Just wanted to let all of you know that on Friday August 14th all 6 members of our family completed the 93 mile wonderland loop around Mount Rainier. We started on August 3rd and finished in 12 days, 3 days ahead of schedule. Our last day was 14 miles long. Thank you for all that have supported us. We are going to be working hard in this next week to get some pictures and video up but for now we are all just enjoying the 6 of us not having to share a 2 man tent.
93 miles at Frying Pan Creek
If we met you on the trail, please shoot us a note so we know how to contact you and leave comments so we know how you did!
9 Comments
August 16, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Ben,
Congratulations. As I went on my hike, I thought about you and your family. The photos that I took with my camera were dark, but after a bit of photoshop they’re not terrible. Let me know if you are interested and I can send them to your email address. Again…, amazing!
Best Regards,
Doug
August 16, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Yeah Doug, That would be great. You can send them to ben@crawfordlife.com Looking forward to seeing them. glad your hike went well.
bnc
August 24, 2009 at 1:56 pm
We thought of you often and are so happy for you guys and what a wonderful family! We unfortunately did not complete, we had to pull out at White River because Jackii (our daughter) had an infected blister
We are all returning next year to finish it though! I will send you 2 photos I have of your family at the campground….god bless, Christine, Jack and all the kids!!!
August 29, 2009 at 5:48 am
Hi Ben, Kami, and Kids! Whoo hoo, you made it! It was great meeting you on the trail and really awesome to hear of your accomplishment. What a feat for the kids and an example for them of what small steps can accomplish.
David
September 6, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Hi Ben,
We passed on the Ipsut Pass in the pouring rain on Aug 12th. I told you about the detour into Carbon River campground.
Congrats on making it with all the kids! I was really surprised to see young children out there hiking the WLT especially with the all rainy days we had out there.
I finished on the 20th at White River and was happy to be done, healthy and dry!
December 8, 2009 at 8:25 am
You guys are inspiring! We were out there too, at right about the same time, but it wouldn’t have occurred to me to try the Wonderland. What kind of gear did you have? Did your two-year-old walk most of the way, or did you have to carry her for long stretches?
Yay for family backpacking!
take care,
Elizabeth
December 8, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Rhonda, Glad you made it safe. Thanks for the tips.
Elizabeth, We had pretty standard gear but were very glad that we packed rain gear. Memory, our youngest, was carried for most of the way but probably walked around 15 miles or so.
Kami and I have been discussing whether or not to attempt it again this summer or wait a year.
December 18, 2009 at 1:46 am
I found this wonderful collection of videos on Offbeat Mamma… Beautiful and inspiring. (I watched the whole hour!!) Your children are so blessed to have such great parents. It may of been 2 weeks of grumbles and irritations, triumphs and celebrations… but you made a lifetime of memories and smiles. As a couple of folks trying to make some kids I hope we can do the same… thanks for warming my heart today.
December 18, 2009 at 1:48 am
oh, and Memory on the potty pics were too freakin cute!