Wonderland Trail Day 2: Granite Creek to Mystic Lake

Aug 10
Mileage: 5.5 miles (Green Trail map 4.3 mi, NPS planning map 5.5 mi)
Granite Creek: 5765 ft
Mystic Lake: 5570 ft

Awoke to a cold and damp morning at 0600, but really didn't feel like getting up that early since I had a "short" day.  I stayed in the tent until 0700 and started what would become my routine of cleaning up & getting dressed, taking care of my feet with moleskin, and then packing up the sleeping bag and mattress.  I then had breakfast of cold cereal and tea.
                                                                                            
I had site #2 and Granite Creek is nice.  Site #2 is by the bear pole and toilet and across the trail is the group site.  You have to go down the trail about 75 yds to Granite Creek to get water.

Granite Creek campsite #2

I packed the tent up and it was wet along with the footprint although I didn't hear it rain during the night.  As I was packing up my pack, I think my old friend, Steve went walking by on the trail with his daughter.  Steve is an ultra-light backpacker and this guy had a tiny pack.  I was wishing I had a lighter pack, but Steve typically hikes the WLT in 3 days hiking 35 miles a day!   I don't hike 35 miles a day so heavy pack it is!                                        

Granite Creek log bridge crossing

I called a friend on the sat-phone for a test call and to tell her to bring some things that I left behind and to pick up more moleskin.  I left camp at 1010 and noticed that my blisters didn't feel too bad this morning and that I had mostly downhill to Winthrop Creek and uphill to Mystic.


Met a young couple finishing up the Northern Loop Trail and they mentioned that the bugs were still horrendous at Lake James.  Bugs on the WLT were not too bad, so far.  Also ran into an older couple that were on day 7 of 10 and they seem to be having a good time.

I finally got to a opening to see the Winthrop Glacier and it is spectacular.  You could hear it move with cracking noises and see rocks fall off of it.  I then ran into a group of 5 and talked with the 2 young women for a while.  They were locals from the Seattle area and they gave me info on all the camps.  They were on their last day heading to Sunrise.

Winthrop Glacier and a peek at the bottom of Mt Rainier

Downhill to Garda Falls which was moving fast and very pretty.  I stopped for a break to take some pictures and noticed that my tent wasn't staying put so I tied it to my pack and good thing I did as I was crossing the log bridge by the falls, my tent came loose.  I would have probably lost my tent to the river and would have had to go home.  Whew!  Stopped to secure it in a different position and moved to the log bridge to cross Winthrop Creek.  I have to admit I was a little nervous about crossing my first river mainly because you hear stories about the log bridges being out and I really didn't want to ford a fast moving cold river.

 Garda Falls

The first thing you notice besides the temperature drop is just how loud that river really is.  The river was pretty high as the river level was just below the log.  I just looked ahead and got across with no problems.  Cool!

 Winthrop Creek log bridge

 

Garda Falls with the Burroughs Mountain

in the background

 

Heading uphill to Mystic, the sun had come out but high cirrus clouds were moving in, so rain was coming.  Little did I know!  I got uphill some more and all of sudden I heard a couple loud booms and started looking around.  They say if you are by a glacier and a river and you hear those sounds, check your water level and head uphill quickly.  Since I was already up, I started looking around and heard another loud crack and looked up on the glacier saw this boulder about the size of a house breaking  free and was rolling down the glacier!  It fell into the river making this humongous splash and continued rolling down the river until it hit another big rock.  Holy crap!!!  It was miles from me, but served as a reminder that glaciers are always moving and to pay attention to what is happening around you. 

The second river crossing was supposed to be the West Fork White River and I guess the flood of 2006 changed the river course.  You are crossing a dry river bed with a small creek crossing.  It is really eerie to hike across that! 

  Crossing the dry West Fork White River

Ran into 2 older ladies thru-hikers and stopped to chat with them.  One of the ladies commented that my packed looked heavy and that I had too much.  I explained that food, water and my tent was the bulk of my weight and I was solo, so I didn't have the luxury of splitting weight with a partner.  She then stated that "You must be really strong" and her friend whacked her in the arm and said "Of course she is".  I walked away laughing.

I arrived at Mystic Lake at 1410 and took site #4 and got the tent out to dry and then ate lunch.  I got the tent, me and my clothes all washed and cleaned up.  The ranger showed up checking permits and found out I was supposed to be on the group site.  Oops and I offered to move and she said I didn't have to, which was nice. She would direct a group there to stay that came in later.

Started dinner and the winds started kicking up. After dinner, I was going to walk up to the lake but the winds were now gusting around 50 mph, so didn't go.  Got everything put away and noticed that the camp was now full.

A good second day completed and felt better about being out there solo and felt more settled about being on the trail. I fell asleep to the trees creaking and the wind blowing hard.

 

Mystic Lake site # 4