The Wave notes - permit check was quick
Feb 11-12, 20262 people1 min read
S
Sora Nishimura
2 reports
4.0
Difficulty
4
Scenery
5
Trail Conditions
4
The Wave timeline (rough)
- 5:35 AM: started moving
- +1h: settled into pace and stopped fiddling with layers
- +2h: first real break and water check
- +4h: turned around or started the exit
- finish: tired but not cooked
Conditions: Clear sky made timing simple and kept visibility high. Sand sections were soft but easy to follow with track lines. No refill options at all, which drove our turnaround time.
Crowds: empty. Crew: group of 2.
Nothing surprising, in a good way.
What helped: Take photos of the permit and save them offline. Bring one extra liter if you are unsure about water.
Scorecard (out of 5): overall 4, difficulty 4, scenery 5, conditions 4.
Conditions at Time of Trip
Feb 2026Weather
Clear sky made timing simple and kept visibility high.
Trail
Sand sections were soft but easy to follow with track lines.
Water
No refill options at all, which drove our turnaround time.
Crowds
Empty
💡Tips from the Trip
💡
General
- •Poles help more than people admit on slick or steep exits.
- •Do not trust parking to work out at the last minute.
- •Bring one extra liter if you are unsure about water.
- •Take photos of the permit and save them offline.
- •Carry a small trash bag. You will find micro-trash.
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