girlsgotoo

look forward to your report at WTA...am planning on the traverse in a couple of weeks. I do hope that it was more enjoyable than you let on here!

Does anyone know the current conditions of the high "route" between Carne Mt. and Mt Maude? I have heard that there is a major washout.

i have heard that there was a deep washout on the carne high route recently...has anyone been up there this year? am hoping to use it next weekend.

wow, it's nice to know that the devastation wasn't total from the Needles fire...that's one of my favorite little rides to do when i'm over there. You can also ride up to the Crest trail on the Cutthroat lake trail...best done on a weekday to avoid annoying the hikers, so they don't ban we bikers.

it's nice to know that you can stand in the moat to take off crampons before climbing onto the ledge. And I thought that the 50 degree dirt on Mix-up arm (with the overhanging boulder) was tough on the way down, ok going up. I do appreciate the comments on sections of the route.

While I appreciate all the info re the ledge...I would still like to know who might have used the lower route, and why...we might find out that it is actually tougher and not worht losing elevation over. By the way...what do most people think is the toughest part of the route?

It was actually my partner that didn't want to go further...guess he didn't want to take me out in pieces. I really thought that it looked okay, just a place you didn't want to sneeze. But, that lower traverse is there...it's not a game trail. Somebody out there uses it.

If there is a safer, easier route, is there a problem with that? I was at the ledge approach...it has probably melted out some more in this hot weather since you were there. All i asked was if someone had been on the lower route. Obviously, you have not.

the trail is there, but you can only really see it from back by Cache col. Somebody must be using it...it seems to go up a fairly steep cut up onto the same ridge that the "ledge" enters, only a couple of hundred ft lower.

Has anyone used the lower traverse route that bypasses the "red ledge" and steep tongue of snow leading to it? The trail is plainly visible leaving from Koolaid lk over to the next ridge.

you may also want to look at the Sherpani line (made for women) carried at Feathered Friends. I'm 5'5" and have a short torso. there are several models from small day pack to backpack size.

thanks, I had heard that too. Just our luck they'll decide that it's too dangerous and remove it!

Has anyone crossed Downey Creek (on the Suiattle River Road) since the bridge washed out? How bad is it?

thanks, but the Ptarmigan traverse is in the north cascades (from Cascade pass), not on Rainier!

does anyone know of someone offering to shuttle vehicles (for a fee, of course) for the ptarmigan route?