The Wonderland Trail is a 90-mile, strenuous backpacking trail that circumnavigates Mount Rainier in Washington state’s Mount Rainier National Park.  It is known for its breathtaking views, diverse scenery including wildflower filled meadows, glaciers and significant elevation changes, with over 24,000’ of overall gain.  Permits to hike the entire circuit can be obtained through a lottery system, if one is very lucky, though about 25% of the available camp sites are allowed via walk-up requests on the day before the hike.

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Ascent: 2,506’                                                 Total miles: 5.7
Descent: 220’                                                  Evening Camp: Devil’s Dream

It was Sunday – a very busy day on Mt. Rainier at this time of year.  Seems everyone wants to breathe in this mountain and its huge meadows of wildflowers, called “parks”.  The flowers were at their peak and there were people everywhere, especially at the Longmire Wilderness Office.  If you were not lucky enough to win the lottery for a backcountry permit, you needed to do a “walk-up” and take your chances on what might still be available. As usual, I did not win the lottery and was hoping if I got there early enough, I might be able to score a decent route.

Leaving my daughter’s house at 4am I arrived at the Wilderness Office by 6:30am.  There were only three parties ahead of me and one was doing a minor change to their existing permit.  Chances were pretty good of getting what I wanted.  The office opened at 7:30am, by which time there were quite a few more groups gathered.  I came armed with various routes plans for 12 to 14-day trips. The other complication in the route was that I needed the last 5 days to be in an area where my daughter, Erin, could join me.  The Ranger worked with me and I got a 13-day permit with only one slight change from my preferred route which would require I hike 11 miles on one day.  That would be four days from now, so I felt I would be able to do that by that point.  Most other days were only 5 to 8 miles per day – a range I thought would be doable.

Permit in hand, I drove to White River to give them my food drop for the last five days.  The road to Mowich Lake closed earlier this year, so I could not do a food drop there.  That meant I would have to carry 8 days of food with me to White River.  As food is about 1½ pounds of weight per day, this was a significant increase in my pack weight. 

I made it back to Longmire to start the hike at around noon.  Ate a quick lunch and packed up.  Fully loaded with 2 liters of water and 8 days of food put me at 36.8 pounds – much heavier than I wanted.  A 25–30-pound pack is my usual limit, but I really had no choice.

The skies remained cloudy all day, though I did not much notice.  I was struggling.  The terrain was mostly all forest except for a couple very tricky water crossings over Kautz Creek (took an extra 30 minutes picking my way across that boulder field to find a bridge) and Pyramid Creek.  From there it was up and up the rest of the way.

I had been working out daily preparing for this trip – lunges, squats, cardio – but it truly was not anywhere near enough to take this 68-year old body up 2,500’ with a 37 pound pack on her back!  Turning back was not an option, so I kept moving forward.  I eventually found a rhythm of very slow, short steps on the steeper parts and counted 50 steps, then stopped to catch my breath.  The 50-steps became a contract with my body, as well as a mantra to keep moving forward.  Even if I did not feel like I needed a rest at 50 steps, I did it anyway.  That was my agreement.  It did make the route slower, but it was what we worked out and I kept to my bargain.

Whoever planned this trail, did an excellent job in keeping the grade reasonable for the most part, using many switchbacks as necessary.  For this I was immensely grateful. Gratitude was the theme of the day.  I was grateful for the well-trod and cleared trail, for the park service employees and volunteers who created and maintain the trail, for the cloudy day that kept me cool during the hard climbs, for the birds and wildflowers everywhere and the wilderness all around me. Hard as it was that first day, I noticed so many gifts. Every time I paused for my 50-step breath, I found another marvel:  an interesting rock formation, two slugs locked in an embrace, enormous trees and abundant blueberries.

I met a woman and her teenage daughter who were staying at Pyramid Creek – about 1½ miles before Devil’s Dream, where I was to camp that evening. They only had one day to hike, so they were camping at Pyramid but hiking an extra hike up to Indian Henry’s Hunting Grounds to see the wildflowers – about a 6 mile extra round trip.  I met them on their return when I was almost to my camp and they encouraged me to go up that evening because it was so beautiful.  I am sure it was amazing, but I would see it tomorrow morning.  Though I did not tell them, I was not sure I would make it to my own camp that night, let alone be able to do anything extracurricular. I marveled at their energy.  The woman was in her late 40s, and I wondered how I got so out of shape in just 20 years.

I was sure that I would not be able to move once I made it to camp, but once the pack came off, I found I had regained energy and my optimism.  The mosquitos were extreme.  I had to make sure to breathe through my nose or I would suck them down my windpipe!

The first thing I did was set up the tent to escape my tormentors, then took off for the creek to get water to filter.  I filtered the water and made dinner in the tent that evening.  After shooting off a message to my husband telling him all was well and hanging my food bags on the bear-proof pole, I stretched out on my pad and bag and fell asleep almost immediately.

Tomorrow had to be better…

Monday, July 21, 2025

Ascent: 1,800’                                                 Total miles: 6.5
Descent: 2,500’                                               Evening Camp: South Puyallup River

The day dawned clear and bright.  Mosquitos were still busy even in the early morning, so I made breakfast in my tent, doused myself with bug repellant, packed up and took off. 

I decided to focus on a separate natural element each day: todays element was “air”.  I felt how my breath worked with my body and noticed how the air at this higher altitude felt so clear and clean.  It was a good day to notice air. 

As promised, I soon came to Indian Henry’s Hunting Grounds and the glorious fields of wildflowers.  The scent made me dizzy.  I was out of the forest by this time, up on a ridge and saddle with spectacular views of the mountains. Small ponds dotted the parks and of course, that meant our blood-sucking friends were out in droves. It was a day of ups and downs, but the last two miles to South Puyallup River was especially hard. 

Once I got to camp, I realized there was no water nearby, so I hiked back about ½ mile to where I saw a small stream and carried as much water as I could back to camp.  It was important for my mental health to keep up the encouragement: “Well done, Judy!” Look at how strong you are!”  “That ½ mile wasn’t that hard, was it?”  “Now you’re all set up for the evening.”  “Well earned rest!”  Being positive did seem to help my mood, and I started to really enjoy myself, especially when I stopped at the end of the day.

It was getting late in the day and other campers started to show up to the camp, also looking for water.  They too were disappointed to learn the nearest stream was a significant hike away.  However, there was a couple that came into camp looking suspiciously clean. They said they had plenty of water with them as they came from the Westside Road.  Not sure how you access the Westside Road, but it seems to be an easier access point.

Another exhausting day.  I made a dinner of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and cheesecake for dessert.  I had to force myself to eat it, remembering how it was lightening my load.  I also knew that one of my hiking issues in the past was not eating enough.  Hiking saps my hunger like nothing else, so I was making sure I was getting enough food and drinking enough electrolytes to continue.  Lunch was typically a handful of nuts and M&M’s.  I would need to step it up for lunch.

I lay down at 6:30pm, listening to the trees in the breeze and the birds calling.  A good day for noticing air.  Sleep was immediate and I did not rise for 12 hours.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Ascent: 2,000’                                                 Total miles: 6.9
Descent: 2,500’                                               Evening Camp: North Puyallup River

The morning was all climb to St. Andrew’s Park with more amazing fields of wildflowers and views, but if I stopped for even a minute to take it all in, the mosquitos would find me. I had to speed up my 50-step recovery breather.

Today was “fire” day, and there was no shortage of intense sunshine and critters like squirrels, chipmunks and grouse.  I hoped I would be filled with fiery energy to get me up and down the trail!

Made a better lunch of salad and cheese at Klapatche Lake, where I also filtered more water for the rest of the day.  The lake was shallow and very warm in the sunshine and was filled with tadpoles.  I used my handkerchief to screen out most of the icky things from the water before filtering it with my Sawyer. It was a good stop, but I had another 3 miles to go.

A thunderstorm had been accumulating all day and by mid-afternoon it began to rain.  I had just made it to Emerald Ridge (Aurora Park).  I saw a couple who were enjoying a picnic at the top of the pass and I was worried about them being the tallest thing on top of the mountain when there was lightening around, though they seemed unconcerned.  I quickly scrambled over the pass and got amongst the trees.  Fortunately, the lightening and most of the rain stayed to our west.  Even more fortunately, the lightening did not cause any wildfires. 

It seemed my body was getting more used to the uphill, though very tiring.  My 50-step strategy kept me moving.  I timed myself and found I go uphill .9 mph. Downhill, however, is faster though much harder on my feet and knees.  I had developed a sizable blister on my right big toe that was not getting better.  The boots I wore have always been problematic for going downhill.  I would just have to pop the blister and tape it up as best I could.

I was the only person in camp this night, and it was eerily quiet, though blessedly less mosquitoes.  Made a quick dinner of chicken pot pie and berry crisp for dessert.  I was nervous about the next day, as it would be the long 11-mile day with lots of big descents.  Overall, I was averaging 1mph, so I would need to start early.

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Ascent: 1,500                                                  Total miles: 11.1
Descent: 2,500’                                               Evening Camp: South Mowich River

I started very early at 7am, so that I would have time to go such a distance.  Today was to be “water” day – an easy thing to notice, as streams and rivers were everywhere.

I was warned that there were many downed trees (called blow downs) across the trail, but I only had to take my pack off twice to drag it through.  There was one blow down that was on the edge of a switchback and there was no easy way to see where the trail went.  I spent a frustrating 30 minutes trying to figure out where the trail might be, climbing big ledges and logs with a heavy pack.  Eventually, I found the way out.  Usually, I could find my way by looking for the most footprints on the bark, but it seems that everyone else had the same problem and we were all just making circles in the maze of logs and branches.

I toyed with the idea of begging someone at the camp at Golden Lakes to allow me to stay.  I had gone 5 miles to get to Golden Lakes and was there by lunchtime.  There was a young man named Chasen, whom I met along the trail.  He was an ultralighter and was at Golden Lakes too, planning to go all the way to Eagle’s Roost that night.  I offered him some of my freeze-dried pears, since I certainly had more food than I needed.  He ate them all and took off.  There was a ranger there who said the camp was full for the night, so I really could not try to stay.  But it was only noon and I had plenty of time to get down to South Mowich River by evening – just another 6 miles and mostly downhill.

Feeling strong, I set off.  The ranger had told me that there was no water at South Mowich River and that I should filter up about ½ mile before the camp.  That was very good to know.  By the time I made it to the stream, I had already been out of water for the past hour.  I dropped my pack and filled every container I had with me.

I met a couple on the way into camp who said that sites were really small with lots of blow downs, so they set up in the group site and invited me to join them, since we seemed to be the only ones in camp.  They had a very large tent (maybe a 4 person) and I could see where they would have trouble putting it anywhere else. 

After dinner and we were all relaxing in our tents, a young man came in and said he was supposed to have the group site.  We explained the situation and he was fine going to one of the small sites, since he was alone and had a small tent.  Then he asked where the nearest water was and we had to tell him it was quite a distance away.  Because he was so nice, we put together our own water supplies for him and gave him enough for the evening.  He said it was a perfect trade and was very grateful.

I had been so nervous about this day, but it worked out fine. It was getting easier to encourage myself.  I was looking forward to a short day next to Mowich Lake, where I planned to take a bath and wash my clothes.

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Ascent: 2,300’                                                 Total miles: 4.0
Descent: 0’                                                      Evening Camp: Mowich Lake

I made breakfast in the little shelter at the camp.  There was no more rain expected and the skies were clear. 

Today was “earth” day and I so much appreciated all the gifts around me.

I made it to Mowich Lake around noon.  Having been there many times before, it was eerie that the entire camp was empty.  Normally at this time of year, there would be 100 people camping here.  While the road to Mowich had only been closed less than a year, the wildflowers have taken over.  The ranger at Golden Lakes said they do have a ranger that comes to Carbon River once a week and cleans the toilets and takes away the garbage.  Apparently, they have some workaround using logging roads to get there.

The toilets were amazing!  They smelled so good and even had toilet paper and hand sanitizer. I felt like I was in a resort! I was able to use a picnic table (another luxury) and went about taking a bucket bath, washed my hair and rinsed out all the clothes I could.  I had my clothes spread all over the place to dry.  A few hikers popped in and out during the day and by days-end, there were only two other groups in the campground.

I made dinner of salmon patties.  Lunch had been corn chowder.  I was trying to eat down my food and what is not very good, I put in the trash, since it was so conveniently available.  My pack was getting lighter and lighter and now I was clean!  Well, clean-er…

Friday, July 25, 2025

Ascent: 200’                                                    Total miles: 5.5
Descent: 2,800’                                               Evening Camp: Ipsut Creek

Happy birthday, sister Dee-Dee!

This would be my happiest day yet.  It was to be “spirit” or “center” day, so I was to celebrate all the elements today.

I did make a small deviation from my plan.  My permit planned for me to stay at Eagle’s Roost this night, then hike through Spray Park to Dick Creek the following day. It would have been a grueling day of an extra 2,000’ up and 2,000’ down.  I knew that Ipsut Creek was a very large campground (another abandoned car camp) so there would be plenty of room there.  I decided to go there and be closer than half-way to Dick Creek with much less overall ups and downs. 

The day was stunningly bright and it was my easiest day yet.  It was an easy day and I had no need to hurry.  There was one tedious spot, for about a mile past Ipsut Pass – very steep until the tree line.  I had heard others say how difficult that section is going up and I can see why!  Other than that, I sang and slowed down and simply enjoyed myself all day.  I saw not one other person all day or night. 

Again, the camp was eerily quiet with no other campers. This used to be a car campground until the river washed out the bridge.  Still, people could take their bikes from the Carbon River ranger station and travel the easy 3 miles to the campground.  Until the Mowich road closed earlier this year, there were always lots of campers in the Ipsut Creek camp.  While there were no other humans in the camp, during the night I heard rustling and thumps.  I figured that if it was a bear, they could see my tent – it was not like I would be surprising them, so I went back to sleep.

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Ascent: 1,800’                                                 Total miles: 5.0
Descent: 0’                                                      Evening Camp: Dick Creek

In the morning, on my way back from the very smelly toilets and the food locker, I looked up and about 10 feet away was a momma deer and her tiny little spotted baby.  I spoke calmly to her and she did not seem one bit perturbed by my presence.  Her baby, however, immediately got the “zoomies” and it was running lickity-split everywhere – over logs, up boulders, through the brush, over the river.  Man, that little thing ran like crazy!  And the momma simply continued her unhurried eating, occasionally looking up to see where the little demon got to.  I tried to get it on video, but it was way too fast.  It made me laugh out loud to see such antics.  

This was to be a short day and I was happy that the sky was overcast just as I started that last 1,000’ to Dick Creek.  This is one of the steepest sections of the trail.  The trail was very challenging – picking my way over large rocks and scree.  There was nothing easy about this section of trail.  1,000 feet in just one mile, is very steep indeed!  While I appreciated the cloud cover, the fog became thicker and colder and by the time I made it to camp, everything was dripping wet and soaked through. 

There are only two camp sites at Dick Creek, so I chose the one farthest from the edge, hoping it would be a little dryer and more protected from the fog.  Still, it was miserable.  Also demoralizing, I learned from my satellite text that my daughter was not planning to hike with me on those last five days.  I was so depressed when I went to bed, had I been anywhere close to a road, I would have hitchhiked out!

I knew that this would very likely be the last time I ever attempt a long hike like this, so I really wanted to do the entire route, but there was nothing I could do at this point.  I knew I would just have to ride it out the rest of the way and hoped that tomorrow I would be more emotionally positive. 

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Ascent: 3,000’                                                 Total miles: 8.2
Descent: 1,000’                                               Evening Camp: Granite Creek

The day did not start out much better.  I had biscuits and gravy for breakfast, which I had not tried before, and it was not very tasty. I choked it down anyway, knowing it would be a hard day.  Packed up a very wet tent and pack, eager to warm up on the steep hike to Mystic Lake.

I left the camp at 7:45am and launched straight up a very steep 2,000’ climb.  I actually did it in record time, averaging about 1 mph.  The grade was so steep, I could not do my regular 50-steps.  I had to stop at 30 or sometimes even 20.  But I kept moving forward and eventually I made it to the top.

Stopped at Mystic Lake for lunch.  The skies had cleared and it was a beautiful day.  My mood was much improved.  At this point, my pack was so light, I was really enjoying the trail. To be able to simply pick up my pack and throw it on my back made me happy.  When it was heavier, I would have to find a large log, stump or rock to set the pack on and wiggle into it.  Also encouraging was the knowledge that Granite Creek, my stop for this night, would be my last backcountry camp before I made it Sunrise the following day.  I had visions of a fresh chicken salad and lemonade for lunch tomorrow.  Or maybe a hamburger and fries.  After that I would drop down to White River campground and meet Erin there in the evening and find out what was going on.

Had a lovely evening at Granite Creek, eating all my remaining food.  I was ready for the next day!

Monday, July 28, 2025

Ascent: 1,200’                                                 Total miles: 8.0
Descent: 2,600’                                               Evening Camp: White River Campground

I was so excited to get to Sunrise and to see my daughter today, I arose early and left by 7:15am.  Sunrise would also be where I could charge up all my electronics.  I remembered that I was able to call out on my cell phone the last time I was a Sunrise, so I wanted to call my husband and sisters too.  Eight days on the trail and I was ready for a little societal interaction.

I made it to Skyscraper Pass by 9am and to Sunrise by noon.  To my disappointment, the snack bar did not carry salads or lemonade.  They did, however, have hot dogs, pre-packaged sandwiches, ice cream and other drinks.  I got a hot dog, some popcorn, a diet Pepsi and an ice cream sandwich and sat in a very populated sliver of shade made by the building and ate.  I must have looked a sight and smelled worse after 8 days on the trail.

I was not able to call on my phone, so I went to the visitor center to ask where the most likely place might be that I could call, and to find out where I could charge my electronics.  The rangers there told me they had free wifi and I could use that, if I did not watch videos and was discrete.  I found a little place on the floor, tucked out of the way and charged up my phone the best I could.  I also made some calls.  I learned that the charger I had brought was a very low speed charger, so after an hour, and my phone was only charged up 50%, I packed up and left anyway.  I wanted to get to White River and clean up a bit before Erin came that evening.

I arrived at White River at around 4pm, washed myself and rinsed out some of my clothes.  I felt 100% better being clean. 

I had been agonizing about what to do about the rest of the trip.  Erin had said she did not feel she was physically able to do the remaining 5 days and wanted to car camp at White River for the next 5 days.  I felt she was stronger than she thought and she could do it.  But I also respected that she knew her own limitations.  My body, was also not doing so great.  My knees, ankles and feet were complaining loudly.  Maybe it really was time to call it in.  I had a permit for Summerland the next day, which was a highly coveted permit.  It would only be 6.7 miles and 2,100’ climb.  Maybe we could just do that and come back to White River the following day, leaving the rest of the trail.  This change was not in my mindset, but I did realize what my painful knees and sore feet were saying and accepted the compromise.

Erin arrived at 7pm and we immediately secured a regular campsite for 4 nights.  We agreed that we would do Summerland the next day then come back to White River to car camp the remaining three nights.  I was very excited that I would be able to stay at Summerland the next night, something I have never been able to do.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Ascent: 2,100’                                                 Total miles: 6.7
Descent: 300’                                                  Evening Camp: Summerland

The hike out of White River along Fryingpan Creek was fairly gradual and did not get steep until the last couple miles.  Those last couple miles were very exposed in large meadows of wildflowers with spectacular views.  The exposure made for a very challenging climb, stopping in any tiny bit of shade we could find.  This was Erin’s first day, so this was even more difficult for her.  I tried to give her my umbrella, but she would not allow it.  We set milestones for ourselves, like we just needed to make it to the footbridge, or to the switchbacks (which were in shade) or out of the switchbacks.  Setting milestones did help us to move forward and eventually we made it to the camp.  Oh my, what a place.  Perched on a saddle in a large field of wildflowers, there were stunning views on either side. 

Once at camp, I immediately left to get water and Erin set up the tent.  We could see and hear a thunderstorm brewing on the east side and hoped it would not rain on us.  To be safe, we secured and covered everything, but the storm passed us.

Exhausted, we fell asleep early.

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Ascent: 300’                                                    Total miles: 6.7
Descent: 2,100’                                               Evening Camp: White River

We arose pre-dawn and watched an amazing sunrise.  We made breakfast in the little shelter and lingered in the beauty of this place.

I felt good that this would be the last hike day.  The day would be mostly downhill and we should be better able to appreciate the wildflowers on the way down when the sun was not so intense.  My pack was so lightweight it was like having nothing on my back, so I could just enjoy the day with my daughter.

We made it back at around lunchtime and pulled ourselves back into our regular lives.  But what an adventure.

---

Overall, I had hiked 68 miles (75% of the circuit) in 10 days and climbed an accumulated 18,400’.  It was marvelous and brutal.  I proved to myself that I was stronger and more optimistic than I thought I might be.  However, I also realized that as I have gotten older, I am weaker in ways I would not have imagined.  For example, getting out of my tent required that I first get on my knees outside of the tent before zipping it.  Previously, I would just hop out and zip it.  Getting down on and up from the ground requires different strategies than it used to, but I adapted quickly, even if not the most gracefully.

Will I do something like this again?  Unlikely I will do such a long through-hike.  I still want to be able to camp in wilderness, so I will plan to do shorter trips – about 4 or 5 days would be ideal.  The fact remains that I cannot camp in the wild without some effort getting there.  It does not mean I have to exceed my endurance levels to accomplish that goal.  I can choose much easier ways to get in the backcountry.

Why did I do this?  To me, there is nothing like making that morning cup of coffee, listening to the birds and the water and the wind while watching the sunrise.  It fills my soul like nothing else can.  This is my church, my holy ground.  I am grateful for every chance I have to experience it.