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The Cascades are know for rain, Douglas Firs and Sasquatch. The range extends from Northern California into Canada and the highest among it’s many peaks is Mt. Rainier. The mountain almost looks smaller than it is because of it’s not as pointy, and you’re seeing it from so far away. But at 14’111’ (4,392m) it stands above the rest.
The trail around the mountain was started in 1907, crews added to it every year until 1915 when they finished the 93 mile loop. To hike the trail you need a permit, which is a lottery system you enter in the early spring. You can set out to do so in as little or as much time as you want. The current FKT (fastest known time) to complete the loop is 16h 40m 55s. We spent a little more time than that.
Let me start off with the permit, we filed for what seemed like the most “standard” option, 10 days clockwise from Longmire. We were accepted, but the route given was very different. Counter-clockwise from Longmire in 10 days/9 nights, but also sending us to the East Side trail off the Wonderland in the section I was most looking forward to. My advice: make multiple attempts and keep your expectations low.
The one real benefit of the Wonderland is the established food caches that allow you to lighten your load. Although coming up with shelf stable food options isn’t great, it is well worth the hassle. We sent off our bags of tuna and crackers along with our pre-packaged meals two weeks ahead. And crossed our fingers they would make it. If your food cache gets lost you’re pretty shit out of luck. Have to hike to the nearest campground and beg for a ride.
Standard start to an adventure, try to leave early and fail. And that is ok. Nearing the end of our 3+hr drive we realize neither of us packed the map. Luckily Longmire General Store had our idiot butts taken care of with a fresh print. The hardest part of the day was to know where to leave your car for over a week. But we just hit the trail a bit late. Hitting the trail, Longmire to past Paradise and Louise Lake actually kind of sucks, it’s a mild uphill within earshot of the road for 6 miles. Eventually a forever descent into Maple Creek has you praying for a little up for the sake of your knees. Daylight waned the trail became rocky as we found camp, tucked away in the trees on Steven’s Canyon.
Not the worst camp, good creek nearby, but road noise audible into evening.
This was one of two easy days on the trip, and felt almost guilty that having it only one day in. So we leisurely made breakfast and packed up. There was a super cool routing over the Steven’s Canyon Road, where you hike over a car tunnel. Today we split from the traditional Wonderland route down the Cowlitz Trail towards the Eastside Trail.
This was a great creek camp. Wasn’t epic but it had solitude, we waded in the creek and ate our fill of huckleberries.
More downhill. I couldn’t help but think we would eventually pay for all this downhill. As we neared the bottom of the watershed the most bizarre thing occurred… A line of people on the trail. Probably over 50 people standing there in the woods. None of them had more than daypacks, so we started passing everyone. This being COVID year we just didn’t want to be surrounded by people, it’s the one thing that didn’t get cancelled. Someone even yelled at us to wait in line, but right as they did we split on the Eastside Trail. They were all waiting to cross a pedestrian bridge.
The day got better as the trail follows the Ohanapecosh River and eventually drops to it. We found a perfect spot to drop pack and jump into the frigid glacier fed waters.
The camp is okay, nothing special but the swimming hole in the river isn’t too terribly far.
We knew this would be a big day both mileage and elevation-wise. Luckily our packs were light headed to our first food cache. We followed a creed before heading up and up to reconnect with the Wonderland. Eventually high enough that the trees thinned and we passed some pristine alpine lakes in a meadow before reaching the White River and Sunrise Road. We had to hike along the road, which was a drag. But right as we got tired and found our food cache waiting right on top at White River Campground. We ate second lunch before embarking up the second round of pitches towards Sunrise. Our packs heavy this turned into a death march. Up and up. Forever.
Views finally peaked out, we hadn’t actually seen Rainier proper in a couple days. The mountain seemed a little hazy, and a cool breeze from the East had started. A mile from camp you can hike towards the parking lot and store, which I did to get us a couple much earned beers and chips. Civilization is always weird when you come from the backcountry. People who drove up the mountain seem like boring and alien. I’m sure they were equally as put off by my body odor. Upon finally reaching camp the breeze had picked up and turned quite cold. Almost too cold for the beers I just procured. This was an ominous sign. We slept with our down jackets on.
Situated in a very pristine area that has been overrun by droves of tourists.
After a fitful night of sleep with the gale outside we made breakfast in our sleeping bags in the tent. Hiked out in our down with the wind still howling, fortunately at our backs. The haze had cleared and the views were amazing, but the cold made us keep moving as we crested Sourdough Gap. We descended past the nice little camp of Granite Creek Camp to refill and shed layers. The bad sleep made the last few miles to Mystic Camp a trudge.
We threw down our gear and hiked the half mile up to the lake itself. Sweet relief, this is what we came for. The wind died, the sun shown bright at the lake with granite peaks looming above. It was warm enough to take a dip and dry off on a log. This is the bounty of the backcountry.
Though not on the lake itself, it was the a nice camp in the nearby woods.
Today we once again veer off the traditional Wonderland route, but for good reason we’re headed up and over Spray Park. While we knew this would be the highest point on our route before we left it wasn’t on our map and we figured would be similar to previous ascents. Turned out to be much steeper and rougher trail. But there was no way to be mad in what was one of the most heavenly alpine meadows I’ve been to. Like living in a 360º postcard. We cross several patches of snow in the meadows, on the look out for bears that frequent this area. Short on time the dream has to end as we descend into the next valley and our camp. A haze had settled into the valley, but it wasn’t feeling humid.
Perched on a bluff above the valley, it gets amazing evening light even if it’s all blocked by trees.
Yesterday was tougher than anticipated, but my pack is light now, bordering on empty. Pick up our second food cache at Mowich Lake, a nice little lake with a patrol cabin. The day seems to drag on, like I am dragging a boat anchor. We are running on fumes into Golden Lakes, but a perfect spot to recharge with an actual swimmable lake. Which was cold, but not glacial cold, it was a welcome finale to the day.
This spot is amazing, lakes are great for swimming.
Our final rest day. Mostly downhill and our shortest day of the trip. We almost felt guilty taking a break to eat midway. The haze had followed us from Eagle’s Roost, and was getting thicker. Still quite tolerable but we now realize it is definitely smoke. The camp itself was weird, most the sites are in a row on a ledge a ways from the river. The group camp is across river on an old decommissioned road, which I find strange but somehow more appealing. We take the group camp as the day turns to evening.
The spot if kind of boring, and row of camps don’t offer very good privacy.
We awake to the distinct smell of camp fire. But we haven’t had a fire the whole trip. The haze was now intolerable and eerie not knowing any details about where it was coming from. The hike out should have been beautiful, but the sun could not penetrate the gray haze giving everything a gray and yellow cast.
“Oregon City has been evacuated,” a hiking group going the other way informs us as we briefly trade information. The news hits me like a brick in the chest. We figured the smoke was local to somewhere in Washington Cascades. But it turns out the wind storm from Sunrise Camp had caused fires along the whole west coast that was a tinder box this season. The worry of what was happening back home started to creep and build. I tried not to think about them and enjoy the trail. But the anxiety monster grew large on my shoulders.
We met a nice marmot. We named him Carl.
Oddly spooky, camps are next to the trail and had to hike for 20min each way to get late season water.
Someone described the last miles of a big day out as the feeling of when a horse can smell the barn. There is something about nearing the end of a long trip, whether riding, driving or walking. An anticipation to be done even if we had spent so much effort to do the trip. But with the smoke we wanted out, to know what was happening in our normal world. Truth is it didn’t matter a whole lot, the civilized world was terrible and choked with smoke. We were better off on the mountain. We drove back to Portland in air that only became more clogged with smoke the further we went. It was dark and foreboding. It had already been such a fucked year, and now this.
Our vehicle was covered in a layer of ash. But it still felt joyous to finish and drop pack. We celebrated with candy and chips from the Longmire market. Briefly enjoying the novelty of civilization after living like dirtbags for 10 days around the mountain.
I left the Wonderland feeling underwhelmed.
The trip was had fun and beautiful moments but overall I feel like it wasn’t a great bang for the buck. It was a pretty big haul that felt mostly in the woods, the few times we had amazing views felt very rushed due to conditions and timing. Maybe my thoughts would be different without the re-route to the East Side, had the wind storm and smoke not occurred. While I appreciate the trail is simply there and well taken care of I don’t see myself returning to do another lap around Rainier for a long time. There are too many other great places to explore.
