Right now, we’re planning what to take, what not to take, what to see, what not to see (most interesting spots at the top of the list, stuff at the bottom of the list eliminated based on time limits), and ideal schedule. The final schedule will be determined only the day before the hike when we talk to the officials.

Unfortunately, crosscountry camping is permitted only for those hiking less than two thirds of the Wonderland Trail. There are two primary ways to camp when hiking in Mount Rainier National Park. First, and most common, is simply to use the backcountry camps scattered throughout the park. These have nice, clean, flat areas in which to pitch your tent, a natural john (i.e., pit toilet), bear poles (for storing food), and a nearby water source. Another option is crosscountry camping, where you can camp off the beaten path. In the past, hikers have abused the rules and now the rest of us get to pay for it. Crosscountry camping requires camping at least ¼ mile from the trail and 100 feet from any water source. Hikers who were hiking the Wonderland Trail in the past apparently were too tired to hike another ¼ mile and so got in the habit of camping right off the main trail or too near water sources. Now, crosscountry camping is allowed only for hikers on shorter hikes. This is a big disappointment as there were a few spots in particular where I wanted to camp (e.g., the plateau just below Pyramid Peak), but now won’t be able to.

Through research on the Internet, reading books, and talking to friends, I am trying to determine what kind of food to take (and how much), how much fuel to take, what clothing to take, and what kind of clothing to leave behind. This question is a tricky one because the weather around Mount Rainier can change rapidly. It can be sunny one moment and begin to rain or snow in short order. If the forecast a few days before we are to leave looks iffy, we'll probably take some heavier clothing and more rain gear. If the forecast is rock solid, we'll probably go lighter with less protection against harsh weather.

To-do list

• Buy 2 five-gallon buckets (or similar storage containers) for re-supply
• Buy freeze dried food (≈26) ü
• Buy hot chocolate packets (≈26) ü
• Buy instant oatmeal packets—Jay's breakfast (≈26) ü
• Buy cream of wheat packets—Matt's breakfast (≈26)
• Buy 2 additional water bottles ü
• Titanium cookware ü
• Fuel canisters ü
• Test stove ü
• Get extra lighter
• Get water filter in good working order ü

Matt's pack-buying experience—08/05/2005
(Matt is carrying all the freeze dried food! [Jay])

After talking with an REI product assistant (Brandon), I decided to order two different packs to try out. I gave him the essential dimensions for choosing a pack, and I told him how long we planned to be out before obtaining new supplies.

Torso Length: 17.5" to 18.5"
Hip Length: 29.5" to 30.0"
Height: 5' 9''
Weight: 130 lb.

Brandon at first suggested I try the REI Mars Pack; he gave me the item number so I could check it out while talking to him.

I then asked him what he thought about the Gregory Whitney Pack. He said that was a good one, and that he was about to suggest a Gregory pack next.
I told him that I was advised to get a pack with easy access pockets on the sides, which this model provides.

I then asked if there were any others he might suggest. He suggested the Gregory Palisade Pack.

He then suggested I buy two of them to try them on, and return the other when I got to Seattle. I asked which two he thought I should check out. He recommended the REI Mars and Gregory Whitney, since the Gregory Palisade did not really have any extra side pockets.

I told him I would take him up on his suggestion. I then asked him which size I should get, taking into account my dimensions. At first, he suggested the REI Mars in LARGE, and the Gregory Whitney in Medium. I then told him my weight, and that I was smaller than average, and I wanted to make sure that he still felt that LARGE was an appropriate size for the first pack. He changed his mind, and suggested I get both in MEDIUM.

I also ordered a large REI Duck's Back Rain Cover and a Medium REI accessory pocket.

Communications between Matt and me, for your edification—

08/03/2005—e-mail to Matt

• I think I told you that I bought a new sleeping bag. You can use my old one if you want. It’s not bad. Not too big and heavy. It’s synthetic.
• What are you bringing? What are you planning on buying here? It would be good for me to know. It might help with the planning. Some of what you need, I might be able to get for you ahead of time…like the sleeping bag, a backpack, etc.
• I’ll plan on having food all lined up before you get here. I’m going to get freeze dried food for our dinners. They’re not cheap, but I think it will be worth it at the end of each long, hard day. What are your preferences? You can see them all on Rei’s website. I’ll probably get a variety for myself, such as beef, chicken, Mexican, and pasta. Are those okay with you?
• Should I pick up a couple extra water bottles for you? There’s probably no point in bringing those. If I buy a couple extras for you, I’ll probably just keep them. I don’t mind having extras, and you probably don’t want to bother carrying them back with you. Let me know.
• I just got a couple two-way radios that we can take with us to chat if we’re apart for a bit. Should be fun.
• I’ve got the tent (REI Half Dome)
• You might want a small pillow and you will definitely want a sleeping pad. I could probably borrow a pad for you. Let me know.
• Start making a list of what you have, what you want to buy for yourself there in Florida, what you want to buy for yourself after you get here, and what you want to borrow, or have me borrow for you. That’s something I should get on top of right away.

08/04/2005—Matt's response

• Your choice of food sounds good to me.
• I will try to get a list ready this weekend.
• Your water bottle idea sounds okay with me. I usually buy bottled water here, so I don't really need a water bottle.
• I plan on buying the backpack and sleeping bag; however, I was told by an experienced hiker that I should try on the backpack, or have one fitted for me, since my frame is smaller than the average man.
• Also, I was advised that we could take some good food the first night, by freezing it in zip-loc bags. That way, we could have steak, chicken, or spaghetti the first night.

08/08/2005—e-mail to Matt

Got all the freeze dried food, hot chocolate, oatmeal, and a container of lemonade mix last night. I also got titanium cookware, titanium fork/spoon (already have lexan fork/spoon), two water bottles, and fuel (4x). We’ll go to Fred Meyer when you get here and you can pick out whatever cream of wheat you like.

We’ll start with two fuel canisters, and pick up one at each re-supply stop. We’ll also re-supply freeze dried dinners, oatmeal, cream of wheat, and other food.

I was going to get three containers of drink mix (e.g., Cool Aid), but thought that it was silly to carry all that extra weight, even if we could leave one at each re-supply stop. I think we should just leave the one at the first re-supply stop. That way, we can enjoy a little variety in the middle part of the hike.

I already have my water bottles, so the two new ones are yours.

I was thinking about getting a new water filtration system, but decided that it would be a waste of money. I’ve got a good one already (MSR WaterWorks), so we’ll just use that, with iodine tablets for particularly nasty looking water.

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