Forum Index > Trail Talk > Wonderland Trail
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Dante
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 2815 | TRs | Pics
Dante
Member
PostThu Dec 20, 2001 2:43 pm 
I did the Northern Loop in 4 days a few years back and am planning a Wonderland Trail trip for next year. I know most people who hike the whole trail take 9 days or more, but my question is this: Is it doable in a week? To do the trail in a week we would have to hike an average of 13.7 miles a day. In the real world the shortest leg would be 11.8 miles and the longest would be 15.5 miles. I'm comfortable with the distances, but still need to look at the elevation gain/loss for each leg. We'd be carrying light packs. We'd probably hike clockwise from Longmire, so we could resupply at Sunrise so we wouldn't have to carry all our food and fuel the whole distance. I'd be interested in anyone's Wonderland Trail stories, advice, opinions, etc. smile.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostThu Dec 20, 2001 10:14 pm 
I cant remember where, or when, but I recall something about a combined elevation gain and loss of over 26,000 ft during the 98 miles around de mountain! Dont know how true that is, but there is a bunch "O" climbing that's for sure. TB biggrin.gif

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostThu Dec 20, 2001 10:24 pm 
Dante, we should start the planing of where to drop food. Go lite and fast. Only way to make it in a week. Gotta train for this one. Better start running months in advance. TB tongue.gif

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Count
Guest




Count
Guest
PostThu Dec 20, 2001 10:40 pm 
Here's a less-than-one-week trip writeup: Wonderland Trail

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote View IP address of poster
Sore Feet
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6304 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out There, Somewhere
Sore Feet
Member
PostThu Dec 20, 2001 11:26 pm 
My .02... If you're gonna hike the whole thing, take the time to enjoy it. I've been wanting to hike it for a while, but I think I'll bag the Northern Loop first. I've given thought to just hiking pieces of it too. I've hiked almost all of the portions close to the roads (Stevens Canyon, Carbon Glacier, a little at Sunrise, etc), and if you're pressed for time, I'd consider that more heavily. But if the idea is to do the whole thing, you'll probably have less time to enjoy yourself if you want to do whe whole thing in a week (not being a true power hiker, I can't speak for everyone though... smile.gif )

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Guest





Guest
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 12:19 am 
Looks like SteveF has returned! rolleyes.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote View IP address of poster
Tsolo
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 166 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Tsolo
Member
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 12:20 am 
I'm impressed by rubberlegs and his 3-day trip around the Wonderland Trail. But speaking of extremes, I remember long ago at Boeing there was a guy named Gary Fredrickson who had purportedly done the whole trail in something like 37 hours. It was obviously just a long fast walk/jog without much stopping at all. He was also rumored to have climbed Mt. Olympus as a dayhike - straight in, straight up, straight out. Not at all my own philosophy of wilderness enjoyment, but still kind of interesting. Myself, I've done about 90% of the Wonderland Trail as just dayhikes, and next year I'll try to fill in the gaps, but it looks like the remaining sections will require a couple overnights.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Dante
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 2815 | TRs | Pics
Dante
Member
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 8:45 am 
Thanks all! smile.gif I appreciate all the feedback. I'll definitily check out the links and try to find the WTA article. I'm not a power hiker, but over the years I've found I like the hike as much or more than getting to the destination, sleeping outside, etc. When the days are long you could take 10 hours or more to do those 13.7 miles. I think a pace of less than 1 1/2 mph will allow us to enjoy the scenery. If not, I'm sure this won't be the last time I do the loop. When my kids are old enough I'll take the whole family and do it in 2 weeks. BTW, who's Steve F?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Dante
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 2815 | TRs | Pics
Dante
Member
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 8:47 am 
Nevermind...I figured out who Steve F is by myself.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Tsolo
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 166 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Tsolo
Member
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 9:14 am 
And speaking of Steve F, is he still missing from the new site here, or has he just changed his nom de plume?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Newt
Short Timer



Joined: 21 Dec 2001
Posts: 3176 | TRs | Pics
Location: Down the road and around the corner
Newt
Short Timer
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 5:15 pm 
Doing the wonderland in a week reminds me of the dude that did the triple crown in a year. Makes me wonder if he had any time to see anything, take pictures of what he would have liked and most of all, have the time to smell the flowers. I personally would take longer or due multi as I would probably only do it once. Who the heck wants to be that rushed unless your bagging trails. IMO NN smile.gif

It's pretty safe to say that if we take all of man kinds accumulated knowledge, we still don't know everything. So, I hope you understand why I don't believe you know everything. But then again, maybe you do.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 5:34 pm 
Probably a good way to make a name for yourself if you're into that sort of thing, definitely not why I get out. If you know a couple of the right folks and like to write too then you stand a good chance of getting some of your adventures published. I believe SteveF has a few articles out there.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
SteveF
Guest




SteveF
Guest
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 6:49 pm 
Y'know, that whole Wonderland thing is kinda strange. 90% of people who find out I hiked the Wonderland ask the same question first: how long did it take? It's the last thing I want to emphasize. The report sent to WTA didn't mention it. (Yeah, if you read it carefully and plot out all the campsites you can figure it out.) Nearly a year later, I'm at the library flipping through the WTA magazine, and there's the same story with the title all about how many days it took. Big deal! Hike your own hike, take all the time you want. There's nothing wrong with high mileage or low mileage. Some people like to sit around camp and smell the daisies, others like to walk all day long and see more. The trip was extremely enjoyable. With about 25 lb of gear including lots of film, the travel was easy and much of the trail is delightful. Some is absolutely spectacular. Unfortunately, about 1/4 is downright boring (Longmire to Box Canyon, mostly next to the road). Glad it didn't take several days to do the uninteresting part! Doing it quickly has two major plusses: no food drop hassles, and better weather. It was sunny the whole trip. How many Rainier circumnavigations are done in perfect weather? BTW, two other great volcano circumnavigations are: the Timberline Trail around Mt Hood (36 miles, did it in 6 days, if you need that data); Glacier Peak (95 miles, did it in 9 days, has some off-trail/permanent snowfields or road or abandoned trail sections). Here's an example of the incredible scenery on the Wonderland trip.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote View IP address of poster
Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 7:15 pm 
Glad to see you out of lurk mode big guy. I'd think that WTA would be obligated to let you know if they were going to run your trip report as a feature article in their mag, guess I'm wrong though.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
SteveF
Guest




SteveF
Guest
PostFri Dec 21, 2001 7:27 pm 
I'm guilty too -- sent in a photo of a friend to Pack and Paddle, and she ended up on the cover. Never asked her! Oops. Fortunately, she didn't mind. Anway, not complaining about WTA using the report (after all, they state clearly that reports are their property). Just wish the title was less "Outdoor Magazine" hype. WTA just put another photo of a buddy on their home page, and didn't ask him either. Ooooops again.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote View IP address of poster
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trail Talk > Wonderland Trail
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum