Yes, the Wonderland Trail encircles Mt. Rainier. This proposed circumnavigation route borrows elements from my Grand Tour and utilizes the Wonderland during this circumnavigation, but incorporates deviations/off trail segments that will depart the Wonderland and venture into areas not seen by a traditional Wonderland circuit. Starting from Longmire, Deviation 1 (D1) will proceed up the Eagle Peak trail and transit the Tatoosh range to exit at the Snow Lake trail. D2 is a possible deviation that would depart the Wonderland on the Cowlitz Divide and skirt the Wilson and Ohanapecosh Glaciers above Ohanapecosh Park to rejoin the Wonderland at Panhandle Gap. I have not explored this route yet. After departing Summerland, the route proceeds over Goat Island Mountain to White River, then departs the Emmons Moraine Trail to proceed cross country on the left side of the White River to descend to Glacier Basin. There is a cross country route from the area of Second Burroughs to arrive at Skyscraper Pass, then to Berkeley Park and the Northern Loop Trail to Windy Gap (if not climbing Sluiskin Mountain). From Windy Gap the route ascends over Crescent Gap, through the Elysian Fields and exiting in Moraine Park. An alternate plan is to break off before Windy Gap to climb Sluiskin Mtn Squaw, then drop into Vernal Park and over Old Desolate, avoiding the Elysian Fields altogether. Another unexplored option is crossing the Carbon Glacier and climbing to Seattle Park (D6), a route that was used for almost 20 years in the earliest iterations of the Wonderland Trail. Rejoining the trail in Spray Park, I would then proceed over Knapsack Pass for a short distance before climbing to the ridge (right) above Mowich Lake (towards Castle Peak), then back on the Wonderland all the way to the North Puyallup Camp.

*An earlier trip climbing out of the Elysian fields towards Old Desolate (D5 alt)*

Bypassing the climb to Klapatche Park, I will proceed via the North Puyallup Trail to Klapatche Point on the West Side Road, run the road until hopping on the St. Andrews Creek Trail, climb out of Klapatche Park to St. Andrews Lake and exit the Wonderland to circle around Andrew Benchmark to rejoin the trail. With just a few deviations to go, I’ll take the Mirror Lakes Trail to Pyramid Park, transit the park and exit back to the Wonderland via the Fishers Hornpipe drainage. The last deviation (D10) will see me descending to Longmire via the Rampart Ridge Trail to complete the circumnavigation.

*Ridge above Mowich Lake, looking towards Castle Peak (D7)*

Most of these deviations I have already explored. The mysteries are the transit from Wahpenayo to Lane Peak on the Tatoosh traverse, the two RED routes (D2 and D6), and the Fishers Hornpipe drainage.

I don’t know how much extra mileage and elevation this route will entail; I estimate maybe 120 miles+ and an additional 5-10,000’ in elevation. The packing for this trip will be significantly different from a traditional Wonderland fastpack, as I’ll be staying in cross country zones and will be carrying significantly more food and equipment. I’ll figure it out though and look forward to this challenge. What shall I call it though?