Wonderland trail
Day 1 - 7/8/2005
Today's Miles - 3.4
Total WT Miles - 3.4
I am grateful to be on yet another summer adventure.
Airplane-Baggage Claim-Clarion Shuttle to Clarion Hotel-Repack-Sleep for 4 hours- Wake- Clarion Shuttle back to airport- Grayline Shuttle to Downtown Sheraton- Coffee!!- Wait- Wait- Wait- Grayline Rainer Bus.
An eventful last 12 hours or so since I left my home in Sacramento, California. The only "disaster" so far is that my brand new Nalgene Water Bladder leaks…yup it leaks. Not really sure how I'm gonna deal with that yet. It's also raining cats and dogs right now so I guess that my stuff really can't get much wetter.
Well…off to Rainer in a few…still need to get my permit and a hitch back to Longmire Visitor center from Paradise where the bus drops me off….hmmmm
Ok…had to sign back on for a bit…this is a good one. I am now on the Grayline bus to Rainer and it's 8:30. We just arrived back at the airport! That's right…I could have slept for 2 more hours last night and saved $10.50…who woulda known? No one told me. The driver of the bus told me that on the way back from Rainer the other driver "might" be willing to drop me off at the airport instead. It would be nice if that happens since I could get to the hotel an hour and a half earlier and save another $10.50…which could go towards fun instead!
Ok…it's night….this is gonna be a short entry because I am wet and tired. It's 6:55 PM right now and what a hike. It never stopped raining…never….everything I have is already…on day one…wet to the core with the exception of a few clothes and my paperwork. The tarp is light weight but it's not tent. More later or tomorrow….I'm beat.
Ok…it's actually 4:40 PM on day 2 that I am finally finishing this entry. It never stopped raining last night. Not until 5 AM. It splashed and splattered all night against, under and sometimes through the tarp itself. I was damp all night…not wet. I slept for somewhere around 10 hours though. So at least I got lots of rest!
Wonderland trail
Day 2 - 7/9/2005
Today's Miles - 9.9
Total WT Miles - 13.3
I am grateful to be mostly dry.
Really didn't get want to get started this morning, even though it wasn't raining I knew that I would get soaked putting away all the sopping wet gear. And the clothes that I had to put back on….as wet as thought they had been dropped in a lake. But I finally..after at least 2 hours managed to get packed up and moving….up up and up for about 2.5 hours I went. This was good in that I started to dry out too. But that was not to last. At one point I turned a corner and what was staring me in the face….a Large deer…it even let me take a few close up pictures.
Sometime in the mid morning I arrived at Reflection Lakes. It was a beautiful place with Rainer introducing herself to me from above. The weather was so cruddy yesterday that no one on the tour bus ever got to see the mountain. I never saw it either while I was hiking later in the day. Nothing at all but clouds. But today was different. There were still clouds throughout the day…but no rain. I sat in and out of the sun at Reflection Lakes trying to decide if I should dry out my gear. Finally I decided not to and continue on. Down was the story for the next 3 hours or so. The trail was extremely overgrown and since it had rained all night everything was wet. I got wetter than hiking in the rain yesterday. Drenched in fact. Finally the trail opened up to a rock wall and I took advantage of the 12 o'clock sun to spread out the contents of my entire backpack to dry. After about an hour of constant turning and moving….everything, even the clothes I had on were dry. Only my boots and socks were still soaking wet. I ate a little bit while I worked but not much of an appetite yet. I didn't eat dinner last night or breakfast today either. After drying and repacking I started hiking again and to my delight the over grown trail had reestablished itself and was a joy to walk. I felt better physically and mentally with the break. Now my gear was dry and organized and I was ready.
The trail followed Steven's Creek Canyon and was beautiful. Maples, firs, and a million wild flowers greeted me. Passed a couple waterfalls as well. Hiked past Maple Creek Campground and on to Box Canyon. The bus had stopped there for the tourists to snap pictures yesterday. I go some water from the water fountain and moved my .8 miles to this place…Nickel Creek Campground. I am at spot #1 right on the creek. It's so peaceful. I got here around 3:30 and had plenty of time and no rain to set up a proper camp. Last night I hurried through everything and didn't even hang my food….slept with it. Today, I am living in style. The tarp is up perfectly, bear rope up, ate a large dinner and drinking lots of water. Ahhh…life is good.
Hope this weather holds….makes such a big difference
Wonderland Trail
Day 3 - 7/10/2005
Today's Miles - 11.1
Total WT Miles - 24.5
I am grateful for the amazing mountain views that I am graced with right now!
What a day….woke up early but again it took me a long time to break camp. I left nickel creek and climbed…in all over 3000 feet today. It didn't start raining right away…no…not quite right away. But sure enough it started Walked up lots of ridgeline prior to lunch on my way to Indian Bar Shelter for lunch. Lots of blowing clouds and rain…wet but not too cold if I kept moving. Lunch at Indian Bar with two other hikers traveling clockwise, as everything else I have met is going. Also walking into the shelter behind a Ranger who had stayed at Indian Bar the night before. She said she had been all alone at the most popular campsite on the loop…an example of how many people had dogged out of the trip because of the weather.
After some lunch it was up 1700 relentless open, wet, cold feet of stairs to Panhandle Gap…the highest place of the trail at over 6000 feet and some of the best views…right….I was in near white out conditions across miles of snow with tiny red flags to mark the trail. The problem was that visibility was so bad that I couldn't see one flag from the next so I had to creep slowly away from a flag looking for the next but making sure that I didn't loose sight of the last…..tricky. I was wet throughout and I never stopped for fear of getting cold to the point of not being able to warm myself back up. Never got lost nut it WAS sketchy. No views but a hike to remember as one of the mentally hardest ever.
Got to Summerland Shelter to find tow other backpackers. It was pouring. I changed and ate just as the Ranger showed up. She called me "fast" and told me that she kept thinking she was going to catch up to me and was a little worried that she didn't in the crazy weather. She then confirmed that the crossing of Panhandle Gap was "crazy." For the rest of the afternoon the rain kept coming on and off and finally stopped for some good pictures of the adjacent mountains. I ate more food and my shelter mates set up their tent. I decided to stay in the shelter hoping that a group didn't show up since the shelter is the group campo spot. Think I'm pretty safe as it's now 8 and I'm all alone. There are 2 other groups of two camping here tonight. One couple is older and they are doing half the WT. They are from Seattle. The other couple is doing the entire trail and are from Texas. They offered me almonds, M&M's, and Port. How could I turn them down? Later I saw how large their packs were! His was 60 lbs. and hers was 55! My 23lbs. sure feels good. I felt really strong today considering the trail and the weather. Tomorrow is Sunrise Ranger Station to pick up my food and a total of over 18 miles. Better get some sleep. Saw a couple of beautiful deer and a lot of playful marmots around the shelter tonight.
Night…night….
Wonderland Trail
Day 4 - 7/11/2005
Today's Miles -18.4ish
Total WT Miles - 42.9
I am grateful for my family for allowing me to hike every summer.
Big day today that started about 4:30 AM. I couldn't sleep much last night. I've been having real vivid dream at night out here. One night I dreamed that I opened my eyes and saw an entire sky filled with stars. Another night I spent the day with Adam Stein from my old summer camp as a kid talking about old friends. Anyway….got out of my sleeping bag at about 4:45 AM and because I spent the night in the shelter packing up was a cinch and I was on the trail by 5:55 AM. Started with a 2000 foot downhill under beautiful skies and just a few floating clouds. Hit White River Campground and got water, used the bathroom to clean up, and got rid of my trash in the campground trash can. Lets of bear scat on this section of the trail. Then it was 2000 feet back up to the Sunrise Ranger Station. On the way up I met a lady who was starting the WT today as a training trip to climb the mountain next month. We talked for a while and I got a nice rest. Continued to the Ranger Station to get my food cache that I sent to myself over a week ago. Got there and they were starting a "safety" meeting. There must have been over 20 rangers there. Got my paint bucket of food but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the lid off. Finally, a muscular female ranger used about 3 different tools and finally got it open. I repacked and drank an EXPENSIVE juice from the snack bar. Another ranger suggested that I take a different route back to the WT since I was going counter clockwise. It was so nice. The trail passed by Frozen Lake, the Visitor Center's water supply and the n meandered though beautiful canyons walls. A pretty but up led me to 4 hikers from Seattle all in their 20's hiking the WT. Just like everyone I have met, they were going clockwise. Not me! Spoke to them for about 15 minutes while I rested for my big and long downhill. Dropped from about 6500 feet to 4800 feet so that I could pass the base of Winthrop Glacier. The trail came within a few hundred feet of the ice wall. The glacier was covered with rocks from the constant movement. The Winthrop Creek poured from the bottom of the glacier through a hole about the size of a large van. What a sight! After the crossing a log bridge I traveled up over the moraine created by the moving glacier. Then it was the section that I had been hearing about for the last 4 days. The last mile and a half before my camp at Mystic Lake was obliterated. The trail had been wiped out by a massive release from the glacier during the winter. Crews have been working non-stop to re-route, but it isn't done as of yet. I went ahead and put my camera that I wear below my chest strap into my backpack. Then I went ahead and packed away my poles in my pack as well. This was gonna take all fours. It was a tense 45 minutes of holding onto anything that I could so that I wouldn't fall into the river below. The trail was on the side of a very steep hill…the left was the mountain and to the right was the ferocious West Creek that had tried to hold back the winter glacial release. Not a chance. The release completely took the trail and the entire part of the mountain that the trail crossed. I was left to follow a VERY muddy rough in, out, up, and down though the trees and roots. I always made sure that one hand was securely attached to a tree or root before grabbing for the next. One slip….being alone…well…it would have been bad. Made it to Mystic Lake camp at about 3:45. Not a bad arrival time for my 18 miles day. Set up my tarp and put my backpack back on to walk the .2 miles to the lake. It was beautiful; and I got about 20 minutes of sun., The clouds came and I hiked back to camp…got water and made dinner before another ranger came to check my permit. She…yes all the rangers I have meet on the trail have been female….laughed when she saw my permit saying that I was the "light weightier" that was flying though the park that she had heard about. We talked for a long time about hiking and Rainer. She told me that there has been a very active bear in this campground…..needless to say, I hung everything with a scent. I used their bear pole in since the fir trees at this site make for terrible hooks.
Well…off to check our tomorrow's long day….gonna try to get started early again.
Night Night…
Wonderland Trail
Day 5- 7/12/2005
Today's Miles -17.4
Total WT Miles - 60.3
I am grateful for everything.
I am writing in the middle of the day cause I need to burn some time. See, I am in Spray Park…the best views on the park, most say, and I'm sitting here in a cloud. Many day hikers hat have passed me tell me that all the forecasts call for clearing in the day. SO here I sit. Let me tell you about my day so far. My alarm didn't go off and I woke up at 5:30 to low clouds and …mist. Can't I order some sun in this place? So…I took some cool pictures at Mystic Lake and then had a terrific hike through old growth forest with lots of hanging clouds. Made for some wonderful pictures. Saw no one for a couple hours. Got just a little view of Carbon Glacier through the clouds, before I crosses the famous suspension bridge over Carbon Creek. It was amazing. Lots of swaying but far more comfortable to cross than some of the log bridges that I have had to walk on so far.
Gotta stop for a second…..the coolest things just happened. A Clark's Nutcracker (bird) just landed about 4 feet from my right foot. I said "Hi" and it flew over and landed on my right toe, sat there for a couple of seconds before hopping onto my left toe. It sat there for a couple more seconds before it hopped up to the rock above where I'm sitting, gave a few more chirps and then flew away. Wow…that was an amazing experience.
Back to the hike…after I crossed the suspension bridge it was up for about 3 hours. I walked very slowly hoping the weather would break by the time I got here. No go yet. About 15 WT hikers passed me going the other way this morning. One group of three was from Davis and Carmichael….small world. But my lunch stop was the best! I stopped at a group of rocks where 4 middle aged women sat taking lunch break from their day hike. As I sat and visited with them, one offered me a tomato…mmmm. I ate it like an apple. My mom would have been proud if she was here with me. After a while of talking another woman handed me a handful of fresh blueberries. We talked or a bit longer and the third handed me a nice size hunk of almond rocca. Then, not to be outdone, the forth gave me a homemade cream cheese brownie. She had packed 5 and said she must have know they were going to meet at wayward hiker today. Now that's some Trail Magic!
Now I am hunkered down….sitting on my ground cloth, resting against my backpack as it leans against a large rock. Only two people have passed me since I sat down here. They were middle aged me with voices that really carried. As they got closer I could hear them talking about how they should have brought ice axes and crampons and how all that stuff was down in the car. As they emerged from the clouds I could see that they had skies strapped to their packs. They stopped and talked for a minute. They seemed very unprepared to me…the were headed up the mountain to "find some snow to ski and somewhere to camp." Hmmmm I've been on top of the Spray Park area now for about 1 hour and no clearing yet. Ok…weather service…show your stuff. Give me some sun and some views. I really don't want to start down without some of each. I'm only about 3 hours from where I'm gonna camp and it stays light till about 9. It's 3 right now. Think I'm ok. More later…
Well I got up and started meandering…I say that cause I was exploring all kinds of other side trails. I finally left Spray Park…with no long views…and headed into the trees. I passed a couple guys who were telling me about different parts of the trail I hadn't walked yet. One of the things he told me was that after Mowich Lake…my destination tonight…I would have a big down…hmm… I thought it was up. Upon checking the map I found that it was a HUGE down after all. I started walking again and realized that I felt really good after that delicious lunch and rest stop at the top. I had heard the Mowich Lake campground was pretty crappy. The camp spots were supposedly on an old dirt parking lot. I started thinking that if I hiked the extra 4 miles to the next campground…that would be 4 less miles the next day……
That would be great since the next day might just be sunny and I could dry out and enjoy the sunshine a bit. Just as I was thinking that I dropped below the clouds and the sun came out! I had to climb to Mowich Lake so there was no sun by the time I arrived there. When I got there I went directly to the Patrol Cabin…a few sites around the trail have these…to see if I could make a schedule change since all spots need to be reserved ahead of time. When I got there I found two botanists and no ranger. I explained my situation as they said they thought they could help. They got onto the radio to the nearest Ranger Station who said that their computers were all out and they would call another station to see about availability. They called back to say that all the computers were out there too and they should make the change and "it should be ok." That kinda scared me because I thought I might arrive to a full campground with no where to legally camp. The botanist told me that if it was full I could camp on lots of open areas along the river. Done. I walked back to the campground parking lot, and made a quick dinner and headed downnnnnnn. Got to South Mowich River Campground at 7:30…immediately hung my food then set up camp. So glad that I had dinner up top. The mosquitoes are pretty bad here! Got in my tarp as fast as I could, but oh noooooo…the skiters were in the tarp! Everywhere. No worries… I have the A16 Bug Bivy and oh…what a savior it is!
Time to look at the map. Ok…I just figured out that I did 17.4 miles today….so I must have originally figured wrong cause that" what I had scheduled today. Tomorrow I had 18.7 planned…no…I need to stop now and look at all that.
DARN! That's right…I need to do 18.7 tomorrow…man…big day…gotta get some sleep.
Wonderland Trail
Day 6 - 7/13/2005
Today's Miles -18.7
Total WT Miles - 79.0
I am grateful for trail maintance crews.
Got walking at about 6 today from South Mowich River. At under 3000 feet it's the lowest point on the trail. Everything was very wet when I got up because I was yet again, inside a cloud. Trick ricer crossing first thing today. The trail was set up for a small boulder hop but with all the rain, that was impossible and way too dangerous. I found a downed tree about 50 yards up stream and crossed on that. It was large and still had bark on it which gave it a little more traction. It was actually a lot les sketchy than some of the "actual bridges." Then it was up about 3000 feet to Golden Lakes. This is the place that clockwizers kept telling me was so nice just to sit in the sun. I timed it perfectly for some sun and a dip…..but it was….in the same misty cloud. So instead, I took off my pack, put on my rain coat, and made some oatmeal. After walking through Sunset Park it was a real long down to the North Puyallup River. Had some lunch and got some water near the bottom of the drop. Then back up on the most overgrown trail yet. I was wading through brush that was shoulder height…and you guessed it…wet. This time, instead of my lower body being soaked and my upper damp, I was completely soaked throughout. I had to be real careful to keep moving. It wasn't very cold, but if I had let myself chill, it would have been really tough to re-warm myself. I had many scenarios in my head for what if…. When I got to the top I actually stripped down and rung out my clothes. I had to be really quick not to catch a chill. When I got going again, I was dryer but a bit colder. I warmed back up pretty quickly though. Klapatche Park is the 3rd best place on the WT for views, and while views were not as bad as my white out adventure on Panhandle Gap, the were not quite as "good" as Spray Park yesterday. There were many open ridges that on a clear day would have been spectacular. But today they served as wind and cloud tunnels that I had to get through quickly to stay warm. Then the down hit…. Another 3000 feet down to the South Puyallup River wither I am staying tonight. On the way down I was planning the order to get things done and stay warm doing them in camp. TO my surprise, when I got into camp I was warm and felt pretty darn good. I walked an extra .3 miles from the camp to see the Devil's Pipe Organ. This place tries to rival Devil's Postpile National Monument in CA and comes pretty close. It actually extends right above my campsite. Pretty cool to look up at. Well tomorrow I only have about 10 miles to do and then I have to hitch a ride back to Paradise where I need to catch my bus. Hope all goes as planned so that I can grab something to eat as well.
Decided tonight that I'm not using my water bladder tomorrow. It had a leak in it that I've been fighting with plastic bags since the Clarion Hotel in Seattle. What a total pain it's been!
Wonderland trail
Day 7 - 7/14/2005
Today's Miles -12.8
Total WT Miles - 91.8
I am grateful for yet another great trip!
Well, it all started at 4:30 AM this morning when I woke up to …..a crystal BLUE sky. That's right BLUE!! Broke camp by 5:30 and I was off. Very stiff this morning and it was really hard to put on my wet clothes for the 6th time in a row….even if I did know that it would be the last time putting them on. I headed out of S. Puyallup and up. Usually, I really like ups in the morning but my feet and knees were sore and showing their age today. I can still do the big mile days but they defiantly take their toll on this body of mine. From the top of the trail I got some great views of Tahoma Glacier…and some really good pictures too. From there it was a real long drop to Tahoma Creek where I got to cross my second spectacular suspension bridge. This one was an easy 100 feet height. Then up up up to Indian Henry's as it's called. There were some amazing wildflowers set in views right in front of the entire mountains…wow! A Ranger passes me while I was taking a break and told me there was gonna be a helicopter drop at the top. He wanted to let me know so that it wouldn't freak me out when a helicopter came over a ridge straight at me.
As it was, I was well down the other side before I heard the chopper. The trail passed Devil's Dream campsite and continued to drop. For about 7 miles in total it dropped until….the Longmire visitor Center was in front of me. Just like that my loop was complete. I was done. Wow. Amazing. I stumbled through the parking lot and found the bathrooms. I cleaned up as best I could and changed into my cleaner set of clothes…the ones I was sleeping in and not hiking in. wandered over to the gift shop hoping to find a Wonderland Trail shirt but no go. I bought a Rainer hat instead. While OI was paying two girls and a guy, all in their 20's were paying for stuff too. I took a shot and asked them if they were going to Paradise. At first they said they were but they were stopping at Narada Falls to hike first. As I paid they talked it over some more between themselves and decided to change the order of their plans so that they could give me a ride to Paradise! No way…the first people I talk to and just a few minutes after finishing the trail and getting to Longmire? Minutes later we were driving and talking. All three worked with kids in some way or another….must have been how we all hooked up. They dropped me off at Paradise where I went immediately to the visitor center cafeteria and got a grilled cheese sandwich, veggie burger, two orders of fries, and an all I could drink lemonade….m….
One hour till my bus leaves. More later..gotta eat….
Just finished sittin' in the parking lot staring at one of the best views I have had so far of the mountain…ironic isn't it? But, it really doesn't matter in the end. I saw the Pacific Northwest in all its misty grandeur. It really wouldn't have been the northwest without the weather that I got. I mean… I get to see the sunshine almost everyday in CA. Seeing the sun is kinda overrated I guess. The thing that I get from this hike are wild flowers in all their brilliance, moss dripping through the trees, the slow calming pat pat of water dripping off the trees. That's what I get. The sound of clouds blowing through me…like I wasn't even standing there. The sounds of minute water falls…just there because of the clouds. Those are the things that I got out of my 100 miles. IO didn't get the views that I'd heard about or even expected, but the experience I had was like no other.
After saying that, I would like to come back here again and do this trail one more time. Maybe with Paula and Isabela….or may just Isabela since it might be a bit long for Paula. But I would like to come back to this beautiful place.
Later…
I failed to mention that I brought my IPOD Shuffle with me on this trip. My plan was to hike with it once in a while. Really all I ever used it for was to relax while I was making dinner in camp and writing in my journal. But now I realize that the real reason that I brought it with me was to drown out the tour bus driver as he talks over the PA on this bus! He is now talking recipes that he makes for the "Sleepless in Seattle Single's Club" potluck parties with someone in the MIDDLE of the bus! As I listen and watch heads turn to see things on the bus I think how lucky I am to have been able to go yet another amazing adventure….
Day 1 - 7/8/2005
Today's Miles - 3.4
Total WT Miles - 3.4
I am grateful to be on yet another summer adventure.
Airplane-Baggage Claim-Clarion Shuttle to Clarion Hotel-Repack-Sleep for 4 hours- Wake- Clarion Shuttle back to airport- Grayline Shuttle to Downtown Sheraton- Coffee!!- Wait- Wait- Wait- Grayline Rainer Bus.
An eventful last 12 hours or so since I left my home in Sacramento, California. The only "disaster" so far is that my brand new Nalgene Water Bladder leaks…yup it leaks. Not really sure how I'm gonna deal with that yet. It's also raining cats and dogs right now so I guess that my stuff really can't get much wetter.
Well…off to Rainer in a few…still need to get my permit and a hitch back to Longmire Visitor center from Paradise where the bus drops me off….hmmmm
Ok…had to sign back on for a bit…this is a good one. I am now on the Grayline bus to Rainer and it's 8:30. We just arrived back at the airport! That's right…I could have slept for 2 more hours last night and saved $10.50…who woulda known? No one told me. The driver of the bus told me that on the way back from Rainer the other driver "might" be willing to drop me off at the airport instead. It would be nice if that happens since I could get to the hotel an hour and a half earlier and save another $10.50…which could go towards fun instead!
Ok…it's night….this is gonna be a short entry because I am wet and tired. It's 6:55 PM right now and what a hike. It never stopped raining…never….everything I have is already…on day one…wet to the core with the exception of a few clothes and my paperwork. The tarp is light weight but it's not tent. More later or tomorrow….I'm beat.
Ok…it's actually 4:40 PM on day 2 that I am finally finishing this entry. It never stopped raining last night. Not until 5 AM. It splashed and splattered all night against, under and sometimes through the tarp itself. I was damp all night…not wet. I slept for somewhere around 10 hours though. So at least I got lots of rest!
Wonderland trail
Day 2 - 7/9/2005
Today's Miles - 9.9
Total WT Miles - 13.3
I am grateful to be mostly dry.
Really didn't get want to get started this morning, even though it wasn't raining I knew that I would get soaked putting away all the sopping wet gear. And the clothes that I had to put back on….as wet as thought they had been dropped in a lake. But I finally..after at least 2 hours managed to get packed up and moving….up up and up for about 2.5 hours I went. This was good in that I started to dry out too. But that was not to last. At one point I turned a corner and what was staring me in the face….a Large deer…it even let me take a few close up pictures.
Sometime in the mid morning I arrived at Reflection Lakes. It was a beautiful place with Rainer introducing herself to me from above. The weather was so cruddy yesterday that no one on the tour bus ever got to see the mountain. I never saw it either while I was hiking later in the day. Nothing at all but clouds. But today was different. There were still clouds throughout the day…but no rain. I sat in and out of the sun at Reflection Lakes trying to decide if I should dry out my gear. Finally I decided not to and continue on. Down was the story for the next 3 hours or so. The trail was extremely overgrown and since it had rained all night everything was wet. I got wetter than hiking in the rain yesterday. Drenched in fact. Finally the trail opened up to a rock wall and I took advantage of the 12 o'clock sun to spread out the contents of my entire backpack to dry. After about an hour of constant turning and moving….everything, even the clothes I had on were dry. Only my boots and socks were still soaking wet. I ate a little bit while I worked but not much of an appetite yet. I didn't eat dinner last night or breakfast today either. After drying and repacking I started hiking again and to my delight the over grown trail had reestablished itself and was a joy to walk. I felt better physically and mentally with the break. Now my gear was dry and organized and I was ready.
The trail followed Steven's Creek Canyon and was beautiful. Maples, firs, and a million wild flowers greeted me. Passed a couple waterfalls as well. Hiked past Maple Creek Campground and on to Box Canyon. The bus had stopped there for the tourists to snap pictures yesterday. I go some water from the water fountain and moved my .8 miles to this place…Nickel Creek Campground. I am at spot #1 right on the creek. It's so peaceful. I got here around 3:30 and had plenty of time and no rain to set up a proper camp. Last night I hurried through everything and didn't even hang my food….slept with it. Today, I am living in style. The tarp is up perfectly, bear rope up, ate a large dinner and drinking lots of water. Ahhh…life is good.
Hope this weather holds….makes such a big difference
Wonderland Trail
Day 3 - 7/10/2005
Today's Miles - 11.1
Total WT Miles - 24.5
I am grateful for the amazing mountain views that I am graced with right now!
What a day….woke up early but again it took me a long time to break camp. I left nickel creek and climbed…in all over 3000 feet today. It didn't start raining right away…no…not quite right away. But sure enough it started Walked up lots of ridgeline prior to lunch on my way to Indian Bar Shelter for lunch. Lots of blowing clouds and rain…wet but not too cold if I kept moving. Lunch at Indian Bar with two other hikers traveling clockwise, as everything else I have met is going. Also walking into the shelter behind a Ranger who had stayed at Indian Bar the night before. She said she had been all alone at the most popular campsite on the loop…an example of how many people had dogged out of the trip because of the weather.
After some lunch it was up 1700 relentless open, wet, cold feet of stairs to Panhandle Gap…the highest place of the trail at over 6000 feet and some of the best views…right….I was in near white out conditions across miles of snow with tiny red flags to mark the trail. The problem was that visibility was so bad that I couldn't see one flag from the next so I had to creep slowly away from a flag looking for the next but making sure that I didn't loose sight of the last…..tricky. I was wet throughout and I never stopped for fear of getting cold to the point of not being able to warm myself back up. Never got lost nut it WAS sketchy. No views but a hike to remember as one of the mentally hardest ever.
Got to Summerland Shelter to find tow other backpackers. It was pouring. I changed and ate just as the Ranger showed up. She called me "fast" and told me that she kept thinking she was going to catch up to me and was a little worried that she didn't in the crazy weather. She then confirmed that the crossing of Panhandle Gap was "crazy." For the rest of the afternoon the rain kept coming on and off and finally stopped for some good pictures of the adjacent mountains. I ate more food and my shelter mates set up their tent. I decided to stay in the shelter hoping that a group didn't show up since the shelter is the group campo spot. Think I'm pretty safe as it's now 8 and I'm all alone. There are 2 other groups of two camping here tonight. One couple is older and they are doing half the WT. They are from Seattle. The other couple is doing the entire trail and are from Texas. They offered me almonds, M&M's, and Port. How could I turn them down? Later I saw how large their packs were! His was 60 lbs. and hers was 55! My 23lbs. sure feels good. I felt really strong today considering the trail and the weather. Tomorrow is Sunrise Ranger Station to pick up my food and a total of over 18 miles. Better get some sleep. Saw a couple of beautiful deer and a lot of playful marmots around the shelter tonight.
Night…night….
Wonderland Trail
Day 4 - 7/11/2005
Today's Miles -18.4ish
Total WT Miles - 42.9
I am grateful for my family for allowing me to hike every summer.
Big day today that started about 4:30 AM. I couldn't sleep much last night. I've been having real vivid dream at night out here. One night I dreamed that I opened my eyes and saw an entire sky filled with stars. Another night I spent the day with Adam Stein from my old summer camp as a kid talking about old friends. Anyway….got out of my sleeping bag at about 4:45 AM and because I spent the night in the shelter packing up was a cinch and I was on the trail by 5:55 AM. Started with a 2000 foot downhill under beautiful skies and just a few floating clouds. Hit White River Campground and got water, used the bathroom to clean up, and got rid of my trash in the campground trash can. Lets of bear scat on this section of the trail. Then it was 2000 feet back up to the Sunrise Ranger Station. On the way up I met a lady who was starting the WT today as a training trip to climb the mountain next month. We talked for a while and I got a nice rest. Continued to the Ranger Station to get my food cache that I sent to myself over a week ago. Got there and they were starting a "safety" meeting. There must have been over 20 rangers there. Got my paint bucket of food but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the lid off. Finally, a muscular female ranger used about 3 different tools and finally got it open. I repacked and drank an EXPENSIVE juice from the snack bar. Another ranger suggested that I take a different route back to the WT since I was going counter clockwise. It was so nice. The trail passed by Frozen Lake, the Visitor Center's water supply and the n meandered though beautiful canyons walls. A pretty but up led me to 4 hikers from Seattle all in their 20's hiking the WT. Just like everyone I have met, they were going clockwise. Not me! Spoke to them for about 15 minutes while I rested for my big and long downhill. Dropped from about 6500 feet to 4800 feet so that I could pass the base of Winthrop Glacier. The trail came within a few hundred feet of the ice wall. The glacier was covered with rocks from the constant movement. The Winthrop Creek poured from the bottom of the glacier through a hole about the size of a large van. What a sight! After the crossing a log bridge I traveled up over the moraine created by the moving glacier. Then it was the section that I had been hearing about for the last 4 days. The last mile and a half before my camp at Mystic Lake was obliterated. The trail had been wiped out by a massive release from the glacier during the winter. Crews have been working non-stop to re-route, but it isn't done as of yet. I went ahead and put my camera that I wear below my chest strap into my backpack. Then I went ahead and packed away my poles in my pack as well. This was gonna take all fours. It was a tense 45 minutes of holding onto anything that I could so that I wouldn't fall into the river below. The trail was on the side of a very steep hill…the left was the mountain and to the right was the ferocious West Creek that had tried to hold back the winter glacial release. Not a chance. The release completely took the trail and the entire part of the mountain that the trail crossed. I was left to follow a VERY muddy rough in, out, up, and down though the trees and roots. I always made sure that one hand was securely attached to a tree or root before grabbing for the next. One slip….being alone…well…it would have been bad. Made it to Mystic Lake camp at about 3:45. Not a bad arrival time for my 18 miles day. Set up my tarp and put my backpack back on to walk the .2 miles to the lake. It was beautiful; and I got about 20 minutes of sun., The clouds came and I hiked back to camp…got water and made dinner before another ranger came to check my permit. She…yes all the rangers I have meet on the trail have been female….laughed when she saw my permit saying that I was the "light weightier" that was flying though the park that she had heard about. We talked for a long time about hiking and Rainer. She told me that there has been a very active bear in this campground…..needless to say, I hung everything with a scent. I used their bear pole in since the fir trees at this site make for terrible hooks.
Well…off to check our tomorrow's long day….gonna try to get started early again.
Night Night…
Wonderland Trail
Day 5- 7/12/2005
Today's Miles -17.4
Total WT Miles - 60.3
I am grateful for everything.
I am writing in the middle of the day cause I need to burn some time. See, I am in Spray Park…the best views on the park, most say, and I'm sitting here in a cloud. Many day hikers hat have passed me tell me that all the forecasts call for clearing in the day. SO here I sit. Let me tell you about my day so far. My alarm didn't go off and I woke up at 5:30 to low clouds and …mist. Can't I order some sun in this place? So…I took some cool pictures at Mystic Lake and then had a terrific hike through old growth forest with lots of hanging clouds. Made for some wonderful pictures. Saw no one for a couple hours. Got just a little view of Carbon Glacier through the clouds, before I crosses the famous suspension bridge over Carbon Creek. It was amazing. Lots of swaying but far more comfortable to cross than some of the log bridges that I have had to walk on so far.
Gotta stop for a second…..the coolest things just happened. A Clark's Nutcracker (bird) just landed about 4 feet from my right foot. I said "Hi" and it flew over and landed on my right toe, sat there for a couple of seconds before hopping onto my left toe. It sat there for a couple more seconds before it hopped up to the rock above where I'm sitting, gave a few more chirps and then flew away. Wow…that was an amazing experience.
Back to the hike…after I crossed the suspension bridge it was up for about 3 hours. I walked very slowly hoping the weather would break by the time I got here. No go yet. About 15 WT hikers passed me going the other way this morning. One group of three was from Davis and Carmichael….small world. But my lunch stop was the best! I stopped at a group of rocks where 4 middle aged women sat taking lunch break from their day hike. As I sat and visited with them, one offered me a tomato…mmmm. I ate it like an apple. My mom would have been proud if she was here with me. After a while of talking another woman handed me a handful of fresh blueberries. We talked or a bit longer and the third handed me a nice size hunk of almond rocca. Then, not to be outdone, the forth gave me a homemade cream cheese brownie. She had packed 5 and said she must have know they were going to meet at wayward hiker today. Now that's some Trail Magic!
Now I am hunkered down….sitting on my ground cloth, resting against my backpack as it leans against a large rock. Only two people have passed me since I sat down here. They were middle aged me with voices that really carried. As they got closer I could hear them talking about how they should have brought ice axes and crampons and how all that stuff was down in the car. As they emerged from the clouds I could see that they had skies strapped to their packs. They stopped and talked for a minute. They seemed very unprepared to me…the were headed up the mountain to "find some snow to ski and somewhere to camp." Hmmmm I've been on top of the Spray Park area now for about 1 hour and no clearing yet. Ok…weather service…show your stuff. Give me some sun and some views. I really don't want to start down without some of each. I'm only about 3 hours from where I'm gonna camp and it stays light till about 9. It's 3 right now. Think I'm ok. More later…
Well I got up and started meandering…I say that cause I was exploring all kinds of other side trails. I finally left Spray Park…with no long views…and headed into the trees. I passed a couple guys who were telling me about different parts of the trail I hadn't walked yet. One of the things he told me was that after Mowich Lake…my destination tonight…I would have a big down…hmm… I thought it was up. Upon checking the map I found that it was a HUGE down after all. I started walking again and realized that I felt really good after that delicious lunch and rest stop at the top. I had heard the Mowich Lake campground was pretty crappy. The camp spots were supposedly on an old dirt parking lot. I started thinking that if I hiked the extra 4 miles to the next campground…that would be 4 less miles the next day……
That would be great since the next day might just be sunny and I could dry out and enjoy the sunshine a bit. Just as I was thinking that I dropped below the clouds and the sun came out! I had to climb to Mowich Lake so there was no sun by the time I arrived there. When I got there I went directly to the Patrol Cabin…a few sites around the trail have these…to see if I could make a schedule change since all spots need to be reserved ahead of time. When I got there I found two botanists and no ranger. I explained my situation as they said they thought they could help. They got onto the radio to the nearest Ranger Station who said that their computers were all out and they would call another station to see about availability. They called back to say that all the computers were out there too and they should make the change and "it should be ok." That kinda scared me because I thought I might arrive to a full campground with no where to legally camp. The botanist told me that if it was full I could camp on lots of open areas along the river. Done. I walked back to the campground parking lot, and made a quick dinner and headed downnnnnnn. Got to South Mowich River Campground at 7:30…immediately hung my food then set up camp. So glad that I had dinner up top. The mosquitoes are pretty bad here! Got in my tarp as fast as I could, but oh noooooo…the skiters were in the tarp! Everywhere. No worries… I have the A16 Bug Bivy and oh…what a savior it is!
Time to look at the map. Ok…I just figured out that I did 17.4 miles today….so I must have originally figured wrong cause that" what I had scheduled today. Tomorrow I had 18.7 planned…no…I need to stop now and look at all that.
DARN! That's right…I need to do 18.7 tomorrow…man…big day…gotta get some sleep.
Wonderland Trail
Day 6 - 7/13/2005
Today's Miles -18.7
Total WT Miles - 79.0
I am grateful for trail maintance crews.
Got walking at about 6 today from South Mowich River. At under 3000 feet it's the lowest point on the trail. Everything was very wet when I got up because I was yet again, inside a cloud. Trick ricer crossing first thing today. The trail was set up for a small boulder hop but with all the rain, that was impossible and way too dangerous. I found a downed tree about 50 yards up stream and crossed on that. It was large and still had bark on it which gave it a little more traction. It was actually a lot les sketchy than some of the "actual bridges." Then it was up about 3000 feet to Golden Lakes. This is the place that clockwizers kept telling me was so nice just to sit in the sun. I timed it perfectly for some sun and a dip…..but it was….in the same misty cloud. So instead, I took off my pack, put on my rain coat, and made some oatmeal. After walking through Sunset Park it was a real long down to the North Puyallup River. Had some lunch and got some water near the bottom of the drop. Then back up on the most overgrown trail yet. I was wading through brush that was shoulder height…and you guessed it…wet. This time, instead of my lower body being soaked and my upper damp, I was completely soaked throughout. I had to be real careful to keep moving. It wasn't very cold, but if I had let myself chill, it would have been really tough to re-warm myself. I had many scenarios in my head for what if…. When I got to the top I actually stripped down and rung out my clothes. I had to be really quick not to catch a chill. When I got going again, I was dryer but a bit colder. I warmed back up pretty quickly though. Klapatche Park is the 3rd best place on the WT for views, and while views were not as bad as my white out adventure on Panhandle Gap, the were not quite as "good" as Spray Park yesterday. There were many open ridges that on a clear day would have been spectacular. But today they served as wind and cloud tunnels that I had to get through quickly to stay warm. Then the down hit…. Another 3000 feet down to the South Puyallup River wither I am staying tonight. On the way down I was planning the order to get things done and stay warm doing them in camp. TO my surprise, when I got into camp I was warm and felt pretty darn good. I walked an extra .3 miles from the camp to see the Devil's Pipe Organ. This place tries to rival Devil's Postpile National Monument in CA and comes pretty close. It actually extends right above my campsite. Pretty cool to look up at. Well tomorrow I only have about 10 miles to do and then I have to hitch a ride back to Paradise where I need to catch my bus. Hope all goes as planned so that I can grab something to eat as well.
Decided tonight that I'm not using my water bladder tomorrow. It had a leak in it that I've been fighting with plastic bags since the Clarion Hotel in Seattle. What a total pain it's been!
Wonderland trail
Day 7 - 7/14/2005
Today's Miles -12.8
Total WT Miles - 91.8
I am grateful for yet another great trip!
Well, it all started at 4:30 AM this morning when I woke up to …..a crystal BLUE sky. That's right BLUE!! Broke camp by 5:30 and I was off. Very stiff this morning and it was really hard to put on my wet clothes for the 6th time in a row….even if I did know that it would be the last time putting them on. I headed out of S. Puyallup and up. Usually, I really like ups in the morning but my feet and knees were sore and showing their age today. I can still do the big mile days but they defiantly take their toll on this body of mine. From the top of the trail I got some great views of Tahoma Glacier…and some really good pictures too. From there it was a real long drop to Tahoma Creek where I got to cross my second spectacular suspension bridge. This one was an easy 100 feet height. Then up up up to Indian Henry's as it's called. There were some amazing wildflowers set in views right in front of the entire mountains…wow! A Ranger passes me while I was taking a break and told me there was gonna be a helicopter drop at the top. He wanted to let me know so that it wouldn't freak me out when a helicopter came over a ridge straight at me.
As it was, I was well down the other side before I heard the chopper. The trail passed Devil's Dream campsite and continued to drop. For about 7 miles in total it dropped until….the Longmire visitor Center was in front of me. Just like that my loop was complete. I was done. Wow. Amazing. I stumbled through the parking lot and found the bathrooms. I cleaned up as best I could and changed into my cleaner set of clothes…the ones I was sleeping in and not hiking in. wandered over to the gift shop hoping to find a Wonderland Trail shirt but no go. I bought a Rainer hat instead. While OI was paying two girls and a guy, all in their 20's were paying for stuff too. I took a shot and asked them if they were going to Paradise. At first they said they were but they were stopping at Narada Falls to hike first. As I paid they talked it over some more between themselves and decided to change the order of their plans so that they could give me a ride to Paradise! No way…the first people I talk to and just a few minutes after finishing the trail and getting to Longmire? Minutes later we were driving and talking. All three worked with kids in some way or another….must have been how we all hooked up. They dropped me off at Paradise where I went immediately to the visitor center cafeteria and got a grilled cheese sandwich, veggie burger, two orders of fries, and an all I could drink lemonade….m….
One hour till my bus leaves. More later..gotta eat….
Just finished sittin' in the parking lot staring at one of the best views I have had so far of the mountain…ironic isn't it? But, it really doesn't matter in the end. I saw the Pacific Northwest in all its misty grandeur. It really wouldn't have been the northwest without the weather that I got. I mean… I get to see the sunshine almost everyday in CA. Seeing the sun is kinda overrated I guess. The thing that I get from this hike are wild flowers in all their brilliance, moss dripping through the trees, the slow calming pat pat of water dripping off the trees. That's what I get. The sound of clouds blowing through me…like I wasn't even standing there. The sounds of minute water falls…just there because of the clouds. Those are the things that I got out of my 100 miles. IO didn't get the views that I'd heard about or even expected, but the experience I had was like no other.
After saying that, I would like to come back here again and do this trail one more time. Maybe with Paula and Isabela….or may just Isabela since it might be a bit long for Paula. But I would like to come back to this beautiful place.
Later…
I failed to mention that I brought my IPOD Shuffle with me on this trip. My plan was to hike with it once in a while. Really all I ever used it for was to relax while I was making dinner in camp and writing in my journal. But now I realize that the real reason that I brought it with me was to drown out the tour bus driver as he talks over the PA on this bus! He is now talking recipes that he makes for the "Sleepless in Seattle Single's Club" potluck parties with someone in the MIDDLE of the bus! As I listen and watch heads turn to see things on the bus I think how lucky I am to have been able to go yet another amazing adventure….