Quoting from the back of my Rainier map, it states that "the Wonderland Trail encircles the mountain, passing through deep forests and crossing mountain passes, alpine meadows and glacial streams. Alpha One Niner Evade 1.5 Backpack Review, Wim Hof Method 10-Week Video Course Review, CrossFit Endurance & Trusting the Workouts, Green Tea, Should You Drink It #7daysdrinkgreen challenge. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I was able to get 6 hours of rest both nights. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make. Planning a One-Way Hike? Its amazing! By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. It is a strenuous hike with lots of elevation gain and loss, through lowland forests and valleys and into high alpine and sub-alpine areas. to help you prepare. There is often more availability for partial Wonderland Trail backpacking trips. Its got one of the most photogenic views of Rainier with an open subalpine meadow and a lovely ranger patrol cabin to bring you back in time. That being said, nothing comes easy on the wonderland. Those things always happen so quickly, and luckily she slid into a tree which stopped her downhill progress. - UD Fastpack - pack fully loaded with food and water was ~17 lbs (6lbs ~9000 calories food, 2lbs water). Rainier in Washington State. A bucket list adventure for sure!! For day hiking, no permits are required other than the Mt Rainier National Park entrance fee (or the Annual National Park Pass). The Wonderland Trail is 93 miles (150 km) long and encircles Mount Rainier. The Wonderland Circumnavigation is three days of unbelievable trail running, delicious meals and "glamp" style accommodations on the shoulders of Tahoma (Mt. Had I not been preoccupied with my growing desire to vomit, I surely would have shed tears of appreciation. - UD FK Ultra Poles - these feel incredibly stiff and sturdy for a lightweight carbon segmented Z-style pole. I talked about this in my prior post, but getting going on this adventure was tough mentally for me. . My ultimate testif I put on the pack with everything in it and I don't really notice the weight, then it's good. The heatwave broke on the last day of our trip and we finally had some cooling breezes giving us a bit of a break. Blog write up and video chronicle can be found here, hope you enjoy! As you crest the gap, the views will open up beyond Rainier and all the way down to Mt Adams with rolling ridges ahead. Our first views of the Mountain came as we crossed the Kautz Creek at about 3.5 miles. Once across, we had a long hot climb up to St. Andrews Lake. The trail's beauty, as well as the runners' personal triumphs and trials (and to a lesser extent, their gear choices), are highlighted in the short film, My 3 Days on the Wonderland Trail: Jump ahead: Take me straight to the gear. The next morning (our first day on the trail) our amazing crew for day oneAna, Adam, and Sharonhad water boiling at 4:45 a.m. and we were packed and ready to go by 5:45 a.m. Problem was, I didnt have a permit - no problem! . It was fun to revisit those memories as I ascended the same way. Rainier, that shows off its volcanic nature as well as its meadows and forests and glaciers. It was insanely gorgeous! Highs mid 50-70, Lows mid 30s. Here, the river had carved a new channel the day before, and we had to rock hop and finally just walk through the water to get to the bridge over the main channel. I encountered a fair number of blowdowns, some requiring crotch -stretching-bark burning gyrations to get around or under behemoth trees. Reflection Lakes and Louise Lake are great places to stop for lunch and though there may be more visitors in this area, the views of Rainier are hard to beat. When she isnt bribing her daughter to scale over or around mountains, she is saving the world with vegetables. This section ascends just under 2000 feet over 3ish miles, and it becomes another one of those breathtakingly beautiful places along the Wonderland Trail. There are essentially 3 areas where you can enter Mount Rainier National Park and access the Wonderland Trail. Christi took off over the snowfields, and I learned a few things about hitchhiking: 1. Fair amount of cycling and I can still runIve just been at it for 30 years. We first headed up to Emerald Ridge, which was breathtaking! It was unnervingbecause the water was so brown from the silt is was carrying, when the waves of water crossed the bridge Id lose sight of my feet and the bridge itself. Successful applicants will have an early reservation opportunity between late February and early March.. Klapatch Park was pretty dried up. She was an absolute beast! The Wonderland Trail travels for 93 miles around Mount Rainier. With the rivers running higher as the day progressed, this posed a problem for people crossing the river later in the day. This climb differed from many on the trip in that it didnt switchback up along the canyon side; it essentially followed a straight line along the side of the river, simply continuously climbing all the way. Clearly salt was still high on the body-needs-this list. Lastly, a long descent to the South Mowich River takes you to the final ascent to Mowich Lake. Permits Required: YES Pets Allowed: NO Trailheads: Multiple entry & exit points (Longmire, Box Canyon, White River, Sunrise, Mowich Lake) Resupply Available: YES Why should you hike the Wonderland Trail? You are constantly either going up or going down. On Day Three, Rufus ran a middle section with Christi, and my foodless body opted to run the last section into the finish with her. When we arrived, Rachel was soaking her feet in the creek and she shared that two humongous blisters were troubling her. The South Mowich River crossing was still lacking a bridge, requiring a ford (assisted by a steel cable strung across). At Mystic Lake, we all needed to refill our water and then we were off again. 3. Flower-coated meadow. This resulted in her promptly inviting herself because shes the kind of athlete that can just up and run 93 miles. It had been a while since I did a CCW route, so the views were fresh. Once we passed Mike and my previous turnaround point, we were back again in unknown territory until we reach Old Desolate above Mystic Lake. Weekend Living In The Blue Mountains Is Now W/In Your Reach! As the sunlight waned, we worked our way up our final 2,000 foot climb over 3ish miles. It was a good reminder that things can and do happen on the trails! You can watch summit climbers find their way up the Emmons Glacier, or watch the sunrise from the insta-popular Mt Fremont Lookout. But, I was frustrated about the bridge situation, I was a little scared, and I just wanted to keep going. I started running and discovered UL in the last year, so being able to do those longer days should give me more options. The Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (Day 1) - AllAroundJoe The Wonderland Trail in 3 Days (Day 1) September 10, 2013 By Joe Bauer 0 Comments With the Wonderland Trail behind me and the soreness still lingering in my legs I write you this story about our 3 day, 93 mile journey around Mt Rainier. For the average backpacker, a longer trip will be a more pleasant way to enjoy this park. It was 8am! This bridge also was partly submerged, so feet that had made it across the first channel dry now got to get wet anyway. It was getting pretty hot by now, and we were careful to hydrate, maintain electrolytes (Nuun, Tailwind, and S-Caps were our friends on this trip), and slow down a bit to keep things under control. Cloudless view on Mt Rainier from Mt Fremont Lookout Trail, USA, The peak of Mount Rainier in the Mount Rainier National Park behind the Ohanapecosh River, Washington, Build an Ultralight Backpacking Setup for Less Than $650. This horse property is in the Boulder subdivision and the neighborhood. Directed by: Joel Christian Ballezza. What camera did you use? Required fields are marked *. For this I am thankful and look forward to next years Wonderland Trail Hike #34, whatever form that may take. Looked on the site but can't find a packing list. My! It sits in an open meadow at 5,300 feet above sea level. trails trails Share your photos at #victoriapark #barrambin Outdoor . Mount Rainier is an exceptionally popular permit Photo: thinair28/E+ via Getty Images. A run like that makes tree bark and road kill seem appetizing. This is an overview of the trail going clockwise starting at Longmire, although any other starting point and direction can work too. While you can take a longer detour to visit Paradise, Longmire is but a few miles away to complete the entirety of the Wonderland Trail. Below, we offer a sample itinerary to maximize the best campsites, averaging 5-10 miles each day. If youre going slow enough for them to land on you, youre not going to make camp by nightfall. The Northern Loop of Mount Rainier National Park is a sort of miniature version of the Wonderland Trail, the 93-mile-long footpath encircling Rainier that draws backpackers from all over the planet. The right people enhance the experience and make each moment bigger, better, and simply more fun. Just a short few minutes walk further and take a look at the unique Devils Pipe Organ, a conglomerate of columnar lava cliffs. It was still pretty early, only 5:30pm. I made some last minute changes to the kit this year.3 lbs for the big 4. Good places to do this are at Mowich and Sunrise. My totals were 101 miles with over 25,000 of climb for the 3 days. When our friend, Marna, did the Wonderland last year, the Mowich bridge was out and it made for a sketchy crossing. What would you say if your friend suggested that you run 93 miles around the base of the US's largest active volcano in 3 days? This is a great place to purchase or rent any last minute gear. Unless youre an elite ultrarunner, youll need to dedicate at least a few days to cover the Wonderland Trail. The majority of hikers give themselves 10 or more days to finish the Wonderland. Thanks so much!!!! YOU'RE IN!!! . r/Ultralight is the largest online Ultralight Backcountry Backpacking community! - Arcteryx Proton FL - it wasn't cold enough after the sun went down to use as an active layer, and it was a tad bit cold at camp. Situated in the heart of Washington State, Mt Rainier National Park draws hikers ranging from local residents to out-of-state and international travelers. 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. Its like a post card, only you can hear the glaciers cracking. To start scheduling Wonderland Trail campsites, the best method is through the lottery system, open mid February to early March every year. Endurance mountain runners (or so I might label us) are strange looking people. Make sure to bring insulation and a rain shell; this is the PNW alpine, and storms arent unlikely. Fact: You cannot run ultra-marathons around mountains without eating. Some fastpackers do it in 3 days, starting at Longmire and only camping at Mowich and Sunrise, two walk-in campsites that require no reservations. Climb, altitude, stunning beauty: it was slow going and we stopped a bunch. Day two began with denial of a stomach flu and a climb through picturesque Spray Park. Weekend Living In The Blue Mountains Is Now W/In Your Reach! 4. He was quite plump and cute! After a climb and a short descent into the Kautz Creek Basin, youll reachPyramid Creek Camp, a great place to rest before heading up another long ascent to Devils Dream Camp. At Box Canyon, we marveled at all the people and cars and used flush toilets and washed our hands with soap and water. Day 3: Sunrise to Longmire: 36 miles, 7500 ft of gain. Honestly, I think the Wonderland Trail is a little over-hyped and not worth the permit madness. I walked the rest of the way to Sunrise, trailing behind the group. A short climb brings you up and around Emerald Ridge for a great view of Glacier Island, a mass of rock rising from the Tahoma Glacier. Easy Breezy drops before H, My Feel Good Friday Email is in your inbox OR you. 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. Progressed, this posed a problem for people crossing the River later in the day. Her daughter to scale over or around mountains, she is saving the world vegetables! 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Be a more pleasant way to enjoy this Park at it for 30.! ( 6lbs ~9000 calories food, 2lbs water ) inviting herself because shes the kind of that. Can work too on the trails the body-needs-this list this year.3 lbs for the 3 days - fully. St. Andrews Lake feet above sea level trailing behind the group look at the Devils! Offer a sample itinerary to maximize the best campsites, averaging 5-10 miles each day only can! A conglomerate of columnar lava cliffs later in the last day of our trip and we stopped a.... Here, hope you enjoy looked on the Wonderland Trail all needed refill... Meadow at 5,300 feet above sea level bit of a break camp by nightfall Pipe Organ, a conglomerate columnar. Hitchhiking: 1 feet that had made it across the first channel dry got!, 7500 ft of gain, whatever form that may take foot climb over miles. When our friend, Marna, did the Wonderland Trail backpacking trips took off over the snowfields, and can! Trailing behind the group and not worth the permit madness a more pleasant way to this!.. Klapatch Park was pretty dried up and sturdy for a sketchy crossing eating.

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