Wonderland Trail - soil compaction at backcountry campsites

[JEB]

What is for me the greatest advantage of hammock hiking -- being able to set up your shelter almost anywhere -- doesn't apply in the National Parks, where you must camp at designated backcountry campsites. But getting off the ground can be extra important at these campsites, since heavy use has often compacted the soil so badly that an impermeable depression is formed that can fill up with several inches of water (enough to overtop the "bathtub floor" of a tent) when it rains hard. Then you really could be in a (filled) bathtub, along with your sleeping gear.

I prefer a hammock, my GF prefers a tent, and we are hiking the Wonderland trail this summer (if we get a permit). I'm hoping to get some info/advice from folks on this forum concerning compaction of soil at backcountry campsites on the Wonderland Trail. Is it so bad that I should convince my GF to go with a hammock?

Can I make an honest, legitimate case that she stands a good chance of getting soaked if she sticks with her tent?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

[Starchild]

AT thru hiker during some very rainy weather, and why what you say could be a problem if one selects a poor site, basically it's a non-issue. Tenting nice and dry in some of the wettest weather on highly compacted soil.

[Feral Bill]

It's not a non-issue at Mount Rainier. You get the site you are assigned. I'm bringing a hammock to the Wonderland Trail this year due to a very soggy night at Devils Dream Camp some years ago. This assuming my I get my trip from NPS.

[Shutterbug]

What is for me the greatest advantage of hammock hiking -- being able to set up your shelter almost anywhere -- doesn't apply in the National Parks, where you must camp at designated backcountry campsites. But getting off the ground can be extra important at these campsites, since heavy use has often compacted the soil so badly that an impermeable depression is formed that can fill up with several inches of water (enough to overtop the "bathtub floor" of a tent) when it rains hard. Then you really could be in a (filled) bathtub, along with your sleeping gear.

I prefer a hammock, my GF prefers a tent, and we are hiking the Wonderland trail this summer (if we get a permit). I'm hoping to get some info/advice from folks on this forum concerning compaction of soil at backcountry campsites on the Wonderland Trail. Is it so bad that I should convince my GF to go with a hammock?

Can I make an honest, legitimate case that she stands a good chance of getting soaked if she sticks with her tent?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

Compaction isn't an issue. On the Wonderland Trail, you will have preassigned camps, but the individual tent sites within each camp are on a "first come" basis. When I first started hiking the Wonderland about 15 years ago, I used a tent. The I used a hammock. For the past couple of years, I have used a bivy. Each has an advantage.

The advantage of a using a tent is that it will work at every camp. Most of the tent sites have room for up to three tents. I have camped in heavy rain several times and have never experienced a problem with water pooling in a tent site.

I love hammock camping; however some of the camps don't have trees that will work for a hammock -- the trees are too far apart. When I have taken a hammock, I have always figured out a way to make it work, but sometimes I have had to get creative.

In the last couple of years, I have switched to using a bivy. The advantage of a bivy is the light weight. The primary disadvantage is getting into or out of the bivy in a rain storm without getting the sleeping bag wet. Again, one just has to be creative.

Bottom line -- the only reason to not use a tent for the Wonderland Trail is weight.

[Dogwood]

Can I make an honest, legitimate case that she stands a good chance of getting soaked if she sticks with her tent?"

No, not if she has a decent WP tent and some rudimentary campsite selection knowledge that incorporates the "science" :rolleyes: of not setting up in a depression or down stream in line of where water tends to flow in heavy rain. And, as Shutterbug stated, which I was hoping he would on this thread, designated WT campsites are mostly really camping areas where multiple groups can select a site so you do have some options of specific campsite selection.


FWIW, I tarped and bivied in the early fall with a oversized spinnaker tarp for slightly greater coverage on the WT through three nights and one all day steady heavy drip always staying dry.

[Feral Bill]

I wouldn't discount the possibility of getting last choice of campsites at some time. I hope my one bad experience was a fluke.

[Malto]

No, I hiked with three other hikers last year. We all had tarps and it was pissing down rain. None of us got wet at all.

[Shutterbug]

Feral Bill, In my opinion Devil's Dream is the worst camp site on the Wonderland Trail. One time I told the Ranger my opinion and he said with a smile, "When there is someone we don't like, we always assign them to Devil's Dream." I have had several unpleasant experiences at Devil's Dream, but I often choose to stay there because I like to hike through Indian Henry's Hunting Grounds early in the morning. Devil's Dream is the closest camp site. Hiking north out of Devil's Dream is one of my favorite parts of the Wonderland Trail.

[Shutterbug]

It's not a non-issue at Mount Rainier. You get the site you are assigned. I'm bringing a hammock to the Wonderland Trail this year due to a very soggy night at Devils Dream Camp some years ago. This assuming my I get my trip from NPS.

Feral Bill, based on my experience there are only a few camp sites where one might have a problem staying dry. You mentioned Devil's Dream. Another one that is damp is Mowich River. The third is Dick Creek. Dick Creek has only two tent sites. One is ok, but the other could pond.

Some of the tent sites at Eagle Roost (alternate route) may be soggy. I have never camped there, but I stopped by to check out the sites.

I can't think of any other camp site where standing water might be a problem.

[Feral Bill]

I've stayed at Devils Dream twice. The first time my daughter and I were eaten alive, the next time my daughter, son, MIL and I were flooded. I specifically asked to not camp there on my itinerary for this September. Eagles Roost I like. I'll see how it goes. I'll hammock where I can, regardless.

[Shutterbug]

I've stayed at Devils Dream twice. The first time my daughter and I were eaten alive, the next time my daughter, son, MIL and I were flooded. I specifically asked to not camp there on my itinerary for this September. Eagles Roost I like. I'll see how it goes. I'll hammock where I can, regardless.

I have traveled all over the world and I have never seen a worse place for mosquitoes than Devil's Dream. The last time I stayed there they were so bad I couldn't stay out of my hammock to eat. I crawled in the hammock and closed it up. It still took about 20 minutes to clear the hammock of mosquitoes. It isn't always that bad, but it can be awful.

There is one other camp site that is sometimes used for those hiking the Wonderland Trail that has a lot of mosquitoes -- Olollie Creek. I have only stayed there once and got eaten up.

[Shutterbug]

Deleted duplicate

[Dogwood]

Is there a narrow season when the skeeters are at their height on the WT?

[HeartFire]

Shutterbug posted this elsewhere - but worth copying here- no reservations this yar - could prove to be interesting.


https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/2016-wilderness-camping.htm

[RockDoc]

I thought the whole west side, from Devil's Dream to Mowich Lake was one big mosquito ranch, best to pass through as fast as possible. Felt sorry for those who were spending about four days hiking that side.

[Feral Bill]

Shutterbug posted this elsewhere - but worth copying here- no reservations this yar - could prove to be interesting.


https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/2016-wilderness-camping.htm

I just sent in my itinerary a few days ago. No mention on MORA's site at the time. Very weird, but I'm going in the fall so it should be okay.

[Shutterbug]

Is there a narrow season when the skeeters are at their height on the WT? Spring and early summer -- right after the snow has melted. The bugs tend to follow the snow melt.

I usually hike the Wonderland after mid-August. The bugs are not nearly as bad. No bugs at all in September.