Wonderland Trail
Cascades, WA
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
Winter Storm Warning through Friday night with High avalanche danger across all elevations. This is not backpacking weather — you're looking at 2-3 feet of new snow, sustained winds 20-35 mph, and temps dropping to 3°F.
17°/3°F · Snow Showers then Heavy Snow · 1 alert(s)
High (4/5)
48" depth
Normal flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
11h 42m daylight · Sunrise 7:27 AM · Sunset 7:09 PM
Full Briefing
The Winter Storm Warning issued by NWS Seattle runs through Friday night and delivers exactly what it promises — heavy snow with 2-3 feet accumulation and sustained winds 20-35 mph gusting higher. High temps barely crack 17°F and Friday night bottoms out at 3°F, creating genuinely dangerous exposure conditions for overnight camping. The avalanche bulletin shows High danger across all elevations with clean problems identified, which means the snowpack structure itself isn't the issue — it's the massive loading from this storm cycle that's driving instability everywhere. SNOTEL at Long Lake shows 98 inches of existing snowpack that's about to get hammered with fresh loading. Even below treeline terrain carries High avalanche danger, and the Wonderland Trail crosses numerous avalanche paths and runout zones where overhead hazard is unavoidable. Stream crossings are actually in good shape with flows running 41-87% of median and stable to falling trends, but that's irrelevant when you can't safely access the trail. The storm pattern shows no meaningful break until Saturday night when precipitation drops to 59% chance, but even then you're dealing with wind-transported snow and continued cold temperatures. Daylight is adequate at nearly 12 hours, but visibility will be severely limited during active snowfall and winds. Camp exposure becomes the critical limiting factor — sustained 20+ mph winds with gusts and sub-zero wind chills make tent camping genuinely hazardous, especially if gear gets wet from blowing snow.
Waypoints
Longmire
Classic starting point at Longmire. Ranger station and permits.
2,759 ft
Indian Bar
One of the most scenic camps. Alpine meadows and waterfall views.
5,600 ft
Sunrise Camp
Near Sunrise visitor area. Highest camp on the trail.
6,299 ft
Carbon River Camp
Deep in the Carbon River valley. Old-growth forest.
3,501 ft
Return to Longmire
Complete the loop back at Longmire.
2,759 ft
Route Details
Distance
93.0 mi
Elevation Gain
22,001 ft
Elevation Loss
22,001 ft
Max Elevation
6,499 ft
Estimated Days
10
Trailhead
Longmire
Best Season
Late July through September. Snow on northern passes into August.
Permit Required
Wilderness camping permit required through recreation.gov lottery. Apply in March.
About This Route
The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile loop circumnavigating Mt. Rainier in Washington State. Considered one of the premier backpacking routes in the country, it gains and loses over 22,000 feet of elevation as it dips in and out of deep river valleys and crosses high alpine meadows. The trail passes through every ecological zone on the mountain, from old-growth forest to subalpine meadows to glacial moraines. Wildflower displays in late July and August are legendary. The route crosses numerous glacial rivers and passes through some of the most spectacular alpine scenery in the Cascades. Permits are required and allocated through a competitive lottery. Most hikers take 8-12 days. Camps are spaced at reasonable intervals but are designated—no dispersed camping. Weather can be highly variable; be prepared for rain at any time. The trail is well-maintained but physically demanding due to the cumulative elevation change.
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