Ptarmigan Traverse.. Cascadia glaciers and shit..

End of July, I and 2 others completed the Ptarmigan Traverse.. Many here will know what it is.. For those who don't it starts at the Cascade Pass trailhead.. once Cascade Pass is reached your way leaves the maintained trail system and weaves its way south up and over multiple glaciers contouring numerous cirques via rock, heather, snow, some trail and eventually dumps you out into Bachelor Creek drainage where one gets to bushwack thru dead fall, avy debrit, slide alder and overgrown vegetation while trying to navigate a trail that has been unmaintained for decades... and as if that's not bad enough, you get to walk the last 9 miles out on a FS road that's been closed due to numerous washouts... but it's all very worth it..

Approaching Cascade Pass.. with the initial traverse beneath Mix Up Pk over rock, glacial till and snow just above the Pass
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4517.JPG
The Triad, Eldorado, Torment, Sahale Pks and Rip Saw Ridge across the valley above Cascade Pass
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...8_Panorama.jpg
Now up the Cache glacier to Cache Col
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040783.JPG
The route ahead from Cache Col.. Hurry Up Pk, Spider Mtn and Mt Formidable with the Middle Cascade glacier wedged between.. We'll overnite beneath Hurry Up at Kool Aid Lake
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...9_Panorama.jpg
The Rock buttress to cross via snow ramp and the Redledges the next morning
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040826.JPG
Look back at our descent from Cache Col via the snow fields
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...Panorama_1.jpg
camp
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...0_Panorama.jpg
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Sunrise on Formidable
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1080527.JPG
After crossing the Redledges our sites were set on the Middle Cascade glacier
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4610.JPG
Looking back down MC valley and our route from Cache col
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...4_Panorama.jpg
Looking up MC glacier
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4620.JPG
At the neve of MC glacier looking thru Spider Formidable col.. at Le Conte glacier topped by Old Guard and Sentinel.. We'll be going up to Sentinel
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040863.JPG
Descend steep snow ramp from S-F col and contour around Flat Cr cirque to Yang Yang lakes
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...7_Panorama.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040874.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...oramaXncrp.jpg
On right is Le Conte Pk, which the next day we will traverse up to and and past on our way to LC glacier after ascending the thin snow ramp below LC pk to gain the ridge..
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...anoramaXn2.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...7_Panorama.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4680.JPG
Formidable, the snow ramp from SF col, Spider
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...5_Panorama.jpg
Yang Yang lakes
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040908.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...0_Panorama.jpg
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The ridge up to LC pk and glacier.. snow ramp on right
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...5_Panorama.jpg
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From the top.. Flat Cr cirque
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...0_Panorama.jpg
Halfway up LC glacier this little snow bridge saved us a long traverse around
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...6_Panorama.jpg
A top LC glacier the view was the South Cascade glacier with Lizard Pass just visible on left
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...2_Panorama.jpg
Looking down SC valley.. Baker & Shuksan in distance.. LC Pk on right
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040958.JPG
Long traverse to Lizard Pass.. seen above the small snow patch.. with the Dana glacier above it
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...0_Panorama.jpg
Looking from LP.. Sinister Pk, Chinkamin glacier (Dome pk peaking from behind), the Elephant Head, Overdrive & Dynaflow pks massive, Dana glacier, One Eye Bull massive, Dana glacier, Spire Pks.. White Rock Lakes below
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...3_Panorama.jpg

From Lizard Pass we descended steep snow and rock/till to get to camp
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1040986.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...oramaXncrp.jpg
Alpenglow on Gunsight
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4798.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...oramaXn3_1.jpg
sunrise
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...1_Panorama.jpg
Dana glacier seracs
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1080647.JPG
West Fork Agnes Cr
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...anorama2_1.jpg
After climbing the Dana glacier..
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1090010.JPG
We topped out to views of Glacier Pk, Rainier and other various pks
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http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1080656.JPG
After descending 200' of steep rock, we had easy snowfields to plunge step down to Itswoot Ridge
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1090041.JPG
A peak at frozen Cub lake below.. our camp for the nite after a steep descent over wet/mossy slippery slabs and heather
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4865.JPG
From Cub looking back up at our descent
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...6_Panorama.jpg
Cub Lk.. our route out was up the clearing and over the ridge into Bachelor Cr drainage..
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/IMG_4896.JPG
One last look at Glacier Pk
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1090064.JPG
and into the inevitable bushwack
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...e/P1090066.JPG
Once out it was another 19 miles of trail and road to get to the reward
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...MG_4933crp.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/banos/p...%20track_1.jpg

Great photos. I hope you guys had a great time doing that.

Awesome.

wow. stunning. did you happen to see another soul the whole trip?

Well, that's a mighty scenic place. What was the total mileage? How many nights were you out?

Good stuff! Route looks in great shape. And some nice pics of your bud's new McHale pack. Looks like you did the classic camps, i.e., Kool Aid, Yang Yang, White Rocks? I have a pic on the refrigerator of us going up a fallen crevasse on the right side of the LeConte glacier in 2001. Kinda looks like the same one, but could it be after 13 years? Did you take a side trip to tag Dome Peak?

It's gonna be a shit show up there after they fix the road.

Really cool/beautiful pics - nice work. Looks like you guys had a good trip!

Way to do the local adventure!!

looks like you hit it just right for nice weather

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Originally Posted by rockcreek

wow. stunning. did you happen to see another soul the whole trip?

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Yah.. we camped with 2 other groups of 2 at KAL, YYL & WRL.. but really only at WRL are you even close.. and it was great as we all BS'd about the trip, the Pickets, and used a group effort to fend off the super aggressive marmots who constantly tried to steal or eat or sweat soaked clothes.. One guy left his gear for about 10 min and had about 1/2" off the tongue of one boot eaten off.. socks, pack harness, even hydration sleeves(?).. It was a very clean camp that night.. We also passed a couple different parties heading back north after doing out and backs to YYL.. That weather window.. end of July.. I expected to see more..

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Originally Posted by Cruiser

Well, that's a mighty scenic place. What was the total mileage? How many nights were you out?

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We were out 5 nights.. My GPS said we traveled 55.6 miles.. the last 2 days after climbing out of Cub Lk, down Bachelor and Downey Cr drainages on 'trail' (except for 1/2 mi bushwhack), and the closed FS road was about 25 mi

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Originally Posted by Big Steve

Good stuff! Route looks in great shape. And some nice pics of your bud's new McHale pack. Looks like you did the classic camps, i.e., Kool Aid, Yang Yang, White Rocks? I have a pic on the refrigerator of us going up a fallen crevasse on the right side of the LeConte glacier in 2001. Kinda looks like the same one, but could it be after 13 years? Did you take a side trip to tag Dome Peak?

It's gonna be a shit show up there after they fix the road.

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Route was in great shape.. Could have used a bit more snow to make some of the traverse over rock more pleasant but all in all was great.. ramp down from SF col was steep but good soft snow to kick steps on the down.. snow in the gully up to LeConte ridge was also in perfect shape and took us all the way to the top.. all the glaciers were in good shape.. We had tentatively planned on camping at Art's Knoll, and at the tarns on the ridge beneath LeConte Pk.. but once we hit KAL & YYL we were more than happy to drop packs.. We did not have the extra day to go for Dome.. but both the other parties were going to...

While I didn't really dig walking the 9 mi out the Suiattle Rd.. I suppose once the road and bridge are repaired Downey Cr and the camps above will be crawling with people.. Those who mtb up the Suiattle to bike camp in solitude are bummin' fer sure..

Great great trip..

Those are some pretty good looking campsites! Great TR.

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Originally Posted by Big Steve

And some nice pics of your bud's new McHale pack.

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Almost forgot.. We meant to get this shot at WRL.. but forgot.. so we took it at Cub
Attachment 157393.. Best carrying packs either of us have ever toted.. hands down

cool photos, looks like a nice trip.

Sweet TR, thanks.

You have given us all great power. Excellent details. Lizard pass. Baller.

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Originally Posted by BaNosser

Attachment 157393.. Best carrying packs either of us have ever toted.. hands down

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Dan and his babe were over for dinner last night. He'd enjoy seeing that pic posted on FB.

FKNA! When you said you were going to hit the Ptarmigan Traverse, I thought it was in Glacier Park.

Good stuff!

Thats FKNA man.

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Originally Posted by splat

FKNA! When you said you were going to hit the Ptarmigan Traverse, I thought it was in Glacier Park.

Good stuff!

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Yah.. Shit.. bummed I missed ya mang.. owe ya a beer or three.. lemme know when you're heading up here again

Right on, looks great up there. Nice pics!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using TGR Forums

Great TR! Thank you for posting that.

I just got out a map and planned a local hike with my kids after seeing those pics.