1-2 weeks in June or July…Collegiate Loop, Wonderland, or something else?

I grew up in the PNW and always dismissed the Wonderland trail as being too…popular. Finally I did part of it. Wow! It’s a really great trail. Yes, the elevation gain/loss is pretty hard. But if you plan food drops appropriately, doing more than 9-10 mile days is possible for sure. Especially if you’re doing 17-19 on the TRT. I like Wonderland a lot more than this last. It’s also harder than everything but the east side of the TRT. It’s the PNW, so you have to plan for rain. By the way, you don’t have to do the entire route. Are you going solo? A walk up permit is possible, if you know how to do it (i.e. be among the first in line in the morning.) I got one somehow just walking up in the early afternoon. I was solo.

Glacier Peak wilderness is really fine too. A bit harder to get to if you’re flying in. I’d do this if I had the choice.

Great info, thank you!

It’ll be a 2 person group. I was really only considering the full loop, but mainly because logistics are easier that way.

That east side of the TRT was no joke the year we went, the pump water source was broken making for a 20+ mile carry.

Thanks again for the info!

re: CT Collegiate Loop –– I did sections on the East side of the loop this past August and met a couple who were doing the 160 mile loop and expecting a 10 day trek. Yes, starting elevation will be abt 8-9K and in the first 2 sections southbound from Twin Lakes you’ll have a 3K gain. If not acclimated this can be tough. The west side NB is the most spectacular but many miles are above tree line. BTW, heavy snow year past winter and many areas of the trail, esp West side, were not clear until early August. The Colorado Trail Databook (Pack Guide) is a good investment for trip planning. There is also an excellent Facebook site you can join.

I’ll hop on the Facebook group, thanks for pointing that out!

At what point in the year do folks have a good handle on how hard the winter was, and when things will potentially thaw out?

I don’t know anybody who has hiked the Wonderland trail more than  Steve Burgess he has a large section on his website WILLISWALL , you will see Wonderland Trail at the top of the page hover over it and will see in the drop  down menu including all the different camps and extensive videos of the whole trail you can get ahold of him with specific questions also.