Before this there was 3 Mt. Rainier maps – East, West and a blow up of the Paradise area. As mentioned I have chewed through a number of them over the years, while hiking all over Rainier and the Wonderland Trail. The new map is 269S and covers ALL of Rainier and the Wonderland Trail on Side A:

Side B has a bonus map that is a blow up of Paradise plus the entire glaciated area of the mountain for climbers, including major climbing routes:

You get the equivalent of the original 3 Rainier maps for $10 (the 3 maps ran about $15 to 16 total) in a waterproof, tear resistant 1.9 ounce package. It also includes an elevation profile of the Wonderland Trail (don’t look or you will want to cry ), where the backcountry camps are located, front country exhibits, picnic areas, a sidebar listing major trailheads with GPS waypoints and you want more? Do ya? Well not only all that but you get the Pacific Crest Trail on Side A going from Hayden Pass (near Big Crow Basin and the Crystal Ski Area) all the way to a few miles from Hwy 12 (White Pass). The PCT is so well laid out it is much better than the other waterproof PCT map produced via the FS.

I can only hope the use of the new material for the maps becomes the way for Green Trails. I’d happily replace all my overly loved maps for them to last longer. Anyhow, if you have Wonderland Fever this winter DO pick up the map, it is a must take item and well worth the cost.

~Sarah

~The meadow at Summerland~

Is it the economy? The hard winter for most of us? Who knows, but I can say I have seen a lot of chattering about hiking plans for this coming summer, more than usual, especially about the Wonderland Trail here in Washington – our gorgeous 93 miles loop around (well more like up and down) Rainier’s flanks. With the El Nino weather pattern this winter settling in good since Fall 2010 could be a prime year for thinking about thru hiking it. The snow levels are much lower than usual meaning an earlier hiking season and or not walking on as much snow in the higher altitude sections. Much of the destruction that occurred back in fall of 2006 has been fixed as well. Overall, if one can swing it they might seriously consider heading out! What better way to recharge your inner self than to go hiking in an area that is breathtaking and will wear you out.

So what do you need to do to plan a WT hike?

Visit Mt. Rainier NP’s website for the basic Wonderland Trail info page.

Then print and fill out a Wilderness Reservation Form. Rainier’s permits are free but the reservation is a small $20 fee. It is well worth it. They start the reservations on March 15th, so start planning! There is more info on the process on this page as well.

Read up on Rainier’s Wilderness Rules and Regulations. Rainier is overall a great place to backpack. Why? To control crowds years ago the park set up backcountry campsites and a tightly controlled permit system. This means no searching for a camp as dusk starts settling in. You know from the start where you need to be every night. The sites are located near a water source, have a privy (toilet) and at least one bear pole. The bear poles are one of the best things going for it – no need to carry a heavy canister, you simply hang your food/garbage at night or when away from camp. Each pole is easy to use, even for us short ladies. Granted you won’t often get a scenic campsite – most of the backcountry camp areas are located in copses of trees but you will have a protected camp at night and most of all, your day glo orange tent won’t be wrecking another hiker’s view.

On food caches: Yes, they really do help with planning! You are required though to carry your fuel, it cannot be left in the cache. The best place for a cache is Sunrise if you start at Longmire, it is about halfway give or take. You only need 1 or 2 caches overall. Invest in either brand new paint buckets with screw on lids or better….collect kitty litter plastic tubs. You want thick hard plastic to keep mice out. The rangers will recycle the bins for you when you pick your food up. White River and Carbon River ranger stations are just not feasible for thru’s to use them for caches. The ranger station is not always attended to at Mowich, user beware.

On garbage: Why does the WT rock so much? Well you cross roads periodically. And Rainier loves having garbage cans at every trailhead. Which means that you will pass a garbage can at least every couple days (depending on your speed). If you hike fast you might see one every day. So do yourself a favor and toss your stinkies when you can – less weight for you!

Maps you say? Sure! Head here for free ones to give you some planning ideas.

Check out this great online (and free!) resource on trails in the Rainier area. You might get more ideas of side trips or also hikes to do when out here. The website is also a good planner if you need to plot out a motel or cabin or want more info on places around the park.

A previous list we did on links and resources for the WT.

Our personal hiking experiences on the WT.

~Ford ahead of me, heading into alpine~

Maps and Books To Consider:

Discovering the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail: Encircling Mount Rainier.

Mount Rainier National Park, WA – Trails Illustrated Map # 217 (National Geographic Maps: Trails Illustrated).

Hiking Mount Rainier National Park.

Green Trail Maps. Mount Rainier West and East are needed.

~Heading down to Kautz Creek on the way to Longmire~

Last Minute Gear Purchases?

Whittaker Mountaineering in Ashford, Wa. The store is located right in town and is about 5 miles from the main entrance to Rainier (Nisqually) This is the gate you enetr through to go to Longmire/Paradise. Good merchandise selection though slightly aimed at climbers. Clean bathrooms! Sells fuel.

Wapiti Woolies in the small town of Greenwater, on Hwy 410. This shop is well known for good lattes, friendly family owned service and a great slection of brands like OR and MSR. They often have great sales racks in the back. Sells fuel.

REI in Tukwila (Southcenter). This REI is minutes from the SeaTac airport. They are a smaller REI but have everything a person might need.

Longmire General Store. Just across the parking lot from the main ranger station for permitting is the tiny but well crammed general store. Mostly tourist stuff but they do carry food and some supplies. They take credit cards. The National Park Inn is next door for meals and lodging as well.

Sunrise Day Lodge. Located in the huge building in the parking lot, it is only open for about 2 months – early July through early September. Bring CASH. No credit cards. They have some food and supplies, but not much. Very over priced food like burgers and onion rings and soft serve ice cream. You will be craving it, so tuck a $20 in your pack! There is a pay phone out front that does take phone cards. Power outlets in the bathroom next door if it is open (depends on the weather, they close the flush toilets early Sept.). The ranger station is next door for permits.

~Sarah

Ford and I met up with her and we drove to Mowich Lake, along the always interesting “State Highway 165″ which is not paved and is basically a 2 car wide FS logging road. You can tell the out of staters by the white knuckled grip as they drive 5 mph past you…..the straight drop offs the side and the vast views from the clearcuts only make the drive better Ah, but never fear – once you enter the park all you see is glorious low subalpine forest and then you get treated to one massive lake, Mowich. Just take a word of advice: DO NOT ever use the privies at Mowich. I learned that lesson years ago. You can smell them 20 feet away……or farther.

We had driven up into the clouds and as we stepped out into 46* temps, the clouds were flittering above.  Way behind that ridge and beyond is Spray Park…..

We wandered around Mowich Lake on The Wonderland Trail to Ipsuit Pass. Of which I realized every time I have been at this pass it has been clouded over.

Trees on Wonderland Trail:

A few minutes passed and the wind blew the clouds by for a little while – leaving us with a view of sorts.

We went back to the turn off for Eunice Lake and headed downhill. Along the way you cross a number of avy slopes that were brilliant with color from wild flowers.

Tiger Lilies:

Eunice Lake. Elevation 5355 feet. The trail to Tolmie Peak/Lookout continues on.

The lookout is visible in the middle of the photo, a square bump.

Fields of Lupine above the water – the air was very perfumed.

Even though it was only in the 50′s, Ford decided to go wading and enjoyed himself till his feet went numb….

For lunch Ford and I reviewed Packitgourmet’s Many Bean Salad.

I had picked up a bag of this meal awhile back and had never gotten around to trying it. Part of it being I just wasn’t sure about it. And it had a LOT of beans. I’d end up grabbing different meals over the past months. Finally today I told myself we would try it out.

Opening it up you have the bag of beans/seasoning, vegetable bag, 2 packets EVOO, 2 packets malt vinegar and a packet of salad dressing.

Knowing how cooked/dehydrated beans work I took a gamble and ignored the cooking directions and did it the lazy way. I boiled the called for 1 1/2 cups water, then added the bean bag and the vegetable bag to the outer heat safe bag. Poured the hot water over, sealed and cozied up for 10 or so minutes. Came back and added in the dressing, the malt vinegar and 1 packet of the olive oil.

The smell was INCREDIBLE! I honestly had been wondering up to the point of opening the bag if I’d be eating stale Luna bars instead. No, it was so good smelling that Ford popped over with his spoon. I took the leftover bean bag, cut off the top and made him a bag as well and split it up between us. He ate his half and then was trying to get mine.

And this was a VEGAN meal! Beans, beans, beans and a lot of veggies. And the kid wanted more.

We all chatted about it – it would rock tossed with pasta and Parmesan cheese to make a hearty dinner for two. Or served over rice. With bacon added.

This is one I will be buying again. And again! I’d eat this at home – that kind of good!

Ford packing up, though he is hard to see:

After lunch and packing up we went exploring. The lake is crossed by trails.

Looking back down the lake:

Looking down from above of a hidden section of the lake:

Cat took this photo of me walking on a trail above the lake:

Ford ahead of me, on a rock section we climbed up:

The view down below, of another section of the lake. This part is shallow and actually balmy. Somewhere I have a photo of a small Ford in fall of 2004 playing in this section.

One last look as we walked back above the lake, before leaving the lake basin:

Ford and I heading back up The Wonderland at the end (Photo by Cat):

Mowich Lake was nearly covered in clouds as we came back, the coves felt almost like standing at the Pacific Ocean – and not in subalpine.

Highlights of the trip were bunnies and deer. Not bad on a very misty day. And I can say that hiking in 50* weather is much preferred to 90*+ days…….

~Sarah

The Kautz Creek has changed since we did it, it was affected quite a bit by the late 2006 floods – the creek changed its course even. At the time we hiked it you walked a touristy trail for a little, crossed the raging creek on a nice footlog bridge then went up, up and more up. (Now one doesn’t cross the creek anymore!) The trail is steep and relentless until after a couple miles you pop out into some of the most remote meadows in Rainier. Just gorgeous meadows!

Looking back I could see Mt. Adams far in the distance.

The alpine meadows didn’t quit either – they only got better as we headed for the high point. Ford ahead of me, ready to cross the top. This was our first view of Rainier since the parking lot.

As you cross over you have Rainier in your face, with the meadows of Indian Henry’s Hunting Grounds and the ranger cabin as well. We walked down to where the trail ended at the Wonderland Trail.

Rainrunner and Switchback Steve had joined us as well. Everyone on the porch of the cabin. There is a privy for the rangers and also a tiny lake behind it for water.

If you take the trail signed for Mirror Lakes you won’t be disappointed. It is a short trail to the small (ponds) lakes that are interesting for one reason – Rainier just doesn’t look like Rainier here. The mountain is pointy, little snow. No round ice cream scoop. A number of well known photos have been taken here.

The trail technically ends here (well, if you read the “end of maintained trail” sign that is) at a set of big pine trees. Look down at your feet and realize that no, the trail doesn’t end. You can see it below you. They just quit trimming the trees. Pop through and a magical paradise opens up. A trail that is in perfect shape that takes you to meadows that cause drooling, below Pyramid Peak. The trail continues to the top – though I did not go to the summit. Too exposed for my taste!

The views in the area are non stop and you can see in nearly every direction. We found a spring in the area along with a small melt pond that had many fresh black bear prints around it. Off we went to find a camp spot, hidden away. This area falls under the “cross country” permit system and you must be 1/4 mile away from a maintained trail (and out of sight).

Watching the sun set, alpenglow on the Mountain. There was rock avalanches often during the day and night, plumes of dust would kick up as they rocketed down.

In the first light I woke up to see a cloud slithering around her. It snaked around. It was the start of a lenticular cloud, though I had never seen one like that before.

We broke camp early and headed back to Indian Henry’s where looking back showed how big the lenticular cloud had become. Rainy at this point realized she had left her keys to HER car (the one at Longmire!) at the car at Kautz, in her bag, in the trunk. Oops. Rainy and Steve decided to go back down the Kautz trail, get that car and meet Drew, Ford and I at Longmire.

I had not hiked this section. It quickly drops out of alpine to montane woods at Devils Dream, then heads even lower to cross Kautz Creek up high. Ford and Drew ahead of me, going to the bridged crossing.

The trail goes back up over Rampart Ridge then drops down to Longmire at the end. It was a good hike – an incredibly pretty one to do in late August. The Huckleberries had just started to ripen. Rainy had commented that she could open her tent and pick them right out the door – they were that plentiful.

~Sarah

I was worried about parking for the trail picked. Gee, no worries today. Normally the trailhead on White River Road for The Wonderland is full by 9 am or earlier. Today….there was a whopping 3 cars. We were on the trail a bit late, being nearly 10:30 am. It was 46* at the car. Chilly did I mention?

The sun would poke out often, with a light breeze. Me in some styling trail clothes – shorts with a wool hoody/hat and gloves.

The Wonderland heading up towards Summerland looks like this for a lot of the way. Pleasant forest that lets the sun in. It is one of the smoothest trails you will ever walk on.

At about 2 miles you encounter the lower switchbacks where you pop out onto ledges above Fryingpan Creek’s gorge. You also start getting views. One I didn’t get a shot of is the low part of the ridge where you can walk up to from the other side, from Oywhigh Lakes, the ridge coming off of Tamanos Mountain.

Looking across the creek at the ridge across the way. There are too many waterfalls to count thundering off the snowfields.

There was misty clouds flittering over and around the peaks across the way.

The trail periodically opens up the higher you climb and in this one crosses a avy slope where the trees are all broken off at 10 feet high or so. Kirk and Ford ahead of me:

You leave the woods and climb quickly above the creek, then dip down to the crossing of Fryingpan Creek. To the right (not seen well in the photo) is the long ridge of Goat Island Mountain that you follow most of the way up from White River. Goat Island is very noticeable from the viewpoint on Hwy 410, looking down at the White River Valley.

The last time I stood here I realized was 2004, on my attempted thruhike of the Wonderland. The creek had changed quite a bit since then, running in a channel farther over. The bridge is nicer now, higher above the water. The first time I walked the bridge in 2003 the water was running over the top of the log.

Ford went out to the bridge and was crossing the minor unbridged second channel (where the old bridge had crossed if memory holds right).

Heading down, into the mist.

As we headed down the open slopes I had a memory of Ford’s first time on this section, in 2003. He had turned 6 and it was late Septemeber. The Huckleberries were on the verge of being overripe. As we headed down we had a face to face with a young male black bear who had been nibbling on berries. The bear had been so scared of us he tried to hide in the bushes….a few feet from us. I look back now and laugh. At the time I was scared, leg shaking scared. We had to pass the bear, within arms reach of his snout, after the bear wouldn’t budge. (How did I know it was a he? I reported the sighting to the ranger station and found out he was a shy 3 year old at the time.) It was a hike that I hope to never forget.

No views of Tahoma today (there are some nice ones just past the bridge in clear weather). There was something though you don’t get normally on a Saturday here: solitude. We had seen only an early rising couple on their way down the whole time. Just us and the squirels.

The way down went quickly in the cool weather, it was colder as we got closer to the road.

Loved these little orange guys popping out:

According to TOPO we did a shy 6 1/2 miles and 1400 feet gain. If we had continued onto the meadows of Summerland it would have been another 700 feet gain and a shy mile more. The meadows of course are why people come – along with the views of Rainier, but more so, the closeness of Little Tahoma.

So why did we not continue? Ahhhh….snow. While the trail to the creek was nearly snow free (just a few spots and all easily walked over), one could look across the creek and see snow aplenty over there. 5200 feet seems to be the snow level this week, by Monday I am sure it will be higher.

Route in red:

There is a reason people come here – views, wildlife and even that the trail is a dream to walk on. I love Tahoma – she is my favorite place to be, more so the White River/Sunrise side of the park. Being back after 6 months of winter is smile inducing. Now I wait the final week till Sunrise opens. Then once again the meadows of Yakima Park will be there for me to wander through.

~Sarah