One Best Hike: Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail. Doug Lorain

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      Mountain goats on snowfield south of Panhandle Gap

      Large mammals that inhabit the park include Roosevelt elk (which are most often seen in the meadows in the eastern part of the park), black bears, coyotes, and mountain goats. The last species prefers high-elevation crags, snowfields, and ridges and is most commonly seen by Wonderland Trail hikers on Emerald Ridge, Goat Island Mountain, and Skyscraper Mountain, and near Panhandle Gap. A partial listing of some of the rarely seen mammals in the park includes river otters, mountain lions, bobcats, northern flying squirrels, and striped skunks.

WEATHER

      Apart from a possible illness or injury along the way, nothing will affect your comfort and enjoyment of the Wonderland Trail more than the weather.

      As is true throughout the Pacific Northwest, the weather on Mount Rainier is primarily influenced by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the string of moisture-laden storms that roll in off that enormous body of water throughout much of the year. During the rainy season, which normally runs about October–May but which occasionally lasts all summer, a seemingly endless series of storms hit the region, usually following a northwest to southeast track. Some of the moisture is extracted by the Olympic Mountains to the west, but there is still plenty of water left by the time the clouds reach the area. The enormous topographic relief of the mountain forces the clouds to climb, and the process progressively squeezes out more precipitation. Thus, at lower elevations on the mountain, the average annual precipitation ranges from “only” 60–80 inches, while at higher elevations that number climbs to 100 inches or more. After passing over the mountain the clouds have lost much of their moisture, which places the east side of Mount Rainier around Sunrise or Summerland in the rain shadow, or more accurately around here the “snow shadow.” As a result, these areas are somewhat drier than the west side, though they are still a long way from arid. By the time the storms have made their way over the entire Cascade Range and are passing over central Washington, so much of the water has been extracted that the area is a semidesert with only 15 inches or so of annual precipitation.

      During the long winters, the vast majority of precipitation falls as snow, and for a significant percentage of the year all or almost all of Mount Rainier National Park is covered with snow. Fortunately, that is not when you will (or at least should) be hiking the Wonderland Trail. So while it is interesting that Paradise is considered the snowiest place on Earth (at least among locations where snow is regularly measured), with a staggering annual average of more than 50 feet, this really affects you only when considering how long into the season it will take for the previous winter’s snowpack to melt off the trail.

      During the summer months, when rational people hike the trail, the weather is a lot more benign. But that is not to say that you should plan on it being 60–70ºF and sunny every day of your hike. In fact, the chances of that happening for the 10–14 days that it takes to complete the trip are just about zero. Even in July and August (generally the best weather months) hail, snow, high winds, fog, blizzards, and especially rain can and do occur, and hikers must be prepared to face these elements. Quality raingear and a good tent are absolute necessities. Attempting the trail without these is a recipe for a great deal of discomfort and possibly disaster. The usual late July or August day on the mountain is partly sunny with a high of 60–75ºF, lows in the 40s, and a light breeze or wind, especially at higher elevations. This sounds (and is) very pleasant. Unfortunately, mountain weather in general, and on Mount Rainier in particular, is unpredictable. A clear sky can turn into clouds and rain or even snow in a remarkably short period of time. Check the weather forecasts and watch the skies carefully so you are prepared for what is coming.

      Thunderstorms, though not nearly as common on Mount Rainier as they are in places such as the southern Rocky Mountains, should be expected from time to time during the summer. If you see a thunderstorm developing, and especially if you see lightning, do not leave the lowlands and climb into the high country. Instead, wait down in the forest for the storm to pass before beginning your ascent. If you find yourself already in the high country when a thunderstorm comes along, then get off that open ridgetop and hightail it back down into forested terrain. Very few areas along the Wonderland Trail remain above timberline for so long that you couldn’t simply pick up the pace for a while and find yourself back down in the relative safety of the forest. Typically, thunderstorms last for only an hour or two and then you can resume your trek.