled some of these arrangements for aural entertainment. I’ll start with showcasing the vocal talents of Darrell Dodge, who did a bang up job on this arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

With the exception of practicing over 6 months for a college Incubus band reunion (plus big band ensemble) many moons ago, I really haven’t touched my horn since 1978. However, I did pull out the flugelhorn in 2013 and managed (after many takes) to do this short arrangement of “Let it Snow.”

Here’s a trio arrangement of “Blue Christmas” from 2016.

I got my big band on for this instrumental arrangement of “White Christmas.”

And finally, for those who are thinking I’m pretty “normal”, there’s this piano interpretation of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

December 23, 2022 /Stephen Burgess
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