Wonderland Trail

The biggest logistical reality this trip is daylight. You have 9h 34m from sunrise to sunset, with golden hour starting at 3:53 PM. On the Wonderland Trail in November, that means you need to be making camp or closing out your miles by mid-afternoon. Plan 6-7 hour hiking days max, and start moving by 7:30 AM. Don't count on squeezing in extra miles after lunch.

Weather is the other thing to watch closely. Wednesday and Thursday look manageable — temps in the low-to-mid 30s, partly cloudy, light winds. Thursday night is where it shifts: winds gusting to 32 mph SE and a 37% chance of light snow. By Friday, that becomes 84% precipitation with sustained light snow and gusts to 33 mph ESE. If your planned exit is Friday the 14th, make sure you're pulling out early — late morning at the latest — before that storm digs in. Overnight lows of 27-29°F throughout the trip mean cold camp, cold morning starts, and ice on any wet surfaces at elevation.

Snowpack at all three nearby SNOTEL stations — Annie Springs (6,021 ft), Long Lake (840 ft), and McNeil Canyon (1,348 ft) — is currently zero. The trail is snow-free as of today. The incoming Friday storm could lay down a fresh inch or two at elevation by the time you're wrapping up, but it won't be a buried trail situation given current totals. Watch for icy patches on north-facing sections at elevation Wednesday and Thursday mornings given overnight lows in the high 20s.

Note: the stream flow gauges attached to this briefing are Central California stations (Salinas River, Alameda Creek, Llagas Creek) — they have nothing to do with Wonderland Trail drainages on Mount Rainier. Disregard those numbers entirely. The Carbon, Puyallup, and White River drainages that feed Wonderland crossings should be treated as unknown. November conditions there typically mean cold, lower flows compared to snowmelt season, but the Friday storm adds some uncertainty. Scout each crossing before committing.