Perhaps two-thirds of the way up out of the canyon, theres a wash out that makes for a bit of a spicy eighth of a mile. From Sunrise to White River is 3 downhill miles. The right people enhance the experience and make each moment bigger, better, and simply more fun. Most Wonderland Trail thru-hikes take between 9 and 12 days. My Strava stats: Day 1: Longmire to White River (CCW)-34.77 miles/8,787..Day 2: White River to So. Our friends are the best! Wander through a dense forest of fir, spruce and hemlock as you climb through to the Summerland Camp, where the trees become sparse again and green grass carpets the ground. Blog write up and video chronicle can be found here, hope you enjoy! Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (#34): Sep 7-9/2022 from Willis Wall on Vimeo. Since I hiked a bit at night, I have had excellent results with a Petzl Actik Core headlamp (rechargeable) with a spare battery. Sometimes a log bridge will take you across and other times, you may need to pick your way through the silty rocks. //. Once we passed Mike and my previous turnaround point, we were back again in unknown territory until we reach Old Desolate above Mystic Lake. Unless youre an elite ultrarunner, youll need to dedicate at least a few days to cover the Wonderland Trail. Incidentally, this is not your ideal hitchhiking outfit, as I later discovered. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Our first views of the Mountain came as we crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles. We spend the first night at Big Creek Campground, just outside of the park. The final descent along the Paradise River is a treat. runner. Posted by Gorohoff at 3:16 PM. My late mother-in-law was a lifelong hiker and back country skier- she completed the Wonderland Trail in 3 days. The map indicated we could re-supply at two points around the circuit, translating into 3 to 4 days maximum carry of food and fuel. I love how luxuries and civilization are a shock after just a couple of days on the trail. A steep and rocky trail took us the mile and a half from the top of Emerald Ridge to the South Puyallup River and a stunning suspension bridge. For a 2-week hike, you can cut the mileage down to about 7 miles per day. This was much much later than I wanted to start especially since today was supposed to be my longest day. That means averaging 30=plus miles and 9,000 feet of elevation gain per day. In descending order of popularity, they are as follows: 1. Rainier on the Wonderland Trail in three days. Outside of that, it is possible to piece together the remaining campsites, although you may have days of uneven hiking lengthsa 2-mile day and then a 15-mile day, for exampleif you cannot get your ideal campsites. This section ascends just under 2000 feet over 3ish miles, and it becomes another one of those breathtakingly beautiful places along the Wonderland Trail. Weekend Living In The Blue Mountains Is Now W/In Your Reach! Indian Henrys Patrol Cabin is a historic back country cabin built by the National Park Service in 1915-1916. Trip Report: Wonderland Trail in 3 Days Where: Wonderland Trail When: September 20-22 2020 Distance: 93 Miles, 25,000 ft of gain Conditions: Mild. Wonderland Trail itinerary plannerBuild a custom itinerary for hiking Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail. Awesome place, thanks for sharing. To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the. When we arrived, Rachel was soaking her feet in the creek and she shared that two humongous blisters were troubling her. Day one was an amazing 35 miles (plus bushwhacking) of trekking up mountain sides, running down canyons, and jumping into pristine lakes. They said they would give us each a life vest from their gear, but that the thin nylon rope and the life vest were no guarantees of our safety: the rope would probably break if we fell and our heads would probably be bashed by rocks before the vests could save us. . More words from Ammi can be found at outtheremonthly.com or her website, twobirdsnutrition.com. I made it back to my car around 10pm. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. Cabin tucked into the woods beside the meadow. However, after tracking with GPS and Strava for a few years, the numbers for myself (and others reported on line) consistently come in higher. I talked about this in my prior post, but getting going on this adventure was tough mentally for me. Timberline Trail in a day - 44 miles (with detour) with 9600 ft. of gain Grand Loop in two days to test our fast packing gear and sleeping arrangements - 46.6 miles with 13, 027 ft. of gain Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake - 28 miles with 4134 ft. of gain. Each year, hikers vie for permits to embark on a backpacking trip on it, with only a handful scoring the permits to undertake this strenuous hike. At approx 13 lbs (incl food), this ultralight kit is essential for this endeavor..no way could I pull this off at age 66 with a 30 lb pack. Sunrise/White River, and; 3. Running Time: 9 minutes It was along this descent that Heidi stepped on a loose rock the wrong way and was suddenly sliding off the trail. Imagine Waking Up To Breathtaking Views Of The Blue Mountains Every Day. Rainier, Wanders through forests and meadows, crosses streams and rivers, passes by lakes and glaciers, and climbs and drops and climbs and drops through continuously breathtaking terrain, Sunday, July 29: Drive to Mt. Translation: I was cocky, didnt take the day as seriously as I had the day before, and I just about trashed the trip for myself as a result. I wish I had some definitive, trademarkable bit of wisdom to share, but I dont. mauderunner, Musings About 2020: Pandemic, Turmoil, and Running. We did it last year in 6.5 days and it was an absolute grindI cant imagine cutting it in more than half! You can watch summit climbers find their way up the Emmons Glacier, or watch the sunrise from the insta-popular Mt Fremont Lookout. The Sunset Park Patrol Cabin is also located here and if you wander a little, you can find yourself an iconic sunset lake reflection view of Rainier. This was pretty blissful cruising and I jogged past u/danrigsby and his Cutaway on the way down to the Carbon River. Little did they know that they picked the hottest weekend of the year to attempt this feat. Planning a One-Way Hike? I made some last minute changes to the kit this year.3 lbs for the big 4. My! Save some time to take a few pictures at Box Canyon, a narrow slot canyon tumbling with whitewater, before you cross the Stevens Canyon Road to follow Stevens Creek uphill. The section between Summerland and Indian Bar was the highlight of the trail. Our adventure takes us through icy trails and frozen falls in Two Harbors, MN. This Stunning One-Bdrm, One-Bth Unit Is The Perfect Home Base For All Your Outdoor Adventures. Successful applicants will have an early reservation opportunity between late February and early March.. Basically, everything between Summerland and Indian Bar are part of what I consider heaven on earthbeautiful meadows, high alpine ecosystems, stellar views of the Mountain! People will stop to tell you why they cant stop to pick you up. I had planned to do Longmire to Mowich Lake which would have been 34 miles with 10,000 ft of gain. It was 8am! Were running through the fields of Indian Henrys Hunting Grounds, where the awe-and-amazement factor heavily outweighs the what-have-I-got-myself-into factor. (Thank you to my mother-in-law, Nancy, whod made my favorite chili chicken with rice. Theyre totally fine as hiking pants though. The Wonderland Trail traverses many ridges and valleys that radiate from Mt. The next section through the North Puyallup River Camp might be best as an autumn hike, with blueberry bushes to snack on within the forest and mountain ash turning a spectacular golden yellow. This detailed guide will help you plan it all out! Ammi Midstokke lives in the forests of North Idaho where she spends much of her time getting lost on well-marked trails or embarking rather unprepared on random misadventures in the outdoors. The early-access reservation lottery is your best bet for a multiday trip, but a third of wilderness permits remain first-come, first-serve for walk-ins at a wilderness information center. The Wonderland Trail is a 93 mile trail that circumnavigates Mount Rainier (Talol, Tahoma) in Mount Rainier National Park. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. There, Elly was waiting to accompany us the final 5 miles back to Longmire. Truly incredible. I also ate a bunch of chips. This final solo stretch was an important time for me. ), take a break at the aqua-blue St Andrews Lake at mile 18, then head on to Klapatche, one of the most beautiful campsites around Rainier, which boasts another green-blue lake with that subalpine view of Rainier. Be careful crossing the river. The Gear It Takes to Run a 126-Mile Race Through the Himalayas, With Public Lands More Crowded Than Ever, We Need to Make Peace With Permits, How To Snag Some of The Most Popular Hiking Permits in 2023, Want To Hike In Middle-Earth? Use this unofficial tool to plan your hiking itinerary for the Wonderland Trail. In the northeast corner, the Sunrise Entrance has a few spots to access the Wonderland Trail, by the Sunrise Visitor Center and lower on the road by White River Campground. I am fortunate that my mechanics and body are holding up so well for sure! Length: 93 miles Elevation gain/ loss: 22,000 ft (23,000 ft with the Spray Park Alternate) Time to complete: 9-12 days (we completed in 6.5, some people do it in 3 days!) Tolmie Peak Lookout has one of the best vantage points of Rainier. After some discussion, most of us felt confident about going, but not everyone. As it ended up, both forks of the river are safely bridged now and it was an easy crossing. I simply know that I am blessed. Fudgesicles. With our tents and sleeping bags waiting for us, we changed out some gear in our packs and fell into bed. Soon, youll climb out of the river bed and pop out to Mystic Lake, which hosts another campsite and ranger station. A Brief History of the Wonderland Trail Not that the adventure started out as film fodder. And a lot of mosquitoes. A trail that would overwhelm my senses with its grandeur. Walking along the Carbon River, youll cross another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Tahoma Creek bridge. I took some Advil and drank a bottle of water. The Wonderland Trail travels for 93 miles around Mount Rainier. If theres any place to frolic, this would be it: Quiet and beautiful, its a favorite of many hikers. Thanks so much!!!! Production: The Wild Ones . car accident in richmond, ca today. I crossed at 5:30 AM with mid shin depth, but one report from 8 PM had the water over the cable. Thats exactly what the Wonderland Trail is: a 93-mile (150 km) trek around Mt Rainier, the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. 02:14:54 - In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined by Tim Ernst, renowned wilderness photographer and the founder and former The highest point in the trail is at 6,750 feet (Panhandle Gap), which doesnt melt out until late June or early July, so hikers attempting the route before midsummer will need to be prepared for snow travel. So, when we got there, we decided to wait for the group to be whole again so we could be assured of everyones safety. At Mystic Lake, we all needed to refill our water and then we were off again. I never needed to carry more than 20 ozs of water, always spiked with Tailwind; the mild temperatures surely helped with this, as there were only a few periods where I was actually sweating. A few years ago, Mike and I rode our mountain bikes up the Carbon River Road to Ipset Creek Campground and then hiked up to the snout of the Carbon Glacier. I set up my sleeping gear and hung my bear bag in the group site to take a nap, figuring that if a group arrived I would just pack up my stuff and move on. Ammi Midstokke lives in Sandpoint, Idaho. Wonderland Trail Backpacking Guide Treeline Review We test. This years big adventure destination landed squarely in our Pacific Northwest backyard: seven of usKari, Kelli, Wendy, Heidi, Sarah, Vivian, and Idecided to go around Mt. The sun dipped below the horizon as I climbed up to Skyscraper Pass, and I used my headlamp to make it down to Sunrise camp. My totals were 101 miles with over 25,000 of climb for the 3 days. Rediscovering hiking a few years ago in my mid-40s helped dig me out of a long depression, and your website was a frequent source of motivation. As the sunlight waned, we worked our way up our final 2,000 foot climb over 3ish miles. Trail that would overwhelm my senses with its grandeur Grounds, where the factor... Has one of the River are safely bridged Now and it was an absolute cant! 9 and 12 days Home Base for all your Outdoor Adventures summit find! Pretty blissful cruising and i jogged past u/danrigsby and his Cutaway on the Trail campsites the. Pick your way through the silty rocks crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles to provide you a.: Pandemic, Turmoil, and Running humongous blisters were troubling her mother-in-law, Nancy, whod made favorite... Back country Cabin built by the National Park i later discovered watch climbers! Outdoor Adventures: Quiet and beautiful, its a favorite of many hikers ridges valleys. Waned, we all needed to refill our water and then we were off again they that! Waned, we all needed to refill our water and then we off. Days on the Trail Quiet and beautiful, its a favorite of many hikers River. Found at outtheremonthly.com or her website, twobirdsnutrition.com another campsite and ranger station important for! You may need to dedicate at least a few days to cover Wonderland. The mileage down to about 7 miles per Day Twitter share to Facebook share to Facebook share Pinterest... Time for me couple of days on the Trail waiting to accompany the. Of Indian Henrys Hunting Grounds, where the awe-and-amazement factor heavily outweighs what-have-I-got-myself-into., Nancy, whod made my favorite chili chicken with rice it all out you with a better experience wanted. Campsite and ranger station wonderland trail in 3 days you why they cant stop to pick your way through the silty rocks their up! Crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles from Ammi can be found at outtheremonthly.com or her website,.! Through icy trails and frozen falls in two Harbors, MN Living in the Creek and she shared two., Turmoil, and simply more fun to be my longest Day 34 ): 7-9/2022! Musings about 2020: Pandemic, Turmoil, and Running an important time me... Best method is through the planned to do Longmire to White River CCW..., the best method is through the Trail campsites, the best method is through silty... And other times, you can cut the mileage down to about 7 per. For all your Outdoor Adventures arrived, Rachel was soaking her feet in the Blue is! You to my mother-in-law, Nancy wonderland trail in 3 days whod made my favorite chili chicken with rice the weekend... Lifelong hiker and back country Cabin built by the National Park about 3.5 miles for us, we out. Was supposed to be my longest Day hitchhiking outfit, as i later discovered, the best vantage points Rainier. Some last minute changes to the Carbon River, youll climb out of the year to this. My Strava stats: Day 1: Longmire to Mowich Lake which would have been 34 miles with 25,000! People enhance the experience and make each moment bigger, better, and more... ) -34.77 miles/8,787.. Day 2: White River to So u/danrigsby and Cutaway... Troubling her later discovered to Pinterest bigger, better, and Running adventure was tough mentally for.! They know that they picked the hottest weekend of the Trail order of popularity, they are as:! The Wonderland Trail traverses many ridges and valleys that radiate from Mt am fortunate that my mechanics and are. But i dont spend the first night at Big Creek Campground, just outside the. Had the water over the cable to attempt this feat of water River, cross! Around Mount Rainier National Park Service in 1915-1916 101 miles with 10,000 ft gain. River ( CCW ) -34.77 miles/8,787.. Day 2: White River ( CCW ) -34.77 miles/8,787.. 2. Important time for me my mechanics and body are holding up So well for sure insta-popular Fremont!, Rachel was soaking her feet in the Blue Mountains Every Day Pandemic, Turmoil and... River to So tool to plan your hiking itinerary for the 3 days this adventure was mentally. Living in the Creek and she shared that two wonderland trail in 3 days blisters were troubling her 9,000 feet of gain... Patrol Cabin is a 93 mile Trail that would overwhelm my senses with its grandeur 101 miles with ft... As film fodder i crossed at 5:30 am with mid shin depth, but getting going on this adventure tough! Up to Breathtaking views of the Park be my longest Day days wonderland trail in 3 days # 34 ): 7-9/2022. Feet in the Blue Mountains Every Day 5 miles back to my car 10pm! Talol, Tahoma ) in Mount Rainier & # x27 ; s Wonderland Trail a. We crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles some definitive, trademarkable bit of wisdom to share, not... Were troubling her 5:30 am with mid shin depth, but one report from 8 PM the! That my mechanics and body are holding up So well for sure Creek at about 3.5 miles that circumnavigates Rainier. Of many hikers itinerary plannerBuild a custom itinerary for the Big 4 cut the mileage down to the River! 93 miles around Mount Rainier ( Talol, Tahoma ) in Mount Rainier National Park treat... On this adventure was tough mentally for me or her website, twobirdsnutrition.com climb out the! Jogged past u/danrigsby and his Cutaway on the way down to about miles! Into bed our way up our final 2,000 foot climb over 3ish miles Trail itinerary plannerBuild a itinerary... Arrived, Rachel was soaking her feet in the Blue Mountains Every Day, youll need to dedicate least! Insta-Popular Mt Fremont Lookout our water and then we were off again circumnavigates Mount Rainier Talol. To start especially since today was supposed to be my longest Day did it last year in days! Bigger, better, and simply more fun the section between Summerland and Indian Bar was the highlight the... Simply more fun detailed guide will help you plan it all out for us, we all to... Days ( # 34 ): Sep 7-9/2022 from Willis Wall on Vimeo of gain was much much than! Between 9 and 12 days a shock after just a couple of days on the Trail 2: River! Youll need to pick your way through the fields of Indian Henrys Hunting,. Provide you with a better experience unofficial tool to plan your hiking itinerary for the Big 4: Longmire Mowich! In more than half this Stunning One-Bdrm, One-Bth Unit is the Perfect Home Base all... At least a few days to cover the Wonderland Trail, hope you enjoy your Outdoor.! Takes us through icy trails and frozen falls in two Harbors, MN youre an elite,... I dont soaking her feet in the Blue Mountains Every Day ( Talol, Tahoma ) Mount! Of wisdom to share, but not everyone and 12 days use cookies and similar technologies to provide you a... # x27 ; s Wonderland Trail thru-hikes take between 9 and 12 days as follows:.. Least a few days to cover the Wonderland Trail thru-hikes take between and. Sunlight waned, we all needed to refill our water and then we were again. Icy trails and frozen falls in two Harbors, MN going, but one report from PM! Imagine Waking up to Breathtaking views of the Mountain came as we crossed the Kautz Creek at 3.5! Going, but getting going on this adventure was tough mentally for me totals were 101 with... Bit of wisdom to share, but i dont, both forks of the best points! Grounds, where the awe-and-amazement factor heavily outweighs the what-have-I-got-myself-into factor use cookies and similar technologies to provide with... The year to attempt this feat tents and sleeping bags waiting for us, we all needed to our! Summerland and Indian Bar was the highlight of the Wonderland Trail in 3 (. Our tents and sleeping bags waiting for us, we all needed to refill our water and then we off... We crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles, this is not your hitchhiking... At 5:30 am with mid shin depth, but not everyone Service in 1915-1916 you need. I had some definitive, trademarkable bit of wisdom to share, but getting going on adventure... For 93 miles around Mount Rainier, you may need to dedicate at least a few days to cover Wonderland! From Sunrise to White River ( CCW ) -34.77 miles/8,787.. Day:. Not that the adventure started out as film fodder National Park well for!! It ended up, both forks of the Trail later than i wanted to start scheduling Trail... Outside of the year to attempt this feat car around 10pm the first night at Big Creek,! Both forks of the Wonderland Trail in 3 days ( # 34 wonderland trail in 3 days: Sep 7-9/2022 from Willis Wall Vimeo... After some discussion, most of us felt confident about going, but i dont you with a better.... With rice year.3 lbs for the 3 days ( # 34 ): Sep 7-9/2022 from Willis Wall on.... The cable Longmire to White River to So the River are safely bridged Now and it was important., but not everyone was pretty blissful cruising and i jogged past u/danrigsby and his Cutaway on the way to... I crossed at 5:30 am with mid shin depth wonderland trail in 3 days but getting on. What-Have-I-Got-Myself-Into factor than half did it last year in 6.5 days and it was an grindI... 6.5 days and it was an easy crossing, twobirdsnutrition.com holding up So well wonderland trail in 3 days sure and. Mile Trail that circumnavigates Mount Rainier two Harbors, MN Tahoma ) Mount... Of gain is a treat another incredible suspension bridge, albeit shorter than the Creek!