Paul Peak, Wonderland Trail - Mowich to Longmire, Mowich River, Sunset Park and Golden Lakes, Wonderland Trail, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake & Spray Park — Friday, Jun. 26, 2020

I will put the details of my awesome hike a little further down but wanted to put in some important early season info and road trailhead status as it was a little scarce in my research before heading up to the area. The road alerts for hikes in this area are currently wrong/incomplete. Mowich Rd is open but still has winter gate closed 5 miles from the Mowich Lake CG.  Carbon River Road is open up to right before the trailhead where it washed out and there are now porta potties at the barricade and people park on the road and walk the extra 100 feet or so to TH. Paul Peak TH parking and facilities open.  My feet touched Paul Peak trail, Wonderland from South Mowich to Mowich Lake and the Mowich Rd past the gate closure.  Other headings I added, particularly Tolmie Lookout because I think there are people driving up that think it is summer conditions up here which it is not.

Mowich road is open, clear and overall good except for a few intense pothole sections up to the Paul Peak Trailhead. All types of cars (I saw a minicooper) were making it fine, some just going slow. The winter gate is still closed, blocking the last 5 miles of road to Mowich Lake campground because about 2.5 miles further it is still totally snow covered. The Paul Peak Trailhead parking area is open, restrooms are open, clean and stocked, and there are trash cans and picknick tables. There is about 4-6 feet of snow at Mowich Lake and 2-3 feet of snow most places on the last 3/4 mile of Wonderland leading up to it. Consistent snow is at 4500-4600 feet in this area. You will have to hike uphill on 2.5 miles of snow vis the road just to Mowich Lake if that is your goal, let alone a hike further on such as Tolmie which is even higher elevation. If you don’t mind a long hard slog over slushy but still deep snow then maybe you want to try it. If you want a nice dry, beautiful day on Rainier trails consider an out and back on Paul Peak down to the Mowich River.

I planned to do this as a hike/trail run last minute as the day turned out nice and I was getting off an overnight shift in Puyallup (and had gotten a good long nap) so was already nearby. Was not as prepared as I usually would be (would have brought my collapsible poles) but did have water filter, my in reach for emergencies and maps of the area loaded on my phone. I knew there was snow at the lake and some snow leading up on my route thanks to the National Park Backcountry report but said 10 % and mostly at lake. I did Paul Peak Trail down to the Wonderland, took that to South Mowich Crossing and then back up on Wonderland to Mowich Lake and looped back on Mowich lake rd to Paul Peak TH.

Paul Peak trail was good condition and had some really neat views of Ranier and the Mowich River on the way down. Went past the intersection of the Wonderland on to South Mowich Campground (bridge across N. Mowich in, campground all set with pole and open outhouse) and the further down to the South Mowich River to see if you could cross. The NP report said bridge out and you must navigate 3 channels on various trees. I crossed 2 channels but could not find a safe way across the last, did not try for super long, explored the river area upstream a little more then turned around. 
Was a little ambivalent about trying to loop up to the lake or just go back the way I came. I am a sucker for a loop hike so chose the latter, thinking even though it was longer it would be an easy last five miles of downhill road I could run. The right choice in not to do the loop unless you want adventure, challenge and about 3 plus miles of exhausting travel over still deep spring condition snow. Snow started about 2.25 miles up from the intersection with Paul Peak trail. This was about 4600 ft. Went from no snow to consistent rapidly on approaching the crossing of Crater creek. I grabbed a stick I found and used it as a hiking pole to help in the snow. Crater Creek is massive, there are two log bridges to cross but the trail between is free flowing creek, not dangerous to cross but plan on wet feet that will have to plunge back into hiking in snow once you get across. Little break in snow for few hundred feet but it got consistent again as it approached the intersection with Spray Park trail. Could see the sign at the intersection but the last 1/4 mile from there to the campground was the deepest snow yet. When I emerged victoriously at the  campground I found 4-6 feet of snow, could barely see the lake as it is mostly snow covered (at least from the vantage from the road) and didn’t explore much because I realized there would be no easy road running anytime soon. Road was entirely snow covered 3-4 feet until 2 miles down. I figured out a way to kind of slide jog once it was a little firmer and downhill past the lake but it used a lot of energy. Would imagine it is a ton of work hiking up. Breaks in the snow after that but still quite a lot, didn’t really get clear road to run on till 2.5 miles down and at an elevation below 4500 ft. Rest of run on road was easy and road was in great shape. Really neat day, none of the snow dangerous to cross just worried I was going to tire out. Overall took a little less than 5 hours, will link the route on Strava below. Nice reminder about how late summer comes to the high country up here, can’t wait to return later this year when winter is really gone.

More Information on this Trip Report

• https://www.strava.com/activities/3676307148