Backpack - Wonderland Trail: Carbon River to Mystic Lake

7AM Friday at Auburn Park and Ride.  We will require a minimum of two cars that can hold 4 people to do the shuttle between trailheads.

This is not a usual backpack trip.  While we will be taking the Wonderland Trail (WT) from Sunrise to Carbon River, our reserved camping spots are in the x-country zones at Mineral Mountain (XMIN) (above Mystic Lake) and Moraine Park (XMOR).  These are off trail areas where you have to find your own spot and hence travel cross-country, off-trail. On Friday I anticipate, after finding and setting up camp, exploring Mineral Mountain. On Saturday, we will climb up Curtis Ridge on a boot path as far as safe and fun, and then proceed back to camp, pack-up and head back to WT to Moraine Park and then off-trail again to find a campsite in that zone.  Maybe explore around Pacific Point/Elysian Fields area in the evening. On Sunday we will explore around Old Desolate, then pack up, head back to the WT and down, down, down to Carbon River TH.  Microspikes, Trekking Poles and  a Bear Cannister or Ursack are required.      Leader Permission Required:  Please tell me about your recent experience of traveling off-trail and that your are comfortable with doing this each day.  Please tell me of your recent experience of carrying a full back up 3000' in a day (our first day) and your general conditioning for a 3 day trip.  Please let me know that you are comfortable with camping in a x-country zone and needing to search for a camp spot, not knowing exactly where we might sleep or how nice or flat it might be.  I need to know you are ready for this much more rugged trip.  Thanks  Rob. 

Note:  I will be away in the mountains, Wyoming 8/16-25 and in Canada over Labor Day Weekend and likely be unable to respond to permission request at these times.  I will honor and vet requested based on when they were submitted.