The Wonderland Trail

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 The Wonderland Trail circumnavigates Mt. Rainier in 93 miles through pristine old growth forests and wind swept alpine areas. This endeavor was another challenge I wanted to fulfill after successfully summiting Mt. Rainier four times, living and working at Sunrise and Paradise and covering miles and miles on the Wonderland Trail. I had only six days to do the trip because I started school in a week. I couldn't find any itinerary for a six day trip so I put the numbers together between camps and tried to realistically consider whether it was possible (as you will discover, I pushed the limit). The Wonderland Trail is most often done clockwise but I did it counter clockwise so I could meet my grandmother at Longmire by a certain day and time. September is a wonderful time on the mountain because there are less people and while the flowers have wilted and died in the lower elevations, all of the flowers are in full bloom up on Mt. Rainier.

I do not place myself in any type of category such as an ultra light backpacker, I didn't even weigh my backpack. I'm simply a woman looking for solitude in the wilderness. The parts written in italics are from my diary. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventure, feel free to contact me for more information.

Day One

Monday: 19th of September, 2011

Sunrise to Cataract Valley Camp

Total miles: 16

I woke up at 0530 at grandmas and drove straight to the White River NPS Station to register. Fortunately I got all the campsites I wanted. Drove up to Sunrise and got going. As I made my way to Frozen Lake, the typical weather of this area brought a chill to my bones and the massive frozen beast in front of me was clothed in a thick layer of clouds. Sunlight began to sparkle on the path in front of me as I dipped down into Berkely Park. I stole a glance of Rainier's shoulder, chunks of ice 12,000 feet in the sky. Continuing on, I passed several Wonderland Trail Backpacker's (WTB's) who thought I was crazy for doing a solo trip. I'm really tired right now. I did 16 miles and the last bit to Cataract Valley Camp was uphill, only 1.6 miles but I was so exhausted. I knew the first day would be a challenge but I couldn't forth see to what degree. I had about a mile uphill left to camp and it was getting dark. I rested my head on the trekking poles and held back tears. Forcefully I placed one step in front of the other eventually making it to the isolated refuge. As the pika's cheerfully chattered throughout the night it was a reminder that I was never alone amongst the creatures of the forest.

Day Two

Tuesday: 10th of September, 2011

Cataract Valley Camp to Golden Lakes

Total miles: 16.2

I feel much better than yesterday although my right knee and left shin is bothersome. Both created from stupidity. There are two reasons why this most likely occurred. First off, I neglected to break in my new pair of boots and secondly, I wasn't hiking as much as previous years and so sixteen miles a day was pushing it. I resolved the shin issue by not lacing my boot up to the last notch. As for my knee, this was probably the most trouble I had on the entire trip. There were hours when it was fine and no pain but the hours it did hurt were some of the worst. Ignorantly and with a gimpy leg I pressed onward.

Near the beginning of the journey this morning I swallowed a mosquito. They're out with the warmer weather.  I didn't run into as many WTB's as yesterday. I think two compared to at least twenty. I did meet three WCC guys by South Mowich River Campground who thought I was looney (a daily occurrence). "There's no one there to encourage you," one guy mentioned. As I prepared for the last six miles of uphill to Golden Lakes I thought about this. What encouraged me? Time was a big factor, I wanted to make it to camp before dark. As the trail gradually steepened I looked over into the shrubs and saw a tiny wren. It reminded me of another small bird in Argentina called Rayadito. For the next few miles the word Rayadito, Rayadito played over and over in my head. It took my thoughts away from any tiredness and I climbed through the forest with a meditative ease. As I mentioned in my journal that day, I rocked that shit! Somewhere along the way five ultra runners sped past me. They were running the WT in two days, this was their first day from Longmire to Mowich Lake. Whose the crazy one here??

When I reached the top of the small mountain I was greeted with yards of wild blueberries and peeking above them was the northwestern top of Rainier. A grouse ran across the trail and a snake slithered into the thicket.

Day Three

Wednesday: 21st of September, 2011

Golden Lakes to South Puyallup River Camp

Total miles: 11.5

The weather was wonderful today around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I accumulated a lot of spider webs on my face going down the trail. Eight WTB couples (two people/ group) passed me going clockwise. I met some rangers along the way and two guys also backpacking the WT in six days, starting clockwise from White River. Why does everyone go clockwise? It will be nice for them to go downhill to White River on their last day while I will have to ascend over 2,000 feet to Sunrise.

Klapatche Lake

This area of the park was new to me and I was thoroughly amazed. The habitat is dense with a variety of blooming flowers and the mountain reflected in Klapatche Lake. As I sat in solitude, eating cheese and salami, a warm breeze greeted my nose with the sweet scent of lupine. That evening at South Puyallup River camp there were two young women, their first day from Longmire on their Wonderland adventure. I'm really enjoying this trip, even with all of the ascends and descends! I STINK, it might rain, I hope not! 

Day Four

Thursday: 22nd of September, 2011

South Puyallup River to Longmire to Paradise River Camp

Total miles: 15.6

I had an interesting morning. I got up at 0600 and it was pitch black out so I reached for my headlamp and it wouldn't turn on. Strange, the batteries were new. My extra batteries were in the food bag, currently twenty feet high on a bear pole. I fumbled around and found my cell phone. Guided by the weak light I found my way down the trail to the bear pole. Peering up at the bags I guessed which one was mine and gently guided the pole, the bag came zipping down the pole almost hitting my face. I lugged it back the tent and on closer examination the bag was red…. my bag is blue and not full of food. Once again, with the little light I had on me, I went back to the bear pole and somehow managed to put the red bag back up and extracted my blue bag. Turns out the batteries somehow fell out of my headlamp.

I made it to Longmire by 1400! I'm surprised. I tried my hardest to get that right. Grandma and I had lunch in the restaurant. She said I didn't stink until she hugged me. The trail from South Puyallup River gradually ascends out of the woods and into an alpine habitat following the Tahoma Glacier. I spotted a very large mountain goat on one of the mountains. As I stopped for lunch, looking out at Glacier Island the grey clouds rolled through and brought a misty rain. I met a man named Eric, a WTB doing the trail in THREE days, he was covering at least thirty miles a day. Then in the Indian Henry's Hunting Ground area I met another man who looked very worried about completing the trail, it was his first day. It was great seeing grandma later that day, I got to get rid of some stuff I wasn't using and got two more days worth of food. From Longmire to Paradise River Camp it was an easy 3.5 miles. Again, I was the only one at this campground.

Day Five

Friday: 23rd of September, 2011

Paradise River to Indian Bar

Total Miles: 16

By day five I was used to getting up early before sunrise. It was very satisfying getting on the trail by the time the birds starting chirping, greeting the warm sun. I stopped at Narada falls and was able to absorb the mist cascading off the falls with no one else around.  Quite a treat as there are usually a plethora of people there. Later on in the day it was really heating up, at least 75 degrees. Just past Reflection Lakes I was greeted with familiar faces, the same people I had passed on the north side of the mountain. Most of them were doing the WT ten to twelve days and were on their last day.

From Box Canyon to Indian Bar I had seven miles of major elevation gain mixed with descends nearing Indian Bar. I'm exhausted. More so than any other day. I had to gain a lot of elevation from Paradise. It's hard doing much of anything. Thinking about how far I have to go tomorrow is discouraging but I will be good once I get some sleep. My grandma had given me some pain killers to take at night because being sore was making for restless nights. When I reached Indian Bar I decided to pop a pill to make the evening chores a little easier. Bad idea. I didn't have any food in my stomach, I became extremely drowsy and every chore was difficult. As I ate my food I would pause in between eating and close my eyes, almost drifting off to sleep. Somehow I managed to put my food away, brush my teeth and fall into a deep sleep. If I fell asleep with the toothbrush in my mouth I would have never known.

Day Six

Saturday: 24th of September, 2011

Indian Bar to Sunrise

Total miles: 14.3

The trail heading out of Indian bar towards Summerland is the ultimate stair master. I barely noticed this with the bugling of elk surrounding me. With my camera in hand I crept my way up the stairs in search of the mysterious creatures. Their call is a mix of a donkey braying and a high pitched nasal whistle that's clogged with boogers. Apparently the ladies are attracted to this. I managed to get quite close to one, he stared at me with a mouth full of plants drooling out of his mouth.

Today was free entrance to the park so once I reached Panhandle Gap I encountered a lot of people. I was told that there was a lot of snow here and there definitely was a lot compared to previous years. Then, heading down from Summerland a woman approached me and exclaimed, "I bet people look at you like you have six heads! Doing the trail solo and all but I did that once, it was great! And you look so clean, like it's only your first day." I replied, thanks but you haven't smelled me.

Near White River I met the two guys also completing the WT in six days and they were on the home stretch. We exchanged high fives and went on our way. I had lunch at the campground picnic area and mentally got myself ready for the last few miles. The last time I had been on this part of the trail I had successfully summited Mt. Rainier for my first time. My friend didn't have much gas left so I happily hiked the trail from White River to Sunrise where I was living for the summer. I had wished I could summon the same energy I had then but it was nowhere to be found. There were a lot of Washington Trail Association workers maintaining the trail. As I made me way to the parking lot at Sunrise my weary feet weaved through the sardine of cars to find my own car where I then sat and looked out at all the people. I felt secretly successful and tiny compared to the grandeur of Rainier. How easily I could then get in my car and weave my way away from the mountain, covering many miles in mere minutes. On the trail a mile often seemed the longest time in my life yet we are capable of covering many miles in one day. Tiny raindrops began to sprinkle the windshield and I smiled, knowing how lucky I was to get such amazing weather, to have accomplished my goal, and to be alive.