ptarmigan conditions and recommendations

[Nate]

Planning on starting the ptarmigan traverse this saturday with my girlfriend. I'm wondering if anyone has done it lately or based on local conditions what the difficulties might be. Planning on 5 or six nights with a few peaks on the way, Sentinel, LeConte and Dome and any others that look reasonable from the route. Any advice on other good peaks without too much technical difficulties? Also I'm a bit worried about getting out the Batchlor Creek/Downey creek exit, is it pretty easy to tell where we should be when we head into the woods? I hear not too many people go out the River Rd to that trailhead and we will likely walk out but wouldn't rangers check in on things at those campsites along the road? We'll be coming out Friday afternoon 7/16, if by any chance any of you CC.comers are going to be in the area I'd make a ride back to cascade pass worth your while:) Anyway, if anyone wants to recommend some peaks or route finding tips for the tricky areas, or even nice campsites I'd appreciate it.

thanks, Nate

[Alex]

Any advice on other good peaks without too much technical difficulties?

 

If you dont go all the way to Yang Yang lakes the first day, you might climb Magic or Hurry Up, or might do the scramble route up the "backside" of Formidible. Sentinel is OK, but the rock sucks for the most part.

 

Also I'm a bit worried about getting out the Batchlor Creek/Downey creek exit, is it pretty easy to tell where we should be when we head into the woods?

 

Don't sweat it. The way down is pretty obvious. You'll be on good trail then suddenly it will end in blowdown. You'll be able to overlook the valley below. Traverse skiers left and head down through the tall timber. The trail is easy to pick up again once you are in the valley bottom.

 

or even nice campsites I'd appreciate it.

 

They are all nice! The established ones are great: Kool Aid Lake, Yang Yang Lakes, White Rock Lakes (fantastic!) and Itswoot Ridge.

[graupel]

Your post reads like you are expecting to hitch a ride back to Cascade Pass. It may be possible, but at best, it will likely take the rest of the weekend to accomplish it.

 

You post that you will be coming out Friday. Well, nobody is going to be there to give you a ride that day. Saturday, anybody that is there would likely be out doing something for at least the day Saturday. If you are really lucky, somebody after their day out on the trails is going to want to put an extra 4 something hours into their day to haul your smelly butt back around to Marblemount and yet another nearly 20 miles of dirt road. You better have pretty effective powers of persuasion to talk a stranger into that.

 

The Forest Service doesn't service the campgrounds with the regularity of a garbage truck. They would likely visit the road even less with the reduced distance available due to the bridge out (less things to maintain, not that they do that anymore anyway).

 

In short, if you have any sort of schedule you are trying to stick to for your return to civilization, you would be best advised to talk someone into helping you to position your car on the way in rather than hoping for a ride on the way out.

[Nate]

Shred, The photos are very nice, looks like you had some fine weather. Hopefully we'll get the same.

Alex, I thank you for the idea in the first place, I'm pretty excited about it, orignally I was thinking the pickets and you suggested the ptarmigan

As for the hitch back, I suspected it wasn't that likeley and that walking out the first 20 miles was a possibility, I was in the area of cascade pass last summer and don't think it would be hard to get up there on a friday or saturday. Might just break down and rent a second car. We're coming from Massachusetts and don't know anyone out there to talk into a ride.

[Alex]

Might just break down and rent a second car.

 

As expensive as it might seem sitting in Mass, this is probably going to be your best option if you don't want a "Deliverence"-style introduction to backwoods Washington state.

[ski_photomatt]

You could also box up a bike and bring it from Mass. Stash it at the Downey Creek exit, then ride as far as you need to make it back to Cascade Pass before getting a ride. Depending on what time you get out on Friday, you should be able to hitch a ride back to Marblemount once you get out to 530, and hopefully from there down the Cascade River Rd. That only leaves the ~20 miles on the Suiattle Rd to ride. Worst case, it's 60 miles from Downey Creek to Cascade Pass TH, which certainly is a long way, but not impossible..

[johndavidjr]

Or perhaps you could rent a couple of bikes when you arrive, shuttle them to trailhed & lock them up in woods.

[Nate]

Any suggestions on a small rack for use scrambling up peaks. I figure if I'm going to lug the rope I might as well have a little rock pro, I was thinking the 4 smallest tricams and a handfull of nuts.