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razzmatazz
Member
Joined: 19 Feb 2018
Posts: 1 | TRs | Pics
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Hi all,
Short version: how long is the Wonderland Trail?
This may seem like a silly question given all the info - NPS website, Wikipedia, lots of guide books, etc. - that matter-of-factly state that "the Wonderland Trail is 93 miles." But! I added a bunch of waypoints into Garmin Basecamp, and came up with a distance of 79.7 miles. Hmmm! Garmin is notorious (IMO) for underestimating distances when it uses anything but direct routing in its software or on the device, so I was expecting to come in under the "official" 93 miles. However, I then discovered that the kmz file available on the NPS website also comes in at 80 miles!
What say those of you who have actually hiked the trail in the past couple years? Is the "93 miles" a legacy number that was calculated before some newer trail sections were added?
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Just_Some_Hiker
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Joined: 02 Jan 2013
Posts: 691 | TRs | Pics
Location: Snoqualmie, WA |
I just mapped it out on CalTopo and I got 84.61 miles.
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williswall
poser
Joined: 30 Sep 2007
Posts: 1968 | TRs | Pics
Location: Redmond |
No, it’s actually 93 miles
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16093 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
Map distance is almost always shorter than actual distance because maps seldom show all the bends and switchbacks. TH rail get longer now as they are rerouted with a lower grade in almost all cases like the Mailbox and Lake Serene trails. Some old trails had low grades because they were stock trails but many went up the fall line.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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The Lead Dog
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 981 | TRs | Pics
Location: Kent Wa |
You can do it different ways which adds to the miles.
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mtn.climber
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Joined: 29 Jul 2008
Posts: 1204 | TRs | Pics
Location: The Lost Horizon |
When we hiked it last year, we came up with 105 miles total. But that included a couple of short side trips, and other wanderings.
Reach for the sky, cuz tomorrow may never come.
Live the life of love. Love the life you live.
Reach for the sky, cuz tomorrow may never come.
Live the life of love. Love the life you live.
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Randito
Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
Snarky Member
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 Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:28 pm |
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jinx'sboy
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Joined: 30 Jul 2008
Posts: 932 | TRs | Pics
Location: on a great circle route |
| Malachai Constant wrote: | | Map distance is almost always shorter than actual distance because maps seldom show all the bends and switchbacks |
Folks are assuming that the land management agencies used, or do use, GIS/GPS to measure trail distances. And, therefore differences can be explained by what Randy posted - "Coastline paradox".
However, most old trails, at least at the Federal level, were measured at one time or another by a fairly exact old school method; with a wheel pushed by someone or with a string-box. Alternatively, distance might have been taken from construction contract logs - which were usually done in foot by foot or 100 foot stations for payment purposes. In other words - pretty accurate.
That is not to say that changes don't happen over time; slight re-routes get incorporated into the 'real' trail, maintenance crews have to do a small re-route that doesn't get accurately measured, etc.
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Riverside Laker
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Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 2818 | TRs | Pics
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I've measured it clockwise and counterclockwise, and got a big difference. Perhaps that's because the trail sunk downhill in the interim. Never noticed the trail got thinner but I suppose it did.
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The Lead Dog
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 981 | TRs | Pics
Location: Kent Wa |
Which lane? 
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 12655 | TRs | Pics
Location: here now |
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:59 pm |
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Riverside Laker
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Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 2818 | TRs | Pics
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I usually hike in the right lane, unless there are Brits or Japanese or Aussies about. Maybe that's what happened. Gosh.
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16093 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
Luckily it is off the PCT, thru hikers always camp in the left lane.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Bernardo
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Joined: 08 Feb 2010
Posts: 2174 | TRs | Pics
Location: out and about in the world |
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Bernardo
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Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:48 pm |
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Based on Randy's coastline paradox article, the appropriate unit of measurement would be one stride (50 cms?). Anything larger would unerestimate.
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Malachai Constant
Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16093 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
It is infinite, you can just keep walking around it until you die 
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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