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I finally saw the problem with how people plan the Wonderland Trail loop.
Everyone says to start at Longmire and go clockwise, but last August I met a ranger at Sunrise who said that sets you up for the worst climb in the hottest part of the day. He told me to start at White River and go counter-clockwise to hit the big elevation gain in the morning shade. I tried it and it was a total game changer for energy and water use. Has anyone else switched up the standard direction on a classic loop and had a better hike?
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mila_campbell2522d ago
Totally agree. Sometimes you just have to go against the grain to find the better way.
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Used to always do the Timberline Trail clockwise. Got talked into trying it the other way last fall. The climb up from the Eliot was way easier in the cool morning. Felt like a totally different trail.
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stellanelson22d ago
That bit about the ranger's advice is so true. It's like how everyone waits in the same long line at the grocery store because it's the closest, but the one on the far end is always faster. We just follow the crowd. I do it with my running route too, always going the same way, until one day I reversed it and avoided that brutal afternoon sun on the hill. Why are we so stuck on the default?
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