[kweb]

I’ve seen a few posts from others doing the Wonderland Trail this year. I thought we could use this post to discuss all things Wonderland; itinerary, gear list, tips, etc. My Background: I solo'd the Wonderland in 2005. Did that trip in 8 days while my wife was in Cancun with her girlfriends. I thought my pack was pretty light then (average 27lbs). Found out I could go much lighter this time around. This trip was supposed to be with a buddy of mine and we were going to go around, up, and over the mountain. But, he and his wife just adapoted their second baby so he's out. Going solo once again. And this time my wife will be 7 months pregnant and not in Cancun. This will be my last hurrah for few years. My Itinerary (confirmed, got my 1st choice) 7/6 start White River Campground Trailhead 7/6 Indian Bar Camp (11.1mi 2925gain / 1925loss) 7/7 Paradise River Camp (17.9mi 3470gain / 4460loss) cache at Longmire 7/8 S. Puyallup River Camp (15.4mi 4145gain / 3905loss) 7/9 Golden Lakes Camp (11.5mi 3450gain / 2465loss) cache at Mowich Lake 7/10 Eagles Roost Camp (12.2mi 2274gain / 2569loss) 7/11 Mystic Lake Camp (11.4mi 3980gain / 2090loss) 7/12 finish White River Campground Trailhead (14.1mi 1565gain / 3488loss) Full Gear List Pack- Osprey exos Pack cover Garbage bags (liners) Clothes- Balaclava Bandana Down beanie Down Jacket- MB inner Parka Shirt- Icebreaker Hoody (camp/sleep) Shirt- Icebreaker Velocity (hiking) MLD Gaitors Camp slippers- GoreTex socks w/ blue foam insoles Glove Liners MH Power stretch gloves MLD Rain mitts Shorts Marmot PreCip Pants Kilt- Zpacks cuben rain kilt OR Shell Jacket Boots- LaSportiva S EVO Sock Liners (2 pair) Socks- 3 pairs SmartWool Underwear- Icebreakers Beast Mosquito head net Sun Visor Kitchen- Fuel (one large, one small canister) Note: only needed the small canister Fuel cozy and stand Windscreen Titanium mug Spork- titanium Stove Cigarette lighter Knife Zip lock bags- water bag, bath, garbage Steripen Opti Nalgene Bottle- 16oz Water bottle 22oz Bear Bag & string Sleeping & Shelter- Quilt- Katabatic gear- chisos 40degree Sleeping Pad- Thermarest z-lite Sleeping Pad- Thermarest NEOair Tarp- Zpacks cuben fiber w/ reg and snow stakes Bivy- MLD Superlight Toiletries- Foot powder Vicodin, advil and vitamins Bug Juice Pit Stick Soap Sunscreen, chapstick Toilet Paper / wet ones Toothbrush / Paste Razor Misc- Watch- Suunto X-Lander Garmin 60csx GPS w/ extra batteries Maps and trail notes First Aid Kit Knee braces Glacier glasses Headlamp- Petzl Zippka Plus Trekking Poles- Gossamer Gear LT4S In-step crampons Stuff sacks- pillow, clothes, food Pack towel Small mirror Ear plugs Notepad & pen Alligator clips Mini biners MP3 w/ extra batteries Cell phone in ziplock Credit card and driver’s license Digital Camera (in small ziplock) w/ extra battery and card So far these are the nwhikers that will be out there: Kweb- July 6th-12th Number002- July 12th – 21st Jgoss4- July 18th - 27th Voidstar- July 22nd- Aug 4th Wallabee- July 24th - 30th Marydave- July 27th – Aug 6th Sticky buns- July 29th- Aug 6th Cefire- July 30th – Aug 9th voidstar aug 1 -12 dropwiser- Aug 4th - 13th ninchnate- Aug 4th - 13th Bobbi- Aug 10th - 20th williswall- Aug 13th - mtngrl- Aug 14th - 26th cornRIDE sept 1 - 9 Ash_WA sept 4-9 Vidalia- Sept 7th - 18th try2holdmywheel sept 16 - 25 beefalumpalo sept 17- 29th bww1977- Sept 20th - 29th bnator sept 21st - 30th LunchLady- Sept 21st - 28th dochawa sept 24th - oct 1st Current trail and camp conditions can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/trails-and-backcountry-camp-conditions.htm

[Backpacker Joe]

Nice write up. Good luck on the trip.

[The Lead Dog]

Better pack snowshoes. You are going to be in snow a whole bunch of your trip that early in July. You see that mountain lately? Looks like it is still February up there. Esp over Panhandle Gap down to Indian Bar. Indian Bar will still be snowed in as will other camps. Good luck to ya for sure!!!!!!

[kweb]

My 2005 trip also started July 6th. I crossed one snow patch that was maybe 30' long. I remember wanting more snow that time around. This trip will be much whiter for sure. But this was my only option for time off. No worries.

[Slugman]

Good thing you are taking snow into account. 2005 was a very low snow year with an early melt-out. There was only one foot of snow at Lake 22 on April 6th, 2005 (the best example I could come up with looking at my trip reports for 2005). This year on April 6th there was probably 10 feet. I'm guessing you will have massive amounts of soft, post-holey snow on major portions of your route in early July. Even that assumes that sometime this spring we will get some warm temperatures. If May and June are anything like it's been so far, you may have snow the whole way, more or less. Good luck, and please write a trip report!

[sarbar]

Really? Your life doesn't end with kids. There isn't no "last hurrah". That only happens if you buy into that notion. You can still hike, backpack and do everything before - you just take the kids with you. Sorry, but the whole "my fun life ends with kids" grates on me And trust me on this: you will have more fun with your kids on a hike than you ever did solo. Seriously.

[kweb]

Oh.. no, no, no. I didn't mean I was hanging up the backpack for good. Just saying my multi day trips will be much less frequent once our second child is here. Thats all.

[sarbar]

Take the kids! Start them young, and take them often. Cheapest family vacation around outside of sitting in one's backyard

[forest gnome]

ya please post a report so we can see how deep the snow is....sounds like 80% of your trip will be snow-bound....

[Slugman]

If someone wants to do the Wonderland trail with a baby approximately one year old (the situation the OP would face next year), go ahead, knock yourself out. I think it's perhaps the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but each person makes their own decisions. Thank goodness the OP is apparently way too smart to do something so stupid and dangerous. Based on his saying he is out of the long BP trip business for "a few years", he is exactly on the right track.

[erik the red]

Taking 4 young children on the Wonderland

[Slugman]

They looked to me to be "a few years old" at the youngest.

[Trailhead]

[Tuskadero]

Kweb, how do you like your Black Rock down beanie? I've had my eye on one for awhile. Thinking about picking it up for my JMT hike this summer.

[kweb]

Someone please post another itenerary!! This thread was not intened to be about my future life plans. Tuskadero, I just got the down beanie the other day. I plan to use it in camp and while sleeping. Based on what I know from wearing it 10 minutes inside the house, its the warmest, most comfortable beanie I own. The size large fits my 22.75" (bald) head just perfectly and comes down just far enough to cover my ears.