Finishing the Wonderland

I finally got permits to finish the last three camps on the Wonderland that I missed in 2020. So, I set off to hike from Longmire to Mowich, staying at Devil’s Dream, Klapatche, and Golden Lakes. Overall I covered 40 miles and climbed 13,000 feet going up and down around the base of Mt. Rainier. I think added up, there was a total of one mile of trail that could be considered “flat” by any means. It was tough. It was rewarding. The views were outstanding. Standing on ridges hearing rockfalls and waterfalls, and marmots and pikas on Emerald Ridge was a memory I will hold forever. I literally counted my steps out loud across the Tahoma Suspension Bridge, channeling my inner Indiana Jones. On the relentless uphills I just kept repeating “each step up is a step towards camp,” until I made the next switchback. Watching the sun set and mountain turn pink at Klapatche is on replay in my mind. I think this may be my favorite section of the Wonderland.