Wonderland Trail, Carbon River to Ipsut Falls — Sunday, Jul. 16, 2000

Mount Rainier Area

Four Leave No Trace certified scouts and three adults departed Ipsut Campground for a loop hike to Mowich Lake. Road conditions are great and we had reservations for the Cataract Camp Groupsite for 7/15 and paid our entrance fees. ($40 total) The North Carbon River Crossing is back IN, so we took the Carbon River trail loop across the North Crossing on logs and then back across the Suspension bridge. We recommend keeping your weight in the middle and enjoy the views of the glacier and the river far below. This bridge is not for the faint of heart! Avalanche lilies are in bloom everywhere. We were ready to see Cataract Camp after the switchbacks uphill. There is still some snow at the campsite, but all 6 individual sites and the group site are useable. The composting toilet has a great view. Day 1 mileage 5.2, elevation gain 2200 feet. We proceeded up the trail on Sunday morning the 16th. Don't miss the waterfall just off the trail above the camp. We began to encounter more snow after 5000 ft. When in the Marmot Creek valley, don't trust all the tracks in the snow, they deviate from the trail. We used our maps and compasses to stay on route. Watch for cairns and rocks with yellow or red paint. We encountered a couple from Michigan who said they had been lost for five days in that vicinity. (!) Think ahead about water between Cataract and Spray Falls. We used ice axes several times to cross steep snowfields and had a great time practicing our self-arrest skills on a safe slope. The parks are gorgeous and the view outstanding. We recommend the side trail to Spray Falls for a well deserved splash after the hard work of the day. The scouts also enjoyed the view from Eagle Cliff. We spent an entire day traveling from Cataract Camp to Mowich Lake. Day 2: 6.8 miles, Elevation gain 1800 feet, drop 1500 feet. The road to Mowich is still closed, which meant we had the campground all to ourselves. The lake is great, but we didn't enjoy the ""fascist mosquitos."" The campground is basically a big parking lot. The ranger informed us that there is great fishing in the center of the lake. We woke to elk bugling and packed up for our hike back to Ipsut campground via Ipsut Pass. The pass is a notch in basalt cliffs followed by steep switchbacks through a brushy meadow. There is one steep snowfield below the pass as described in earlier reports. We used ice axes. Others have unfortunately gone off the trail and cut a steep path which is eroding rapidly. We saw marmots here. Several waterfalls make excellent resting places. Day 3: 5 miles, climb 300 feet, drop 2800 feet. The Stanley map of the area near Ipsut campground is misleading. There is only one trailhead out of the camp and about .4 mi in a very short spur trail to the right will give you a view of Ipsut Falls. A little farther down the trail is the junction of the two options of the Wonderland Trail route--either to Mowich via Ipsut or Mowich via Spray Park. The former is easier and recommended for those without excellent trail location skills.