Wonderland Trail

In September and October 2015, we backpacked the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. We did it over two trips, for a total of 10 days and eight nights. The first was from Sunrise to Longmire and the second from Longmire to Sunrise. John was 62 and I was 61.

We knew that all Wonderland Trail campsites would undoubtedly be reserved so John determined which cross-country zones would work for us. Typically permits for these are much easier to obtain. We preferred this as the official camping areas on the Wonderland Trail tend to be crowded and located in the damp, dark woods and not particularly scenic. However, the Park Service frowns upon this. They don’t want Wonderland Trail hikers to use the cross-country zones for overflow camping. Their experience has been that Wonderland Trail hikers obtain permits for cross-country zones but run out of the time and energy needed to look for an appropriate site and try to sneak into a designated campsite. However, our daily mileage was modest, about 10 miles per day, and we were committed to avoiding that predicament. One disadvantage to camping in the cross-country zones was that we would not have access to a bear pole to hang our food, so we were both carrying bear canisters.

On the first day we left our motorhome at Longmire and drove our Jeep to Sunrise. The sky was clear, the views of the mountain were beautiful, and not surprisingly, the trails near Sunrise were crowded.

Before long the weather turned a little cloudy …

… and as we continued down the trail, we left the crowds behind.

We could just barely see the Mount Fremont Lookout (upper right in the photo below).

The trail continued to descend and we eventually crossed Winthrop Creek.

It was then time to begin a long uphill hike starting with a steep climb out of the creek bed. This pattern of descent/ascent would be repeated many times on this trip.

The hike up with our full packs took its toll on us and toward the end of the day we looked forward to reaching camp. We had been provided with a photocopied topo map with vague magic marker outlines for every camping zone, but it was hard to read and less than precise. We would spend our first night in the Mineral Mountain Cross Country Zone (XMIN).

In hindsight, this was not the best choice for a camping zone as it was very challenging to find a usable, legal spot, one that is level enough, with a patch clear of trees that was large enough for our spacious tent. We were only required to be a quarter mile off the trail but that did not mean we could expect to only have to go that far. The backcountry ranger who issued our permits hinted at the difficulty by asking “Have you been there before?”

The information on the back of the map indicated hikers should allocate an hour or two to locate a site in a cross-country zone. We bushwhacked through the trees and finally found a usable spot to pitch our tent. It had obviously been used before. As we had wandered around, we lost sight of the trail so we were uncertain if we were actually legal. But we were definitely out of sight of the trail (and we kept our voices down). A better plan for us would have been to obtain a permit for the Carbon Alpine Zone (ACAR) located a bit farther down the trail beyond Mystic Lake. We could have loaded up with water at the lake and dry camped.

We got a late start the next day. We like our leisurely mornings too much and John wanted to take photos of Mystic Lake.

In addition, John got talking with a ranger stationed at the patrol cabin.

But we eventually got going and had great views of the mountain.

We again descended and this time passed the Carbon Glacier …

… before crossing the Carbon River.

The trail initially took us through forest before beginning our next ascent.

At this point we did a detour off of the Wonderland Trail in order to pass through Spray Park. John knows from personal experience that this way is far more scenic than the lower and woodsier portion of the Wonderland Trail we were bypassing.

Once we were higher, we were treated to expansive views including a distant view of Glacier Peak.

Spray Park is one of our favorite areas of the park and we have been there several times in the past. It is an area worthy of multiple visits.

We were to camp in the Spray Park South Camping Zone (XSPR), and because it was so open, it was much easier to find an appropriate site. Water was not an issue due to the many clear tarns (pools of snowmelt) in the area. We had great views of not only Mount Rainier but of Observation Rock (in front of the mountain) and Echo Rock (to the left of the mountain) as well. John took advantage of the photo opportunities provided by the fact we were backpacking rather than day hiking. First there was the mountain in golden evening light …

… then there was the sight of the multitude of stars …

… and then there were the views in the clear morning.

This was probably our favorite campsite of the trip.

Once again, we headed out and hiked through the alpine meadows. The wildflowers were long gone but we enjoyed the lovely red foliage which celebrated the onset of fall.

We then headed down (again) and took the short side trail to see the ethereal Spray Falls.

After a short break we continued down the wooded trail. The spongy surface and gentle grade made for fast walking. We knew we were getting close to Mowich Lake when we began to encounter quite a few day hikers. The Wonderland Trail does not go all the way to Mowich Lake as it takes a more direct route down to yet another river valley. We first crossed the North Mowich River and then hiked through the woods on our approach to the South Mowich River. We were relieved to not see any water flowing through the creek bed as we had in 2013. It was an indication that the river would not be exceptionally high.

I was quite relieved to see that all bridges over the South Mowich River were in. This was the site of our misadventure in 2013 when early-season plus heavy snows plus extreme heat equaled high water flow and washed-out bridges thus ending our trip before it had really gotten started.

Once again, the trail ascended from a river valley. We camped that night in the Sunset Park Cross Country Zone (XSUN) near Golden Lakes and easily found a good (and legal) site.

The next day we again got to enjoy the colorful meadows.

Back in the high country we were again treated to expansive views.

One of the things that we love about backpacking in the Cascades is the ready availability of water. So different from our experiences in Grand Canyon.

Once again the trail descended to a river valley. This time it was the South and North Puyallup Rivers.

I really appreciated the substantial log bridge with railings on both sides which enabled us to cross the deep gorge created by the roaring North Puyallup River.

As we crossed, we saw remnants of a rock wall on the other side of the river. It is apparently what is left of a bridge that was planned back in the 1930s.

The intent was to continue the Westside Road from the south up through this more remote area of the park. The road was completed as far as the North Puyallup River but in 1934 the Park Service decided that the project would negatively impact the area too much, and it was abandoned. We are so glad they did. It is hard to imagine what this part of the park would be like if cars were allowed in it. Then again, given the fact that the Park Service has not been able to keep the existing Westside Road open after repeated washouts this portion of the road would have ultimately been closed anyway.

We again hiked through woods …

… and meadows.

Toward the end of the day we reached St. Andrews Lake.

We had been told of a great campsite in the Tokaloo Alpine Zone (ATOK) above St. Andrews Lake. The site is located on the other side of the trees to the left. We were told to walk around the lake to the left and follow a social trail up a knoll. We found it with little trouble and set up camp.

The sunset that night was unusual and beautiful.

After another leisurely morning in camp, we continued on.

We descended into yet another river valley, this time the South Puyallup River …

… and we crossed another much appreciated bridge.

Then we made yet another ascent …

… as we headed toward Emerald Ridge.

Several years ago, while John was trail running, he did a series of photographs of himself in this very same spot. He wanted to do the same sort of image with both of us. It took some time to set up his camera and get all the images he needed (as well as do the post-processing) but I think the result is interesting and worth the time he spent on it.

The Wonderland Trail takes hikers through an ever-changing landscape, be it wooded valleys or mountain meadows, and provides great views of the mountain and the result of its glaciers.

Of course we descended again, this time crossing Tahoma Creek.

We would camp in the Pyramid Peak Cross Country Zone (XPYR) near Mirror Lakes that night. We took the side trail toward the lakes.

We got water from a creek along the way, but I was a bit uneasy about sitting on the deteriorating bridge. It felt a little flimsy.

Little did I know that it was in much better condition than a rotting bridge we would encounter later.

The day was clear and windless, so the lakes got to live up to their name.

We continued past the end of the maintained trail looking for a site. We were uncertain which direction to go until a park ranger happened by. He had been looking for us as he knew how many parties were to camp in the zone. He was making sure all were camped legally as he was quite protective of the area. It had apparently been overused in the past when the Westside Road was still open, providing easy access. He led us up a social trail much farther than we thought was necessary, but we ended up in an excellent spot with great views. Mount Rainier looks completely different from this side. We could also see Pyramid Peak (to the right).

This was our last night out on this portion of the trip and we made a special point of enjoying our last morning in camp.

We eventually got going …

… and before long passed the patrol cabin at Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground.

Later on, it was time to make one final descent/ascent, this time crossing Kautz Creek.

We took in one last view of the mountain before getting back to our motorhome waiting for us at Longmire.

Once back, we checked the weather forecast and were disappointed to see that it would deteriorate. So, we decided to postpone the remainder of the trip for an undetermined future date. We were then occupied with a family issue for a few weeks. However, in mid-October we were excited to see that there was a very favorable weather window, so we headed back to Mount Rainier National Park.

We planned to do the remaining segment in four days and three nights. This time, our intent was to obtain permits for designated campsites. The days were noticeably shorter, so we would have less time to look for cross-country camping spots. In addition, the designated camping areas have bear poles for hanging food, so we could avoid carrying the additional weight of a bear canister. We had no trouble obtaining permits this late in the season. In fact, at that point in time we were the only ones who had been issued permits at our desired camping areas for those dates. However, we were disappointed to hear that all the bear poles had been taken down for the season, so we had to take a bear canister after all. Oh well.

Later that day, we dropped our Jeep off at Sunrise where we would end our trip. One potential complication to doing this trip so late in the season was how long the road to Sunrise would remain open. We hoped it would be open long enough for us to complete the trip before closing for the season. Had it been scheduled to close, we would have parked our Jeep at White River. We could then hike up the short but steep trail segment to Sunrise to complete the trail and then turn around and hike back down to White River. However, we happily learned that the road was not scheduled to close soon.

The next morning, we once again parked our motorhome at Longmire and headed out.

After leaving Longmire we soon dropped down and crossed the Nisqually River.

We did a short side trip to see Narada Falls.

Before long we got to the aptly named Reflection Lakes. This is a popular spot due to easy access. It is literally next to a road.

In fact, we needed to walk down the road a ways before resuming our hike on the Wonderland Trail. We noticed that the Park Service had put up the snow poles along roads, a definite sign that winter was coming.

We soon got back on the actual trail and continued to descend into the lush forest. This portion of the trail runs parallel to Stevens Canyon Road so we were concerned we would have to listen to constant road noise. Fortunately, it wasn’t a weekend and the all-too-common packs of loud motorcycles were not out in full force.

We encountered a series of waterfalls including Martha Falls …

… and Sylvia Falls.

We were again grateful for log bridges, but some were no longer in optimal condition. This one felt spongy and I would be surprised if it survived the winter.

We spent our first night out at Maple Creek Camp. It was a typical Wonderland Trail campsite located in the dark woods. So different from the open campsites we enjoyed on our previous trip.

We continued the next morning. We got an earlier start than usual as there were no photo opportunities or views to distract us. The trail crossed the road and took us to Box Canyon, another popular area due to the easy access.

This is a challenging spot to photograph but John keeps trying. Normally he would find a way to get in a better position to get the shot he wants, but there is simply no place safe enough for him to climb down to.

As was true on our previous trip, we soon began another ascent, this time up to Cowlitz Divide. While I love waterfalls, it is a joy to get up high enough to see great distances and get expansive views.

We would spend our second night at Indian Bar Camp.

The actual campsites are in the trees, so we opted to use the shelter instead. There were no other people around, so we felt this was okay. While I set up our tent (which we used to keep mice from running over us at night) and started to work on supper (which simply means I boiled water) …

… John headed out to take photos in the evening light.

Photo opportunities included Wauhaukaupauken Falls.

He eventually returned to camp, and we thoroughly enjoyed our dining room with a view.

The next day we continued to ascend.

The open country provided us with views behind us …

… as well as ahead. Our hike for the day would be a short one …

… but the sun felt surprisingly hot for so late in the season and the hike took more out of me than I had anticipated.

Once we got over Panhandle Gap we began a welcome descent.

The area just below this side of Panhandle Gap has its own stark beauty. I have been there before earlier in the season when the pool of glacial melt was a bright turquoise blue.

We needed to cross the South Fork of Fryingpan Creek. As we approached, we looked with dismay at the displaced log bridge and the roiling waters of the creek. There was an obvious spot where we could cross it. Unfortunately, neither of us had brought water shoes, and it wasn’t well suited for crossing barefoot so fording would mean getting our boots wet. This was something we wanted to avoid as we knew our boots would have no chance to dry out.

John checked downstream a short distance looking for a spot that we could rock-hop across but with no luck. The creek did narrow, but became steeper and faster flowing. We then headed upstream keeping an eye out for suitable rocks to step across. Initially the creek had cut in and formed a gully, so we also needed to make sure the bank on the other side was not too steep to climb up.

At one point we became stuck in the gully, unable to continue following the creek closely, so we needed to climb out of it. John made it up the steep loose side with considerable difficulty. I finally made it up with much more difficulty. I suppose we could have backtracked, but we hated to give up distance that had been so tedious to gain. Once out of the gully we continued to follow the creek up for about half a mile more before we finally began to encounter more narrow portions of this now well-braided creek. We painstakingly worked our way across the many channels and were relieved to finally be all the way on the other side of the creek with dry boots.

We then slowly made our way over the rocks downstream to get back to the trail. Fortunately, our hike that day was short enough that it was no real hardship to take the time and expend the energy required for this convoluted stream crossing. Approaching Summerland from Panhandle Gap gives the best view of why this area is called Summerland. The change from the grey rocks to the green trees and golden meadows is dramatic. Even more so when the copious wildflowers are in full bloom.

The clouds thickened, which created a far more dramatic sky.

We spent our last night at Summerland Camp. The clouds encouraged us to camp in the shelter for fear of rain. One other couple showed up but they were content to camp in one of the designated sites in the trees. We would of course welcome them in the shelter if it rained in the morning, providing them with a dry place to eat.

The next morning John headed out to take photos.

It was a beautiful morning, and he eagerly captured the changing morning light.

Eventually more clouds moved in and rain seemed imminent. I don’t know why I thought to check if I had cell service and I was surprised to discover that I did. However, I resisted most of the temptation of having internet access and only used it to get a current weather forecast, which confirmed our fears that there was rain predicted.

As we prepared to hike out it began to sprinkle and we accepted the fact we would be hiking in the rain that day. We now carry rain kilts, which are easy to quickly slip on. However, to be effective, it is best to combine them with rain gaiters, which require taking off one’s boots before putting them on, not a pleasant task in active rain. John chose not to put his on, but I decided to go ahead and wear mine hoping they would serve as a good luck charm against rain.

We hiked quickly down the easy trail and not surprisingly, as it was a Saturday and this is an extremely popular trail, we began to encounter many day hikers. Several were very lightly clad and unburdened with packs. As the weather cleared some and the rain never materialized, I felt a bit silly in my gaiters but I was not motivated to sit down, take off my boots and remove them. When it came time to cross Fryingpan Creek again I was grateful for a bridge and could now appreciate the creek rather than see it as an impediment.

We did have one concern: whether the bridge over the White River was still in after a recent storm and unseasonably warm temperatures, which melted snow and caused high water levels. Had it been out we would have had to backtrack and follow the road to the White River Campground. We were quite relieved to see it but found it to feel less than secure. It is made from a thinner log than we had encountered over other watercourses, and it appeared to have a large split forming. It felt too springy for my taste. I imagine even if it survives the winter the Park Service will be replacing it sometime next season.

We needed to walk through the now-closed White River Campground, and it was a bit eerie, like walking through a ghost town. We ate our lunch at a civilized picnic table by the empty ranger cabin in welcome sunshine.

We were delighted that the rain was still holding off as we hiked up the steep 2.6 miles to Sunrise. The rain held off until right when we reached our car.

John had done the Wonderland Trail as a trail run twice before, but backpacking provided him with the time for photography. I had wanted to do this trip for a long time and felt very fortunate to have finally done it.

All photos from these trips are on Flickr.