Written 8/23/14
Posted 8/25/14
We made it halfway around the Wonderland Trail so now we're seeing the west side of Mount Rainier and we've only got two more days till we pick up our resupply box in Ashford. The Wonderland has proved to be steeper and more rugged than the PCT has been since we've been in Washington. We're constantly either climbing up, stumbling down, or carefully navigating our way across a river every minute. We're almost the only hikers traveling counterclockwise, apparently it's the "wrong" way to do the Wonderland. I'm beginning to think it's because we're climbing up all of the gradual sides and coming down all of the really steep terrain so it's harder on your knees.
Our days have been fairly inconsistent in difficulty because our campsite options were limited when we got the walk-in permit. The first full day was an 18 mile hike through some dense overgrown ferns where we ended up doing an extra mile due to a trail closure detour. The second day we had a 9 mile hike up through Spray Park with a huge 4,000 foot climb in the morning. Today we hiked 20 miles over two 2,000 foot ascents and descents. Even our difficult days on the Wonderland aren't so bad because we can still finish by 5pm without feeling overworked and exhausted. Our confidence is building and we're planning to attempt a 30 mile day when we get back on the PCT and into easier terrain.
On Day 1 of the Wonderland we had an amazing bear sighting! It was early afternoon and we were just past Mystic Lake walking through a meadow when I spotted a black bear and her two cubs about 200 feet off to the right of the trail. The mama was eating berries while the cubs were wrestling around and climbing trees. We stood there for about 15 minutes just watching until we decided to press on.
The mornings have been clear skies over Rainier but foggy in the lower elevations. In the afternoons we've been getting threatened by dark clouds and Rainier becomes completely hidden. Usually the clouds break in the evening so we get another view then. Unfortunately most of our campsites have been in dense trees but tonight we're staying at Klapatche Park which is the most beautiful campsite we've stayed at since we started the Wonderland. We have a gorgeous lake full of tad poles and a fantastic view of Rainier. I'm looking forward to the sunset tonight!
Today we got lucky twice with free food on the trail. We met a really nice guy who is cutting his trip short so he gave us a few of his extra treats from his MRE's. I've never had MRE's before but I'm really glad we've prepared our own dehydrated meals and not the army! We ate chocolate pudding, a tube of peanut butter, a cinnabun, some Italian breadsticks, a dense piece of bread, and a tube of cheddar cheese. Stuffing our faces while hiking is a new experience for us and I like it! We also met a really cool girl at camp tonight who gave us some freshly made popcorn! She said ever since she went hiking in Peru she started backpacking with popcorn because the Peruvian guides make it for their clients before dinner; that was such a treat!
Today has been a very uplifting day which came just in time for us. It's becoming increasingly harder for us to stay motivated because we're getting so close to the end of the journey. Mike and I have been seriously debating if we should end the trip at Snoqualmie Pass instead of finishing the last 200 miles to Highway 20. We decided to take a zero day in Seattle once we get to Snoqualmie Pass next Friday because we're in serious need of a rest day. That'll make 20 days without a rest day, which is the longest stretch we've gone so far. I think after we take a nice break and hang out with some Seattle friends we'll be reinvigorated to finish our trek!
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