This is an article I wrote for a Wonderland Trail online group, ranging from newbies to experienced hikers. You’ve done a ton of planning for your upcoming Wonderland trail hike, sorting itineraries, calculating mileage, figuring food caches, transportation to and from….lots to do. Now it’s time to think about your actual hike and your best chance for success. Following are things that have worked for me over the decades through trial and error. However, there are many factors that go into individual wants and needs so my advice is to keep an open mind, try things that look promising and if they work, incorporate these techniques or equipment choices into your own personal quiver. This is a process that continues for me to this day; I am constantly on the look out for better ways of doing things or equipment that may better serve my needs.

*Front and back packs used for a complete Wonderland thru hike; 10-12 lbs including food and water for a 3 day hike.*

WEIGHT: Many cite Ray Jardine’s book “Beyond Backpacking” (2000) as the birth of light weight hiking, but many of his techniques were present in his earlier book “The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker’s Handbook” (1992). The PCT book is what got me started on my journey to lighten up. Since then the outdoor industry has become a multi billion dollar one, and earlier cottage gear companies like Zpacks, Gossamer Gear and Enlightened Equipment have grown into full blown businesses. There are 330,000 members of Reddit r/ultralight community. Lots of information out there, yet every time I’m on the Wonderland the majority of backpackers are carrying loads in excess of 30 pounds; this is not a criticism, it is an observation. The Xtra small pack of a distressed hiker I assisted weighed 35 pounds, which was in excess of 1/3 her body weight.

THE BANK OF PAIN is something I refer to when it comes to adding a pound of weight to your pack. It will cost you, it’s a withdrawal. It takes energy to carry, and that pound increases stress on your muscles, ligaments and tendons. Consider the thousands of steps on the Wonderland and lifting and lowering this weight. If you take the pound out of your pack, you just made a deposit. You can hike further with less stress on the same amount of energy or hike the same distance with less energy expenditure.

*The ups and downs of the Wonderland Trail: NPS*

Consider the “big 4”….pack, pad, shelter and bag. Let’s go hog wild! 20 degree sleeping bag or quilt, lots of choices for 2 pounds or less. Minimum R4 value pad, let’s say 1.5 pounds. A one person 3 season shelter, 3 pounds or less. And finally, a pack with full suspension, say 2.5 pounds. 9 POUNDS. And it can certainly be lower, most times I hike with less than 5 pounds of equipment and cover all the bases. Lower weights mean I can do nicely with a sub 1 pound non suspension/bells and whistles pack. For comparison here is my lightest setup for a multi day hike without anticipation of severe weather, which would have me carrying a tent.

Pack: Zpacks custom (30L) 4.7 ozs//Bag: Nunatak 40 degree quilt 12 ozs//Pad: NeoAir XLite (L) 16 ozs//Shelter: Zpacks Pocket Tarp: 4 ozs with stakes/Borah Gear Cuben Bivy 4.7 ozs

Total: 41.4 ozs. (2.6 pounds)

My weights can change depending on season and expected conditions. For instance I have a 2 pound roomy eVent bivy or a 14.8 oz Plexamid tent. Sometimes I like to pack a NeoAir XTherm (1lb 4 ozs), especially if very cold ground or snow is expected. But we’re still talking 8 pounds or less for full kit. I’m not going to go into clothing, this is a very personal choice….but are you packing redundant items or unnecessary things like full on mountaineering OR Croc gaiters? I’ve never even worn wispy gaiters like Dirty Girls and on this established trail I can’t remember stopping but a few times to empty invasive rocks out of my footwear. In rain your feet are going to get wet, period. But what about hiking on snow you may ask? By the time most hikers are hitting the trail, spring snow pack will be consolidated and you’ll be sinking maybe 2 inches. Well traveled areas will have established boot pack and post holing will be a rare experience.

FOOTWEAR: Another personal choice, but foot problems have been the downfall of many hikers. When I used to run ultras there were two common things that forced people to DNF; foot problems and stomach problems. All my foot woes disappeared over 30 years ago when I ditched the boots and wore running shoes or trail runners. Never mind the study years ago that the Army conducted: 1 pound on the foot was equal to 5 pounds on the back. My problems with boots, besides blisters, were rashes that covered my feet right up to boot line and very sore pads if I had a long day. But what about ankle support? I’ve heard this for decades. Barring mechanical problems or other medical issues with your ankles, why do you need it? Footwear should not be a crutch for natural foot mechanics. Proprioception (feel of the ground under your feet) is very important as you eat up the miles. Your feet take inputs from the trail and soon enough you adapt to undulating terrain without conscious thought. I’ve never rolled an ankle, even under a heavy load (40 pounds carrying 10 days of food). I’ve used trail runners for all my off trail endeavors (rocks, scree, ‘schwacking etc), including all day snow hiking, although sometimes I wear waterproof socks if I’m in snow for many hours. One example of wearing gaiters would be late afternoon plunge stepping down the Muir Snowfield; conditions not likely found on the trail.

*Invo8 Arctic Claw 300 trail runners on the Muir snowfield*

The clothing and equipment I pack are essentially the same for any trip, the variables being how much food do I need to carry and how much water. It all boils down to this: critically review everything you are putting in your pack and on your person….the easiest way to lighten your load is not put stuff in your pack. There is a tendency for less experienced backpackers to “pack their fears.” If you are carrying a 35 pound pack and your big 4 weigh 9 pounds as in the example above, ask yourself where is that extra weight coming from? Most multi day hikers on the Wonderland cache food, so say 2 pounds per day for 4 days tops. There’s 17 pounds. With the exception of the Cowlitz Divide and perhaps North Puyallup to Mowich River (in case you don’t want to filter warm Golden Lake water) you don’t need to carry that much water. In 2012 I logged every year round water source (checking in September and October) and counted 121. If employing the tactic of drinking at the source, I usually have 1 liter or less on my person. Of course, this can be highly variable (my daughter drinks more than twice as much as I do on the trail) but you get my drift. Unlike desert hiking you will not need to be carrying a gallon or more on this trail. So 20 ozs of water equals 1.3 pounds. Still not up to 20 pounds yet. Unless you are hiking early season in a high snow year, you probably won’t need a GPS (assuming you have a map and basic compass). Snowshoes? No. Ice axe? Probably not (check with the park service for conditions, esp over Panhandle Gap, assuming you know how to use one). Rain Gear? Always, I consider this a safety issue, but do you really need a 3 layer GoreTex wonder mountaineering jacket? Do you need rain pants? (up to you, but think about it….I don’t carry them). Do you carry redundant clothing items like underwear and shirts that could be washed and dried on alternate days? MY PERSONAL GUAGE: If I put on my pack and don’t really notice it during the day, then that’s good for me. But that’s probably because I’ve never been over 18 pounds with a full load on the Wonderland. There’s no way I could pull off a 3 or 4 day trip today if I were carrying 35 pounds. But itinerary doesn’t matter, if you are carrying 20 pounds or less over 13 days, you will have so much more energy and time to enjoy these exquisite surroundings, not to mention the lessened wear and tear on your body.

*Stair training: 314 steps x 25 transits=4700’ vert*

TRAINING: If I could only do one thing to train for this trail, it would be stairs. Not running, biking or even hiking. It’s the downhills that will trash your legs more than anything else. Remember, it’s not just 22,000 feet of climbing, it’s 22,000 feet of stepping down/downhills. I have the opportunity at my current location to avail myself of an incline that has 314 steps. I’ve recently been going longer (I.e., 25 transits). 4 hours for less than 6 miles but over 4700 feet of climbing. It was the down stepping that made my legs sore for 3 days afterwards, not the uphill. The more you can condition your body, the more margin you will have; the difference between wow and suck factor.

Consider some PCT hikers over the past few years had difficulties when they had to bail….only using the Guthook app, they didn’t see access trails or roads and only knew the swathe before them. Luckily you really only need one map for the Wonderland, so I would advise carrying one even if you have all the electronic goodies. If you only have Guthook and your phone goes Tango Uniform, and you’re not familiar with the area, you may have a hard time figuring out your options in case of difficulties. Granted this is not a wilderness hike, you will see plenty of people along the way. But why put yourself at the mercy of other people’s opinions or advice due to lack of information?

Don’t worry about food weight: pack what you know you like and can digest throughout long days on the trail. Cook or no cook, it matters not if you look forward to eating it.

Essential tip: Desitin for chapped ass prevention, because chapped ass is one of the most annoying things to experience on the trail. Don’t ask me how I know.

Finally, I refer to my advice above: critically review everything you are putting in your pack or on your person… but this time in a different light. Don’t feel guilty about bringing pure comfort items, like a pillow or hard cover book or teddy bear if these things truly make your time on trail more delightful. It’s not just about the gram counting, because ultimately you are probably hiking the Wonderland because you love being outside and revel in the sights and smells. Some may read this and think to themselves, screw you buddy, I like my blank and blank and blanks! That leads me to my final thought: how one enjoys the outdoors is a personal decision and not subject to criticism, so it is important not to pass judgement on others just because they do it differently than yourself. Just keep your eyes and ears peeled for techniques that you may want to steal for yourselves.

*Downstream lenticular seen from Spray Park, Mt. Rainier*

Although available under the Wonderland Trail pulldown, everything I’ve mentioned plus much more is covered in this video. It was authored over 10 years ago and equipment choices have changed, but the philosophy holds true for me today. I can still pull off a 3 day Wonderland Trail hike in my mid 60’s. The last section is Wonderland Trail specific.