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Stumbled on the actual mileage for the Wonderland Trail and now I question every guidebook
I was planning a July loop of the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier and checked the official NPS map. It lists 93 miles, but every trail guide I have says 96. I measured my own GPS tracks from a buddy who did it last year and he logged 94.7 miles. Which number do you trust when you're packing food for a week, the park service or the guidebooks?
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king.aaron1mo ago
Did your buddy stop at the ranger stations or hit every side trail like the spur to Mystic Lake? That could easily account for the 2 mile gap between the official map and his track. I'd pack food for the biggest number you see, personally, because running short on day six is a lot worse than carrying an extra bar. But honestly, if you're doing it in July, the water sources are reliable enough that you can trim weight there instead of stressing over a mile or two.
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