• COVID-19 Park and Trail Closures
  • Learn about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge
  • Shop
  •  

SoCal Hiker

  • Find a Hiking Trail
    • All Areas
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Los Angeles
    • Orange County
    • Oregon
    • San Francisco Bay
    • Washington
  • Trail Guides
  • Six-Pack of Peaks
    • Colorado Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Bergen Peak
      • Rocky Mountain
      • Birthday Peak
      • Horseshoe Mountain
      • Grays Peak
    • New England Six-Pack of Peaks
    • NorCal Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Mount Umunhum
      • Mount Saint Helena
      • Mount Tamalpais
      • Mount Diablo
      • Mount Sizer
      • Rose Peak
    • Oregon Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Tumalo Mountain
      • Black Butte
      • Black Crater
      • Maiden Peak
      • Mount Bachelor
      • South Sister
    • SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Mt. Wilson
      • Cucamonga Peak
      • Mt. San Antonio (Mt Baldy)
      • San Bernardino Peak
      • San Jacinto Peak
      • San Gorgonio
  • Backpacking
    • High Sierra Trail
    • John Muir Trail
      • Overview of the John Muir Trail
      • Training
      • Day-by-Day Itinerary
      • Resupply Addresses
      • JMT Discussion Forum
    • Lost Coast Trail
    • North/South Lake Loop
    • Rae Lakes Loop
    • Red Peak Pass Loop
    • Theodore Solomons Trail
    • Trans-Catalina Trail
    • Wonderland Trail
  • Gear
  • Forums
    • Latest Topics
    • Ask a Question
    • Campfire
    • Trails
    • Trail Reports
    • Gear Wisdom
    • Classifieds
  • Login

Wonderland Trail Day 11: Summerland to Indian Bar

August 15, 2019 By Jeff H Leave a Comment

Two of the most-wanted camps on the Wonderland Trail are Summerland and Indian Bar. They lie just five miles apart. And our itinerary included both of them.

img
Day 11: Indian Bar
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation +/-: 874’/2,002′
The sunrise from our camp at Summerland was a spectacular send off for the day. We’d be climbing 874′ to the highest point on the Wonderland Trail: 6,750′ high Panhandle Gap.

The climb was just over a mile and steep.

Sunrise at Summerland Camp

Sunrise at Summerland

This section of the trail is above the timberline and the scenery very different from most of the Wonderland Trail. There are creek crossings, snow fields, and aquamarine tarns that reminded me of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Climbing to Panhandle Gap
Bridge below Panhandle Gap
Water crossing
Snowy patch approaching Panhandle Gap on the Wonderland Trail
Snowfield near the gap

We stopped at Panhandle Gap for a break, where the wind whipped at us, forcing us to head just downhill where we were partially sheltered.

View North from Panhandle Gap on the Wonderland Trail

Looking north from Panhandle Gap

View south from Panhandle Gap on the Wonderland Trail

Looking south from Panhandle Gap

From the gap, the trail does a bit of roller-coaster routine for the next two miles, finally reaching a ridgeline which begins the descent. The final 1.5 miles drops 1,600 feet, and you can actually pick out the Indian Bar shelter from far away.

Indian Bar in the distance

Can you spot the shelter at Indian Bar beyond the ridge?

We had a warm, bluebird day and meadows filled with wildflowers as we descended into the canyon.

Wildflowers and Derek above Indian Bar on the Wonderland Trail

We had the group site in Indian Bar as well–the nicest shelter yet! This one actually had wooden platform bunk beds. The hike took us just over three hours, leaving us plenty of time to soak our feet in the cold water of the Ohanapecosh River.

Indian Bar Shelter
Soaking my feet at Indian Bar
Inside the Indian Bar Shelter
Inside the Indian Bar Shelter

Our next camp would at Maple Creek, and our final night on the Wonderland Trail. At this point, I admit I was starting to look forward to celebrating the completion with a pizza and beer.

Summerland to Indian Bar Trail Map and Elevation Profile

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: day-11-summerland-to-indian-bar-81519-85154am(cleaned).gpx

Originally hiked on August 15, 2019 with Derek and Jason.

Back to Day 10  |  Continue to Day 12, Indian Bar to Maple Creek

Filed Under: Trail Guides, Wonderland Trail Tagged With: Backpacking, Mount Rainier National Park, strenuous, Washington, Wonderland Trail

Like what you found here at SoCal Hiker? This site is a labor of love. Share your support for the site and help us development of new trail guides and expanded coverage -- make your next outdoor equipment purchase through our advertisers.

You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Jeff H

About Jeff H

I'm an avid hiker and backpacker. My wife Joan and I are on the trails every weekend. I started SoCal Hiker to share my passion for outdoor adventure.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Planning Your Wonderland Trail Hike

  • Overview of the Wonderland Trail
  • Essential Wonderland Trail Resources
  • Wonderland Trail Discussion Forum
  • Mushrooms of the Wonderland Trail

Day-By-Day on the Wonderland Trail

Longmire to Mowich Lake

  • Day 1: Devil’s Dream
  • Day 2: North Puyallup River
  • Day 3: Golden Lakes
  • Day 4: South Mowich River
  • Day 5: Mowich Lake (Eagle’s Roost)


Mowich Lake to Sunrise

  • Day 6: Dick Creek
  • Day 7: Mystic Camp
  • Day 8: Granite Creek
  • Day 9: Sunrise


Sunrise to Longmire

  • Day 10: Summerland
  • Day 11: Indian Bar
  • Day 12: Maple Creek
  • Day 13: Longmire

Latest Posts

  • Hiking Belknap Crater in the Mountain Washington Wilderness October 20, 2022
  • Hiking to the Simpson Reef Overlook on the Oregon Coast Trail August 25, 2022
  • Join Team SoCalHiker at the Climb for Heroes August 23, 2022
  • Hiking the Welch-Dickey Loop in the White Mountain National Forest August 18, 2022
  • Hiking Turtlehead Peak from Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area July 15, 2022

Recent Forum Topics

  • How to deal with accidents while hiking in the winter?
  • Warm Tips for your hiking in winter
  • Some tips for hiking.
  • Keep your body warm in the winter hiking
  • The benefits of hiking, more than you can imagine!

The Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series

Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge SeriesThe Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series gives you an opportunity to explore your world while supporting a great cause. There are eleven challenges around the country. Hike or run them at your own schedule.

Flex your adventure muscles!

Learn more here.

 

Search

Tags

3-6 miles 6-8 miles 8-10 miles 11+ miles Arizona Backpacking coastal dog-friendly easy family-friendly High Sierra Trail hiking Hiking The John Muir Trail hipster inspiration JMT John Muir John Muir Trail Kings Canyon National Park LA County moderate Mount Rainier National Park Muir Monday National Park Orange County Oregon out of bounds Pacific Crest Trail peak peakbagging quote scenic Sequoia National Park Sierra Nevada Six-Pack of Peaks State Park strenuous Thru-hiking Utah vista Washington waterfall wilderness Wonderland Trail Yosemite

Copyright © 2023 SoCalHiker.net · Metro Theme on Genesis Framework with WPEngine Hosting · Contact SoCal Hiker · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...