“Who goes on Aspire trips?” It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails. We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited to add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with a series of Aspire trail runner profiles. We enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!
Name: Monica Burnside Age: 48 Hometown: Mercer Island, Washington
Which Aspire Trip(s) have you participated in?
Wonderland Traverse 2020, Cypress Island 2021
Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?
I’ve run my whole life, but only starting running ultra distances in the past few years since I stopped working to be home with my kids. I squeeze longer runs in when they’re in school or at activities. I started out only running trails close to home, but have quickly gotten more brave about exploring less-traveled trails with each ultra race I’ve completed. I am NOT fast, but my husband says my super-power is the ability to just keep going and going! That said, I really enjoy stopping when I want to put my feet in lakes or take pictures. Usually I run by myself or with my dog– I enjoy the solitude and quiet. As for camping, I learned how to set up my tent the night before I left for my trip!
What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip? How were they resolved?
I had no idea how fit or fast everyone would be, or if I would be anywhere close to others with my own fitness and speed. I was! I was also concerned that everyone would come with a partner/buddy and I would be a constant 3rd wheel. I was thrilled when everyone on my trip came solo, too.
How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how?
I averaged 40 miles/week for the months leading up to our trip. I did one 50k and several 20+ mile runs. Approximately 4 weeks before my trip I did back-to-back longer runs. If I had to do it all over again (and I definitely want to sign up for another Aspire trip) I would replace some of my runs with steep hikes or weight-vest hikes. Wonderland, at least for me, involved a lot of hiking! In terms of gear, I felt like I packed perfectly following the guide Aspire sent me.
What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?
There were only six of us because of COVID. We ranged in age from mid-30’s to maybe mid-50’s. During our three days of running I spent about half my trail time on my own and half with others. Everyone was warm, funny, friendly, interesting, and just really lovely to be with. My favorite times were when we were all warm, cozy, and swapping trail stories while eating dinner together. I also loved how close we all became with one another and with our fearless leaders by even the end of day one!
What was the most difficult moment from your trip?
About 20 miles into day one I started suffering from altitude sickness. My head really hurt and I got nauseated. I was on my own with only liquid and gels for energy, but those were just not staying down. I kept moving (slowly) until Ian (Aspire guide) came upon me and gave me solid bars from his pack. These helped me get over my nausea and continue on to camp at mile 34. Ian, you are my hero.
What advice or thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip?
Do it! My family had to hold me back from immediately signing up for the North Cascades trip that left two weeks after my Wonderland trip. The feeling of running on gorgeous trails with kind folks knowing that each night I would get to eat TONS of delicious food– does it get any better than that?
“Who goes on Aspire trips?” It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails. We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited to add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with the Aspire trail runner profile series. We’ve enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!
Name: Rachel Beda Age: 45 Hometown: Seattle, WA
Thanks for sharing your story with us for the Aspire Trial Runner Profile!Which Aspire Trips have you participated in?
Stehekin 2018 and Wonderland 2020
Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?
I started trail running during medical residency 17 years ago and it never, ever gets old. Wilderness is my meditative, sacred place, and I feel the most at peace and alive while I’m moving through it on my own two feet. A busy work and family schedule means running is the most efficient way to get the most views in the shortest amount of time.
I’m not fast – I hike the uphills and then love to bomb the downhills. I am typically mid-to-back-of-the-pack at trail races and on Aspire trips. What I lack in speed, I make up for in enthusiasm!
I don’t have many running buddies – my friends are either short-distance hikers, or genetically gifted speed demons that I can’t keep up with, so I’m typically running alone. I’m comfortable running alone, but I really appreciate the safety net Aspire provides. It’s allowed me to go deeper into the wilderness than I would be comfortable doing by myself.
What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip? How were they resolved?
I was afraid I wouldn’t be fast enough for the group. I shouldn’t have worried. It’s not a race and there’s no pressure.
For Wonderland, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to do 3 long days back-to-back-to-back, and Abram worked with me to make a modified itinerary that worked for me.
I was afraid it would be all young gunners and I would be too old. It was actually a great mix of all ages.
How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how? This can be answered in terms of fitness and/or gear.
For Stehekin: I did long trail runs of up to 16 miles with plenty of vert, and weekly mileage of about 20-25mi and it worked great since there is a day of rest at the Ranch between run days.
For Wonderland: I increased my mileage to 30-35 mile weeks including some long trail runs of up to 18 miles with vert, peaking at a 40mi week. Spoiler: it was NOT enough, and I rode ahead in the van on day 2. For next time (oh yeah, I want to go back and get it all next time!!!), I would aim for more 40 mile weeks, and I would schedule a back-to-back trail weekend of at least 15-20 mi/day + 4000ft of gain on both Sat and Sun. If you are a shorter-distance runner like I am (25k races are my favorites), do not make the mistake I did of underestimating the legitimacy of that amount of vert on day one (9700ft of gain from Longmire to Mowich).
I highly recommend using hiking poles for the climbs and bringing a lightweight water filtering method so that you can minimize water weight.
What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?
Encouraging, supportive, and ego-free!
What was the most difficult moment and/or a surprising episode from your trip?
I was so excited as we started out on day 1 of Wonderland that I forgot to keep up with my nutrition and hydration in the first few miles, and I started to battle nausea around mile 7. By mile 21 I was dry heaving, and by mile 24 I had to lie down on the side of the trail. Kara, who was the sweep on the Aspire Team, was so incredibly patient, positive, and supportive. She GPS-texted ahead to camp and Ian from Aspire started out towards us with supplies in case I really couldn’t make the last few miles. Thanks to their help and encouragement, I was able to rally and make it 10 more miles to Mowich Lake and the rest of the group. Although I could have done without the dry heaving, it taught me that my strength and endurance is bigger than I thought. I also was blown away by the kindness, patience, and encouragement of the Aspire Team. If they could believe in me after only knowing me for one day, I could certainly believe in myself. That lesson is going to help me whenever the miles get tough in the future.
What info/advice/thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip?
All the things I was worried about – ego, speed, pressure to perform, competition – none of that exists on an Aspire trip, clearly by design. Abram sets up the most supportive, chill, happy adventures.
As runners of wild spaces, trail runners boast an impressive repertoire of skills. One that seems to be missing? Sitting still. Following the lockdown and the initial host of “around my block” projects, many runners looked to the mountains for a sense of freedom and turned to Fastest-Known-Time (FKT) lists for a sense of competition and motivation. Enter Mt. Rainier and a season of “fastest known time” attempts on the Wonderland Trail.
A runner cruising towards Mt. Rainier on the Wonderland Trail
At 14,410′, Mt. Rainier’s dominating visage is both inspiring and intimidating. The tallest Cascade volcano boasts over 35 square miles of rock and snow with 26 glaciers, seven glacial rivers, and endless alpine meadows. While most known for its 150 years of recorded climbing history and an estimated 200,000 successful summit climbs, for trail runners, it is the trip around the mountain which beckons. 2020 saw an unprecedented season of time bending circumnavigations by trail runners as eight new records were set across varying categories of fastest known times on the Wonderland Trail.
Every August, the Aspire Adventure Running crew runs laps around Mt. Rainier, leading weekly trips of runners on a three day stage run of the Wonderland Trail. Our staff grows intimate with the mountain and deeply familiar with each curve of the trail; happy to share this knowledge with all those run, play, dance, and test their mettle on its rugged flanks. In 2020, that included not just trail runners, backpackers, and hikers but a number exceptionally fast runners with record breaking circumnavigation dreams.
Dawn at Panhandle Gap
North Face runner Dylan Bowman functions better with a goal to keep himself accountable. Bowman grew up in CO and spent time living and running in California before settling down in Portland only about a year ago. ” I’ve been blown away in general with how good the running is in the PNW. It’s really an amazing place to run and to train.”
When the pandemic hit and races were cancelled across the globe, he turned his attention to a fastest known time attempt on the Wonderland Trail. “With Hard Rock cancelled, the Wonderland made perfect sense. I’ve always wanted to do it… I would classify the Wonderland is the single greatest North American adventure run there is, basically. I’ve done Timberline, Rim2Rim2Rim, Ultra Trail Mont-Blanc, Western States. The sheer magnitude and beauty of the route; I don’t think there’s anything that compares. ” Bowman exudes.
Prior to this year, the supported Wonderland FKT was held by Ryan Ghelfi at 18 hours 27 minutes and 42 seconds, as reported on FastestKnownTime.com. But when Aspire’s course director Abram Dickerson rolled up to Longmire ready to send runners off on Day 1 of the season’s first Wonderland trip, he bumped into filmmaker Ryan Thrower. Later that day, at Mowich Campground, Abe ran into him again. Over the course of dinner, it came to light that Ryan was doing preliminary shot scouting to film Bowman’s upcoming FKT attempt. Three weeks later, on August 19th, Bowman rolled into his finish at Cougar Rock with a new record time of 16:58:41, knocking almost 90 minutes off of Ghelfi’s 2018 time.
Jeff Mogavero is a Missoula based trail runner and friend of Aspire with some quick legs. Earlier this year, he contributed a piece on his Lost Coast FKT for the Aspire blog. In 2018, he followed Dylan Bowman’s FKT on California’s Lost Coast Trail by knocking ~60 minutes off his time on the 57.6 mi stretch of remote coastline. In July of this year, Jeff set a since usurped FKT on Wyoming’s Teton Crest Trail. The first time I met Mogavero was in 2015, when I gave him a ride back to Bozeman, MT from a trailhead in the Bridger Mountains. We’d connected for a few runs through the sweeping Montana landscape, but I was surprised to receive a phone call from him in early August. Jeff would be out in a few weeks to gather beta on the Wonderland, preparing for a FKT attempt. Serendipitously, his schedule would overlap with ours. I assured him that if needed, we’d be happy to make room for his bivy at Aspire camp.
Trail beta and good food flows freely at Aspire camp at Mowich lake.
By the time Mogavero and I met up during his preliminary run, Bowman’s had been dethroned from his Wonderland FKT record. “[It’s] my claim to fame: set an FKT–it gets broken immediately. I did the Lost Coast, the Loowit, 3 Sisters, all broken just a few days later,” Bowman half laments, half jokes. Just five days after Bowman set a supported record, Tyler Green, a Portland area runner with 12 postings on fastestknowntime.com, dropped Dylan’s time by 18 minutes. This brought the time to beat to 16:40:55.
Preparing for his next day of beta in Aspire’s camp at Mowich Lake, Jeff asserted cautious confidence towards the 10:45/mi average pace required to best Tyler’s new record. We dished him up a plate of spaghetti as a thanks for help schlepping gear and wished him all the speed God could give. Hardly the only person to have his plans interrupted by the unforeseen in 2020, Mogavero eventually had to scrap his FKT attempt due to the thick smoke and fires of mid-September.
On August 26th, two days after Tyler Green reset the overall supported record, Issaquah based runner Kaytlyn Gerbin went out for her own fastest known time attempt on the Wonderland Trail. Something of a legend in the Pacific Northwest, if not beyond, Kaytlyn holds FKT’s on Washington’s Ptarmigan Traverse and the Mt. Rainier Infinity Loop, a course that includes a run of the Wonderland connecting not just one, but two summits of the mountain. “A lot of emotional energy has gone into the mountain in the last few years. Every year, I’m looking for a new style to get on the mountain.” Gerbin shared.
Even with her intimate knowledge and experience on the trail, there’s no getting around the challenge of the terrain the Wonderland presents. Fortunately, the Wonderland doesn’t deal out punishment without ample reward.
“All the sections were pretty hard. I caught sunrise at Golden Lakes, and I love the views of Rainier there. It feels pretty remote. Then coming into Sunrise was an awesome section for me. I had friends who had gone out to take photos and told people in the area what I was doing, so I had a lot of strangers waiting for me to come through and cheering. That was such an empowering moment.”
“I hit a pretty good low up above Panhandle Gap… three-quarters of the way through… you get into some altitude and we had no cloud cover, baking in the sun exposure. I did that section with Alex. We had such strong memories and that helped.” Kaytlyn’s pacer and friend, Alex Borsuk, shares the Ptarmigan Ridge and Rainier Infinity Loop FKT’s with Gerbin, and would set the unsupported women’s record this year on September 10th with a time of 1 day, 1 minute and 26 seconds. Gerbin rolled into Cougar Rock with a 18:41:54 finish, beating the previous female supported record by over 3 hours and posting the 4th fastest time over all.
Looking out from Panhandle Gap at Mt. Adams and the Goat Rocks.
For Gerbin, a personal connection with the mountain was a motivating factor to take on the the FKT. “It was really exciting…everyone has been finding new ways to explore their backyard. Most of the people who went after fastest know time attempts on the Wonderland Trail this year have some personal connection to the landscape,” said Gerbin.
Ryan Montgomery echoed this sentiment. “Growing up around Seattle and seeing the mountain, it calls to you. As a kid my Dad would take us up to Crystal [Mountain Resort], and I got fond of the whole area. I’ve spent half of my time for work in Seattle for the last few years and seeing all the stories coming out from the mountain (this summer), I felt like I needed to be there too, and I might as well do it.”
The toe of the Carbon Glacier at ~3,500′ elevation.
More than a month after Kaytlyn’s run, Montgomery, an Auburn, WA native currently living in Truckee, CA, set off from Cougar Rock after the unsupported FKT record. The unsupported approach comes with the expectation that you will receive no external support. “This means you carry everything you need from start to finish except water from natural sources,” according to FastestKnownTime.com
Montgomery liked the added challenge of running unsupported. ” I have always been intrigued by the unsupported aspect. I’m used to racing 100 miles with aid stations every 8 miles… kush life! I wanted to see what (the unsupported style) was all about. The Wonderland is good to do as an unsupported route… in the PNW there’s a plethora of water sources so I knew that wouldn’t be an issue…The whole day I was connected to the mountain for hydration. It makes you realize how important this mountain is and I feel humbled that I was able to run this hard route.”
The downside of the unsupported approach is the extra weight runners have to carry in nutrition and necessities. “I’m grateful for my weight vest work outs. They definitely helped. After Carbon River I did a lot more hiking than running uphill. But that meant I was able to to really crush the downhills,” Montgomery said. Montgomery set the current unsupported Wonderland FKT at 18:49:11 on October 3rd, the third time that title was handed over this year.
All of these records add up to a lot of time on feet, even at increasingly quick speeds, and yet for some elite runners, spending one day out pushing the limits of FKT attempts on the Wonderland Trail just isn’t enough.
During the final Wonderland trip of the Aspire season, Peter Mortimer rolled into Aspire’s White River campground site in the dark. Mortimer, an Aspire alumni, was 1/3 of his way into an attempt on Ras Vaughn’s (outrageous?) Double Wonderland FKT. Peter rested briefly and talked shop on the upcoming miles before disappearing into the night. That was the last we heard from Mortimer, but a Double Wonderland FKT was posted this year by Christof Tuescher. He spent 3 days, 10 hours, and 50 minutes on the mountain seeing everything there was to see…twice. Remarkably, a triple Wonderland had also been posted by Tuescher this year, with a time of 5 days, 11 hours, and 49 seconds. Tuescher’s FKT athlete page reveals 25 records, including self-supported Pacific Crest Trail through WA record, that was reset this year by Jonathan Thomas, and numerous other multi-day efforts around the mountain West.
Is this Wonderland record game a fluke or a sign of the times?
Wildflowers and glaciers shown on Emerald Ridge
Last year, runners set about 700 Fastest Known Times. This year, nearly four times as many new FKTs have been recorded and posted to fastestknowntime.com. Maybe it’s the weeks of being cooped up at home or the desire to feel connected to community in some way, that has made 2020 special. It could be the canceled races forcing people into racing against times instead of bodies. Or perhaps it’s just a sign of the increasing popularity of a sport once deemed only for the crazy or genetic marvels.
“My 2020 goal was to be podium at Western and top 10 at UTMB. That didn’t happen, but I still felt like I needed a goal where I could say ‘I’m still here’,” Montgomery weighs in. “I think races will be coming back and that will inherently limit FKT attempts, but I think everyone has realized what FKT’s are and that traction won’t go away. The press and content… so many people have thought ‘I need to run that next year’.”
For Mogavero’s part, the mountain now holds a piece of him he plans to return to retrieve. “I put so much time, effort, and mental energy into that trail this fall. It’s all I thought about every single day for a month. I ran it again and again in my head falling asleep. I feel very motivated to get back to (the Wonderland) Trail.”
The allure of hitting the dirt in wild places and pushing one’s physical and mental boundaries is at the core of trail running. Fastest known time records are only one way that trail running is developing as a sport.
“I hope one of the things that sticks is people exploring locally. I see myself going out for some more FKT’s in the future but I will balance that out with routes that are fun. I hope people will not get to sucked up in the numbers and go enjoy the mountains,” shared Gerbin.
Regardless of the why, it’s clear 2020 has meant more time connecting with wilderness. Trail runners are pushing boundaries well past where they were before. Rest assured, the Aspire crew will be there next year, ready with beta for anyone feeling called to run through the forests, meadows and alpine splendor of the Wonderland Trail.
Curiosity piqued?Check out the Wonderland FKT boards.
AspireAdventure Running runs 3 day stage trips on the Wonderland Trail through the month of August. Get into the details on incredible food, big mountain days and real running community on Mt. Rainier.
Trent Banks is a mountain rambler, a disc jockey, and father of two daughters, based out of Bellingham, WA. He joined the Aspire crew in 2018. You can find him playing clubs and livestreaming DJ sets, working aid stations at races across the Pacific Northwest, and guiding trips with the rest of the Aspire team. Listen to his Spirit Ventures DJ mix series, inspired by and made for trail running.
After months of uncertainty, we’ve gotten permission from the North Cascades and Mt. Rainier National Parks, and the Mt. Baker National Forest to operate trips this year. We’ve written pages of protocols, revamped our systems to mitigate the risks associated with Covid-19, and issued thousands of dollars in refunds and credits. Now in the middle of a global pandemic, after spending so much attention on the question of “can” we operate, we’ve also had to confront the question of “Should we?“
Summit of Ruby Mountain, Day 2 of the Desolation Duo
All wilderness and backcountry pursuits rest on the premise that while we can mitigate risk, we can never eliminate it. This time honored fact, has application in the COVID era. With complete respect to those making the valid decisions postponing their runs, races, and travel plans this year, we are also keenly aware that we can’t all stay isolated indefinitely. In the middle of this dilemma, we are honestly asking, “What does Aspire and running in the mountains have to offer that is vital against such an overwhelming and unfortunate situation like a global pandemic”?
Runners wrapping 3 Days of Sun and Beach on Sucia Island
The more we’ve thought about it, the more we realize that the answer is “quite a lot, actually.” Aspire offers more than backcountry runs in epic places. In the context of this pandemic, our trips offer a much needed opportunity to reconnect: to nature, to each other, and to experience ‘play’ again. Risk is present in every aspect of our lives. Between the old “normal” of races, concerts, and dance parties and the months we’ve spent sheltering in place, we have to forge a new reality. That reality must balance the social/civil responsibilities to reduce infection with what it means to express ourselves as living, breathing, loving human beings that share a deep connection with others and with the natural world.
Small Group Travel, Headed up to Ruby Mountain
We could all run alone, and many of us have taken on our own self supported or virtual projects this spring and summer. However, despite being well intended and worthy projects, these pursuits cannot replace the human experience that comes from participating together, in real time and in real spaces. The pursuit of hard and challenging goals as a community creates bonds and connections between humans that are particularly rich. These experiences become vehicles that inspire deep mental clarity and focus, and result in a more grounded and self aware orientation in the world. More than ever, we need experiences that build bridges between people and disrupt the isolation and virtual worlds we’ve been operating in.
Eagle Cliff, The BEST Sunset View in all of the San Juan Islands
In many ways Aspire’s outdoor, small group, deep wilderness and backcountry trips are ideal for a covid world. Social distancing in wilderness is pretty straightforward, outdoor transmissions remain low to non-existent, and small groups are simply easier to manage than large ones.
Getting in the Views on Desolation Peak
We believe that offering small group excursions into the wilderness, is actually the optimal model for safely and responsibly revitalizing our communities. We decided that if there is any way that we can give our community something to look forward to, to train for, to achieve together, and to share in a way that clearly mitigates risk, we should do it. Certainly, we’ve changed our model to take every possible precaution against the pandemic.
Headed to South Beach on Cypress Island
As runners, we are all keenly aware of how important physical health is. We also recognize that we need to take care of our spiritual and emotional health. At this point, we are excited to be several trips into our summer season, reconnecting to the core of what we’re all about: awesome places, awesome challenges, and most importantly, awesome people. We believe that when you put those three things together, you get something back that’s bigger than the mountains, lasts longer than a hundred miles, and inspires us all to be a little more awesome.
“Who goes on Aspire trips?” It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails. We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with a series of Aspire trail runner profiles. We enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!
Kristin Gablehouse and her pup
Meet Kristin Gablehouse Hometown: Lafayette, CO Age: 42 Day job: Veterinarian Aspire trip(s) run: Wonderland Trail
First off, what’s your pups name? Kili, Kili Monster, or just Monster depending on the day. It is short for Achilles if you ask my husband, but short for Kilian (Jornet) if you ask me. Sadly he didn’t quite inherit his namesake’s endurance and maxes out at 10-12 miles. He makes up for it in cuteness.
Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences? I grew up backpacking with my family. As soon as I could walk I carried my own diapers in a backpack. High school cross country is when I first found a love for running, and it wasn’t until my late 20s when I began trail running. Back in 2011, I started running ultramarathons, and have since run several 100 mile trail ultramarathons. For me the races are just an excuse to put in hours of training and spend all weekend roaming through the mountains.
What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip? How were they resolved? My biggest concern going into the trip were the water crossings. I sustained a traumatic brain injury in 2015 and still have a lot of vertigo. Crossing a log bridge with water rushing underneath is far more daunting than standing at the starting line of a 100 mile ultramarathon.
How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how? This can be answered in terms of fitness and/or gear. The trip was part of a big training week for a fall 100 miler, so I really didn’t change anything. I was already doing 60-70 mile training weeks at that point.
What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip? Everyone was out there for different reasons, and we had a variety of fitness levels and speeds. Some folks were more social than others, but everyone was supportive.
What was the most difficult moment and/or a surprising episode from your trip? The Tahoma Creek suspension bridge on day 1 was very difficult for me. I had to stop for 10 minutes once I got across so I could stop shaking and get my heart rate back down.
What info/advice/thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip? This could be related specifically to a trip you’ve participated in or around your Aspire experience as a whole. I would recommend training and preparing like you would for a race, so you can enjoy the trip as much as possible. You can get by with less training, but if you want less suffering and more vacation, train more. The heated dining tent, hot showers, and amazing food was far beyond anything I had expected.
Kristin shares her in-depth account of her experience running the Wonderland Trail with Aspire in a post on her blog, TBIto100miles. Check it out for more details!
Mt. Rainer is an icon of the Pacific Northwest. A looming 14,410’ mass of rock and ice rising up from the sea in an immense display of majestic beauty. Less obvious is the thin ribbon of trail circling the mountain: the Wonderland. The trail hugs the mountain’s glaciated flanks, weaves through ancient forests, flows through flower-filled meadows, and climbs the many ridges cut by Rainier’s glaciers and rivers. Ninety-three miles long and rising and falling for 21,810’, this trail is easily on the shortlist of the world’s most inspiring footpaths.
Mt. Rainier National Park and the Wonderland Trail has long been heralded as a backpacking destination and every year hundreds of pack-laden hikers spend close to 2 weeks in orbit around the mountain. This is by far the most popular approach, but increasingly the Wonderland trail has been exercising its own gravitational pull on the ultra running community.
Ryan Ghelfi of Ashland OR, currently holds the record for the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the trail (2019), an 18 hour, 27 minute, and 42 second sprint. This record amounts to an average pace of just over 12-minute miles for nearly 19 straight hours. This kind of time or for that matter, any single 93-mile push is remarkable and generally reserved for the elite and/or very determined runner. However, between the extremes of the long slog and the relentless sprint there is the increasingly popular, reasonably accessible, and genuinely adventurous 3-day supported circumnavigation.
The elevation profile for the Wonderland Trail is a jagged saw blade. A line cut by glaciers advancing and retreating over centuries and carving pattern of deep valleys divided by ridgelines on every aspect of the mountain. Atop each ridge an unobstructed mountain view awaits and in each valley lies a ribbon of river melting out from the icy flanks of the mountain. Between them are old growth forests, meadows of wildflowers, cascading creeks, and lots of switchbacks.
Here’s what to expect when running the Wonderland trail with Aspire:
Day 1: Longmire to Mowich Lake (34 Miles, Elevation Gain/Loss +9,755/-7,600)
This section of the Wonderland is the longest and most remote push between campgrounds. We favor attacking this section with fresh legs. It’s a humbling and tone-setting day that consists of 5 significant climbs and long sections of downhill.
Hallmarks of the day are:
Views of the Tahoma GlacierSwimming in St. Andrew’s LakeCrossing the South Mowich River
A fast runner could cover the distance in 8 hours. 12 hours is very common. 14 hours is not unreasonable. The longest we’ve had a runner out there was 18.5 hours. It’s not a day to push super hard. Find an uphill pace that can be sustained, a downhill flow that won’t result in twisted ankles, and pause for pictures at every high point.
Camp is at Mowich Lake. 2,300’ up from the South Mowich River, by far this is the remotest front country campground in the park. The Aspire tent, generally a glow in the evening light, is distinct from the small enclave of backpacker tents. A feast is waiting, a hot shower, and a well deserved rest after a long day.
Day 2: Mowich Lake to White River (26 Miles, Elevation +5,871’ / -5,900’)
Waking up at Mowich Lake, one is immediately aware of their sore legs and the fact that this only one third of the way into the trip. The key is to eat a good breakfast, ignore the soreness, and to start moving. The body is wise and inevitably the aches felt in the first few miles of trail melt into the rhythm of movement and the beauty of the surroundings.
On the day’s agenda is:
The Carbon River Suspension Bridge
Lunch in the Mystic Lake valleySkyscraper Pass
Day two, we usually see runner come in between 6-10 hours. This is the short day of the trip. We celebrate in camp with a bonfire, burgers, and a dutch oven crisp.
Day 3: White River to Longmire, 32 Miles, Elevation +6,800’/ -5,900’
If waking up on day 3 of a Wonderland the thought of with 31 miles still ahead doesn’t make you question your capacity/sanity, you are superhuman. The mere mortals among us can take comfort in the promise of at least hike/hobbling through some pretty spectacular views. This last day is the crux day, and it’s divided into two halves. The first 20 miles connects White River to Box Canyon. Arguably, this is the most scenic section of the entire Wonderland loop.
SummerlandPanhandle GapIndian BarCowlitz divide
At Box Canyon, the Wonderland Trail touches asphalt for the second time in 83 miles. Road access equals aid. Cold drinks, watermelon and replenishing salts accompany the motivational mojo to finish.
The last 12 miles from Box Canyon back to Longmire are separated by one last climb, a few waterfalls, and more encounters with humans than every other mile of the trail combined. The trail doesn’t lack in beauty, but compared to what’s been accomplished and the relatively few miles remaining, the mission is to finish.
Reflection lakes
The last six miles of trail from Reflection Lakes to Longmire are literally, with a few minor exceptions, all down hill. The trail widens, the downhill grade softens and barring any debilitating pain it’s somehow easy to open up the stride and really run the last few miles to Longmire.
At the finish are there aren’t any rachous crowds or chintzy medallions. The fanfare of finishing are simply the good eats, cold beverages, and friends who’ve been there throughout the entire journey.
Sign up to run the Wonderland with Aspire in 2020. View dates and learn more here.
