One of many adventures from September 2019

This past September, I went on my most epic adventure to date! For almost five years, I had planned and trained for a solo-supported trip through Mount Rainier National Park via the Wonderland Trail. On September 4^th, I obtained a walk-up permit for 12 days which would take me around the mountain. It was absolutely incredible, and there is so much I want to share about my trip that I’ve felt stuck figuring out where to even begin.

This morning, a thought came to me on where I want to start. I was outside with my adventure pups before sunrise (as dog owners often are when canine nature calls) and noticed the sky was very clear. Even being in the city of Portland, I could see the stars…so I turned off my porch light to better let them shine, and sat huddled in my down coat, coffee clasped in my hands, to watch them for a bit. My mind wandered back to the first night I spent on the Wonderland Trail. Literally, on the trail, under a beautiful starry sky.

Wonderland Trail Quick Facts

If you’re not familiar with Mount Rainier National Park and the Wonderland Trail, let me start you off with some quick facts: The trail circumnavigates the mountain with an official distance of 93 miles and over 22,000 feet of elevation gain. There are several alternate routes you can take which may give some trips different statistics, plus some trails get rerouted due to geographic changes which can also result in slightly different mileage. A wilderness permit is required to camp, and hikers may only camp at the designated sites along the trail; permits can be obtained via lottery each April, or as a walk-up permit based on availability the day of or day before a trip begins. There are four sites along the trail where food & supplies can be cached by either drop-off or mailing supplies in advance, so that you can pick them up mid-hike and resupply.

Permitted To Begin

My goal was a walk-up permit starting the same or next day, lasting 10-12 days (9-11 nights), and to try and keep miles under 10 per day due to drastic elevation changes in some sections of the trail. Plus, I wanted to ensure I had time to be enjoying the adventure I’d spent so much time preparing for! The rangers were incredibly helpful in working through various itinerary options until we found one that worked; 11 campsites, with some creative rerouting to keep me moving around the mountain. But my miles were all over the place, and I would have no time to drop off food caches – meaning I had to carry all of my supplies for the full trek. I was willing to tackle long miles and carry everything in order to make my Wonderland Trail adventure a reality.

That first day on the trail was my longest, as far as distance goes, covering 15.5 miles along with roughly 3000 feet of elevation gain (and 2200 feet of loss). By the time I got to my chosen starting point – Box Canyon – and geared up to hit the trail, it was 9:30am; sunset was at 7:40pm, so I had 10 hours or so of daylight with a 48-pound pack. No sweat! It was a beautiful early autumn day, and I was energized now that I had my permit locked in. I hit the trail with a huge grin and an abundance of confidence about reaching Pyramid Creek Campground.

Strong Start Along Stevens Creek

The first several miles, when traveling clockwise from Box Canyon, follow Stevens Creek and cross several smaller waterways – which means lots of waterfalls and bridges! It also remains relatively close to Stevens Canyon Road, so there was occasional traffic noise, and lots of day hikers and sightseers at popular waypoints. The trail is largely forested for this stretch, only occasionally crossing open space. One of the rangers had told me there were a lot of mushrooms coming up across the park, and he was not wrong – I don’t think I’ve ever observed so much fungal variety in a forest. I’m also fairly sure I’ve never taken so many pictures of mushrooms!

There were a few points along the overall Wonderland Trail that, from researching the route beforehand, I was aware would require a little extra caution and might prove tricky. One of these was on day one, just a few miles in and before reaching lovely Martha falls: a stretch of trail has been washed out for a few seasons, leaving a sketchy footpath across a steep embankment with loose scree (small rocks and pebbles).

Trekking poles and a slow pace with mindful footing got me across without incident. I’ve crossed similarly challenging trails in training, but never with as heavy of a pack as I had on. Did I mention my trekking poles? They were essential not just here but many times on my trip around Rainier.

Beyond the miles of waterfalls, I reached Reflection Lakes; the trail directly overlaps the road a short distance here, and it was quite busy at the lakes due to the beautiful weather. A bench in the shade made for an excellent midday break spot, where I chatted with some folks, snapped a few pictures, and refueled with a protein bar. From there, the trail goes along the Paradise River, crosses several tributaries, and passes two of the most popular locations for all kinds of park visitors: Paradise and Longmire. Both house Wilderness Information Centers and helpful rangers, several day hiking trail options, and even lodging facilities. Longmire has a more extensive visitor center with a museum, restaurant, and more. I felt like I was making great time, passing through Longmire under the watchful gaze of a doe right about 6:00 PM. Although I was tired, I still had plenty of energy to keep moving.

The Final Stretch, But Not The Finish

Heading into my last 3.5 miles and 1100 feet of elevation gain, the trail was deceptively easy. The trail was at a slight incline, and even included a long stretch of aged boardwalk. With the thick forest, sunlight was fading rapidly even though sunset proper was still over an hour away. Then I came to a long flight of wood-and-earth stairs – stairs made for longer legs than mine! That’s when I hit the first major elevation gain of my trip.

Over roughly half a mile, I gained 800 feet of elevation. I’d been hiking fast with a heavy pack all day, and my energy reserves were nearing zero by the time I got to the drop down to Kautz Creek. Only a half mile to camp! I fished out my headlamp as it was past sunset by now, and started looking for the crossing.

Kautz Creek has several braids, or channels, that it flows through – so rather than finding my way across one single creek, it was more like finding my way across several small creeks in a stretch of terrain strewn with loose rocks ranging from boulder to pebble. In the dark, with a headlamp. Strands of small trees grew along the creek and between the braids, cutting off what little light was left and obscuring the path. I crossed to the opposite side, but couldn’t find where the trail picked back up; the creek bank was washed out where I came out and I saw no clear path up. Backtracking, I went back to where the trail had come down and tried again, looking for any signs of previous hikers – boot prints, flagging tape, or cairns – but found nothing. Back to the known trail I went, momentarily turned around as I cut through some trees and tried to find an easier way over a wider stretch of water.

With my energy levels having already crashed, rebounded, and crashing again, I thought setting my pack down for a break and a snack might help. We’ll just say that my stomach strongly disagreed with this decision. A couple of times. I’ll repeat here that camping is only allowed at designated sites along the trail for which you must have a permit. Being a rule follower by nature, I felt the pressure to find the trail and get to camp – not to mention a desire for the relative safety of a tent, and a solid night of rest! Leaving my pack on a boulder, I ventured one more time across the creek with just my trekking poles and my headlamp in an attempt to find the trail. I knew it was there, somewhere – and I also knew that if I kept wandering around on loose, wet rocks in the dark while exhausted I was likely to end up injured.

Not-Camping On The Wonderland Trail

Picking out a spot a bit above the creek where the trail ran between two boulders, I set my sleeping pad up so I could sit on it and recline against the stone. I was carrying a Garmin inReach Mini, and I sent a message to my contacts at home saying I was fine but stopping outside of camp. Bundled up in my down quilt, I turned off my headlamp and laid my head back…physically exhausted, half a mile short of my goal, sick to my stomach, and only mildly concerned that a bear or cougar might wander down the trail at some point in the night.

Over the course of the night, I dozed to the sounds of the creek and occasionally flipped on my headlamp to shine it around, talking out loud to any potential critters. I spent time gazing up at the sky, completely warm and comfortable in my cocoon, reflecting on how my trip was starting, and how absolutely great my day had been (yes, all of it). I was finally on day one of my solo-supported Wonderland Trail adventure after nearly five years of planning. I’d hiked fifteen miles with an enormous pack, proving my strength and pushing my endurance to new levels. I’d had the wherewithal to make the safe, smart decision to sit and wait for sunrise despite my exhaustion. And I had a view of a starlit mountain, vast sky, and the Milky Way that could not be matched. Sitting with these and many other thoughts, I felt more confident and capable on the trail than ever before. Day two was going to be amazing!

Afterword

(Can a blog post have an afterword? This one does.)

I stayed leaning on my boulder until after sunrise, letting the temperatures rise a bit and the light grow brighter. As soon as I unwrapped from my quilt and took a peek across Kautz Creek, the Wonderland Trail was plain as day. Of course. I was feeling far better after a night of rest, if not actual sleep, and took the time to repack my gear and make breakfast (oatmeal, a trail classic). My second day was a short hike to Devil’s Dream Camp; I passed my intended camp for night one just 15 minutes of hiking beyond where I’d been. After reaching my second campsite, I peeked around just long enough to decide which spot I wanted to claim, then I promptly put up my tent and took a long nap!

I stayed leaning on my boulder until after sunrise, letting the temperatures rise a bit and the light grow brighter. As soon as I unwrapped from my quilt and took a peek across Kautz Creek, the Wonderland Trail was plain as day. Of course. I was feeling far better after a night of rest, if not actual sleep, and took the time to repack my gear and make breakfast (oatmeal, a trail classic).

My second day was a short hike to Devil’s Dream Camp; I passed my intended camp for night one just 15 minutes of hiking beyond where I’d been. After reaching my second campsite, I peeked around just long enough to decide which spot I wanted to claim, then I promptly put up my tent and took a long nap!

I have so much more to write about from my Wonderland Trail adventure! If you have any questions at all, I invite you to leave a comment or contact me directly. There’s more to come, and you can catch all of the adventure updates by following along on Facebook or Instagram, and by signing up for my mailing list. I look forward to sharing more with you soon!

~Cat