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We hiked the Wonderland Trail because we were preparing for our Pacific Crest Trail hike, so we wanted a moderately long trail to use as a 'test-bed' for equipment, clothing, dehydrated food & gear. We wanted something strenuous, to test our legs. We were also looking for a circular route, where we didn't have to worry about transportation once the hike was finished. We also wanted something close (we were living in Vancouver) & scenic. Wow! We picked the Wonderland Trail for these very thought-out reasons & yet, we never suspected that the Wonderland Trail was such a World-class destination hike! Neither of us had heard about it before, though we both considered ourselves relatively experienced backpackers. The more we planned, the more eager we were about hiking the trail. Once on the trail, we were NOT disappointed! We're now looking forward to the time we can revisit this trail. We missed out on much of the scenery on the east side, because of bad weather. We didn't explore side trails enough (we missed out on watching bears feed on berries, for example, which we heard about from fellow hikers who DID spend more time exploring). About the Wonderland Trail The Wonderland Trail is nearly a 100-mile circuit that circumnavigates 14,411-foot Mount Rainier, Washington. Mt. Rainier is the tallest and most significant glaciated volcano in the contiguous United States [1]. The trail passes through deep rain forests, crosses tall mountain passes, alpine meadows and glacial streams. It was completed in 1915, by the Seattle Mountaineers organization and has a maximum elevation of 6,900 feet at Panhandle Gap, and a minimum elevation of 2,800 feet at Longmire.
From the trail, one gazes in amazement at the massive, glacier-covered Mt. Rainier and its deep glacial valleys. Looking across the rich texture of a meadow covered in wildflowers, as we did at this time of year, one can understand why the trail is tops in scenery. We saw deer, marmots, mice, and elk. Some of our trail companions saw bear and mountain goats. We weren't as lucky (or unlucky, depending on how keen you are about bears). We had no difficulty with bears in camp, but we used the bear poles that were provided at the designated camp spots. And in terms of difficulty, we computed that we hiked 95.8 miles and had a total elevation gain and loss of 47,400 feet [3]. It is one tough trail! (As a testimony to the difficulty, we met more than one group, who were tackling the trail again THIS year, because they were unable to finish their first hike, the year before, and had to pull off the trail.) Planning Your Hike How long? We completed the trail in a 10-day trip and, as a result, we had a couple of really long days. (Rachel got sick to her stomach after one particularly tough day). We wanted to take 12 days to hike, as per Betty Filley's recommendation, but we weren't able to get our ideal itinerary (see reservations, below). Some people race along the trail & probably can do it in 8 (or less days). Why hurry? If time constraints dictate your plan, then so be it. However, we recommend 12 (or more, if you have them) days. This allows plenty of time to enjoy the hiking, side-trips & a social camp life. We believe that your choice of 'how long' may well determine the amount of enjoyment you experience on the trail. Direction? Most folks choose to travel clockwise. So did we, initially. However, because we didn't get our ideal itinerary, we ended up hiking counter-clockwise. In retrospect, we don't think it was any more difficult and it offered several advantages: (1) we met lots of people hiking in the (preferred) clockwise direction during the course of a day; (2) we saw some folks TWICE (once when we first started and again 1/2-way or so along the trail). It was fun to compare notes. The downside, besides not going in the preferred direction, was that we hiked with very few people (there was a group or two that we leap-frogged with on our journey, but nothing like we'd imagine we'd have if we had gone the other way). Reservations? We weren't able make reservations in advance, because we couldn't get through on the phone. We did a 'walk-on', instead. Our experience was that getting on the trail wasn't a problem (though we don't recommend relying on this method). It took an hour of fiddling, with the ranger, before we were able to obtain a counter-clockwise, 10-day itinerary (we originally wanted a clockwise 12-day trip). We recommended they change the reservation procedure, because we always received a recorded message (on our long-distance dime) and were never able to raise a live person on the line. Hopefully, they've changed the system since we hiked, but by all means, we recommend that you obtain a reservation BEFORE your hike. It's a lot less stressful (as we can attest) and it cost us a day delay, because it took the better part of a day to hammer out campground reservations & get a hiking permit. Consider: By utilizing a 'backcountry camp' and not a sanctioned camp spot, this may allow you to more closely match your desired itinerary. (Backcountry camping has certain rules - 1/4 mile off the trail, 200 yds. away from a water source, no-trace camping, etc. and is allowed only for experienced backpackers.) It was an option we were not aware of at the time we made our reservations, however. Resupply? A 10-12 day backpacking trip is pushing the limits for carrying a full compliment of food. By utilizing a food drop, you may be able to reduce your food weight by 50%, which is a good option, considering the amount of climbing and descending there is on the Wonderland Trail. Resupply drops can be made at either Sunrise or Longmire. While they accept either a drop-off supply or a mail-ahead supply, it's highly recommended (mandatory?) that your supply be enclosed in a rodent-proof container. A 5-gallon plastic bucket with a snap-on lid is a good option. We were able to cache our food at the Longmire Ranger Station, utilizing an extra five-gallon bucket that they had on hand. While they often have 'extras' that hikers can utilize, they warn not to count on it. We were concerned about fuel, as well (because you can't mail it and although they sell it in the Longmire store, who needs five gallons of white gas?) We can't speak for denatured alcohol, but the Ranger's employ a 'hiker-box' mentality for fuel. When a hiker buys five gallons, they use what they need and leave the rest for others. Ask if they have extra before you buy more than you need, chances are there is enough to see you for the remainder of your trip. Best Time? Without a doubt - August & early September. Side Trips? We highly recommend the Spray Park option. It's not on the "official" Wonderland Trail, but it's a wonderfully beautiful option. The wildflowers, when in season, are spectacular & the view, looking northeast, of Mt. Rainier is inspiring. (For those hiking counter-clockwise, like us, be sure to look over your shoulder, or you'll miss one of the best views on the whole trip! It's easy to do too, because the climb up to Spray Park is a strenuous one & when you're huffing and puffing, wondering WHEN you're going to get to the top, it's easy to focus only on the trail ahead.) About our Journal This hike was our first adventure journal that we posted to the web. (You'll note, in reading the journal, that we alternated journaling duties every other day. We think this provides an interesting perspective & makes for more interesting reading). We enjoyed sharing our experience and have received lots of emails from lots of people interested in hiking. It's been a great way to meet like-minded folks. We hope that you enjoy these pages and if you have any questions or just want to say 'hi', please - email us. We hope that you enjoy reading about our journey, that it inspires and maybe helps in your plans to hike the Wonderland Trail someday. This is an outstanding backpacking trip. You can click on the photos to see higher resolution images (each opens in a new window). Use the mouse to hover over photos to bring up captions. We'd like to hear from you. If you have questions, comments, suggestions, find typos (ha) or just want to say "Hi" ... please - email us And now ... on to the journal.... [1]
Discovering the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail, Bette Filley 1998, Dunamis House If you enjoy reading this journal, you might also enjoy reading other tales from the Wonderland Trail. Check out these sister sites, which are all part of the "Wonderland Trail Hikers Net Ring".
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