For some reason I’m quite excited about hiking the Wonderland this year (#33). Perhaps it’s because I’ve been working hard on getting in shape; not that I haven’t been dutiful in working out over the last 40 years, but because in retirement I can leisurely crank out pushups, do core exercises and attend to shoulders, quads, lats, pecs, delts….all that muscle stuff. Then spend an hour or more on stretching. On outside days I can run the Falcon Trail (13 miles), bike from 30 to 70 miles, or punish my legs on the 314 step Mini Incline at the Air Force Academy. I have a consistent schedule and get plenty of sleep. Covid is hopefully being reined in and my wife, myself and our family and friends have all been vaccinated. With this in mind I depart Colorado the middle of May and make my way back to the PNW.

However, hiking opportunities may be compressed this season. My wife and I are hoping to travel abroad the end of August, not returning until the end of October. The Cascades have seen an abundance of snow, and the Wonderland will probably still have snow to contend with well into July (and beyond in the usual places like Panhandle Gap). My daughter and I are hiking the High Sierra Trail beginning of August so one can see my hiking opportunities may be limited in the traditional sense. I have come up with a plan, however, and here it is.

*Biking in to White River (closed roads) to ski Panhandle Gap/Meany Crest area*

Day 1 Ski Box Canyon to Fryingpan Creek trail head. With a good weather window, I would go as soon as the Stevens Canyon road opens (and Highway 123 also), allowing a buddy and myself to do a car to car. I anticipate carrying until well onto the divide, then skinning and skiing to Indian Bar, then back to skinning across Ohanapecosh Park and skiing from Panhandle Gap to the Fryingpan Creek bridge, then a carry out. This will be no lightweight jaunt considering the equipment we have to take, but at least we’re not planning on an overnight. Or maybe we’ll have to. In any event it will be a new experience for me on this section.

Day 2-3 I’ll pick up at Fryingpan Creek trail head (at some point later in the season) and proceed CW through Sunrise and beyond, with anticipation of taking a break at Mowich Lake via the alternate route over Spray Park. If I’m feeling good I would continue on to Sunset Park and take my rest there. Just stopping to rest for a few hours gives me ultimate flexibility. That leaves the tougher final west side section to Longmire in day light, then finishing up the final section at Box Canyon. Somehow that all comes out to 93 miles and 22,000 feet of climb/descent. The ski portion is about 13 miles so this hike portion is about 80. That’s a lot of ground to cover in two days. Perhaps I’ll leave my van at Longmire and bike to the Fryingpan Creek trail head to position at Box Canyon. Then I can rest at Longmire before continuing on to retrieve my steed, making this closer to a 4 day jaunt (I will have to bike back to Longmire). Speculating only.

Now for the title: what do I plan on taking for this hike portion? I am not strong enough to jog this 80 mile section so I have to plan on rest stops (not camping). That means I really need a sleeping bag and pad to get adequate rest. I would also only do this with a pristine weather forecast, my usual modus operandi. This may be the best reason for fastpacking; going during good weather forecasts to soak in views, not rain. So here’s my proposed kit if everything aligns.

BASIC KIT

Nunatak Nova Insulated Bivy (50 degrees). This little beauty has been discontinued, at least for now. It’s a center zip insulated cocoon with 7d Robic Weather Resistant Ripstop Nylon, incorporating a non insulated hood….1 lb. This outer material handles light mists or light rain well for shorter periods…I wouldn’t want to test it in continuous rain. I’ll wear all my clothing inside.

ZPacks Poncho/Groundsheet I’ve used this quite a bit over the years, both as rain gear and as a ground sheet with a tarp. In good weather this will be my groundsheet, standing by for emergency foul weather. 5.7 ozs.

Klymit Inertia X Wave pad Also discontinued, but perfect for this kind of trip. It’s a 3/4 length pad, 48” x 25” so plenty wide with side rails and a built in pillow area. I put my pack under my feet and lower legs. When I used this on 2020’s Wonderland hike, I put my shoes under my feet. Unlike a NeoAir, this blows up with but a few puffs and the bulb allows me to dial in the hardness. Packs tiny at 10.5 ozs.

Mountain Laurel Designs Mountain Quilt and Bag Liner I used this 3 oz bag liner once as my dedicated bivy bag. It’s so packable and light that it’s worth the weight to use inside my Nova. It will protect the bivy from dirty clothes and will add a modicum of heat retention (MLD claims 5 degrees) to the system. As an aside, I used this in the bunk when I was flying international trips with long sleep breaks. It really works.

Zimmerbuilt Custom Ultimate Pack I had this pack made for just this kind of trip. It is only 4” thick but utilizes my entire back area. It has built in pockets in the minimalist belt, there just to keep the pack glued to my back. It has a center zip for easy access to all the contents, and on longer trips it employs a separate attachable bag for food. 14 ozs stripped down. These “Big 4” items come in just over 3 lbs.

*Zimmerbuilt custom Ultimate Pack (Channel Islands)*

Clothing Long pants (EB), OR long sleeve and hooded Echo shirt, underwear, beanie, cap, 1 pair extra socks, Inov8 trail runners, Showers Pass gloves, OR Polartech Alpha hooded jacket.

Other Glasses, sunglasses, sunscreen, small pack towel, toothbrush, Sawyer Squeeze filter, InReach Mini, iPhone, GoPro Hero 9 with xtra battery, small charger for iPhone, Petzl Actik headlamp with extra Core battery, BD carbon trekking poles, foot kit and minimal first aid, 20 oz water bottle (shoulder carried)

Food Lots of liquid nutrition in Tailwind and Tailwind recovery, Nutella and flatbread, Green Belly bars, nuts, olive oil, Fig Newtons, Peanut M&Ms, Pringles, Pop Tarts.

Over on Reddit r/ultralight people get very specific on worn weight vice carried weight and so on. My method: step on scale naked. Weigh. Put on clothes and pack with full water bottle and food (don’t forget to hold the poles!). Weigh. The difference is what you’re carrying. Easy. I don’t have all my stuff with me but I’m anticipating this final weight to be 12 lbs or less. That’s if the weather holds, the stars align for available days, and the snow levels aren’t still beastly by the end of July (really slows one down). But this is my plan, always subject to adjustment. Who knows, I may just carry my skis all the way around?