Ptarmigan Traverse Late Season

[Jake]

How do the glaciers and snowfields on the Ptarmigan Traverse look in late season? Are they too broken up to cross generally? I imagine things will definitely be a little thinner this year. Would early September be too late?

[Alex]

The Cache is fine. The Middle Cascade gets broken up only very close to Spider Formidible col. The LeConte glacier can get a bit broken up, but nothing you can't handle with a bit of route finding if you need to. The S Cascade glacier is benign as you cross to White Rock Lakes at its head. And the Dana is fine. Early Sept is a fine time to do this trip, though there will be a lot of scree and it is a bit hard on the ankles.

[Jake]

Schweet.

[meganerd]

hmm, I think a little more warning is in order. I did the traverse in early August '03 (dry year), and there was a bit of a moat at Cache Col. That will be bigger in September this year although I would doubt that it would be impassable with a little effort. As said, the Middle Cascade, S Cascade, and Dana are fine, it's just the LeConte... When we did it there was a large crevasse basically spanning the entire thing. We managed to find a way through with a little steep snow climbing up a snow prow (still not sure exactly how that formation formed). Seeing as though this glacier crossing is right in the middle of the traverse and that you can't tell if it's really passable or not from the Spider - Formidable Col (I guarantee that it'll look impassable from there in September this year) and it amounts to a bit of a problem. I'm not saying you shouldn't go then, just expect some possibly significant difficulties on the LeConte.

[Jake]

Well thanks. I'm trying to get an idea of whether or not it would even go at all this year in Sept. From this, it sounds like it's possible, it just might be tricky. Hopefully, as the season goes on, there will be some updates on conditions.

[goatboy]

Hey all,

 

We're planning on attempting the Ptarmigan (from N to South) the last week of May/First week of June, taking about 8 days (to climb things along the way).

 

I am an intermediate skier -- but maybe more like "beginner" with the big pack on my back. Wife is the same.

 

Any thoughts on

 

1) skiing versus walking at this time of year, and

 

2) what weather/conditions might be like in May-June for such a long traverse, given this year's unusually light snowpack???

 

Thanks!

[Alex]

Skiing vs walking: a heckuvalot of the first half of the traverse (to Yang Yang) is real traversing with not a lot of steep downhill. One exception is going from Cache col to Kool Aid Lake.

 

Details:

So you will probably walk the Arm to the Cache and Cache col, make a decision at the col whether to strap on the boards there or a bit further down, then have skis on until Red Ledge, briefly take off, then keep on until Spider Formbidible col, briefly off for the downclimb from the col, then skis on all the way to Yang Yang lakes. If your packs are fairly reasonable (but not with 8 days(!!) of stuff) you can do this bit in an easy day. Skis off to get through the cliff band above the lakes, then skis on for the entire traverse to White Rock lakes. Above white rock lakes you will probably take boards off, as the decent to the Lakes from South Cascade gl is steep! From White Rock lakes the traverse over to Dana Gl is probably not snow covered anymore, its brushy so will likely not use skis. The Dana is very casual and can be skinned. From Spire col down to camp is steep. From Itswoot out will be boot packing pretty much the entire way.

 

Just as a checkpoint, with skis you could easily get to White Rock lakes in 2 days. You might not need 8 days of stuff unless you are really going to lounge and take entire days off and stuff. The Ptarmigan traverse is not a really long traverse by any measure...

 

If you are an intermediate skiier, I'd say you will wear your skis (and skins) about half the time, and it will really speed your travel between camps. But skis wont help you on the way out from Dome much. Seeing as how much time you are taking, skiis might be more weight than they are worth...your goal doesnt seem to be speed, might as well lighten the load and maybe just take snowshoes or risk taking no floatation at all.

 

The weather will be in and out. It usually is until into July.

Edited May 5, 2005 by Alex

[goatboy]

Thanks so much for the detailed advice and beta, Alex. I believe I met you once climbing "Canary" on Castle Rock, years ago . . . .

 

Our thought on the 8-days was to layover a few times along the way and climb a few peaks as we go -- and also plan in some weather days -- you're absolutely right, our goal is not to blaze through, but to really get up into that magnificent high country and STAY THERE, away from work and bills and other aspects of life.

 

Anyway, I really appreciate the info.

 

Later,

 

Goatboy

[crackedribs]

we did the ptarmigan september 3-9 2004, the glaciers were pretty broken up, fairly maze like in many instances and offered a lot of challenges. I felt like I was in glacier school 101 day after day, something new was thrown at us each day. We had many experiences where we had to back track a through the weaving line we had chose to use to get to our end point, to find out it would not go. The trip was still extremly good, and by far my fondest memories were crossing the glaciers with all those challenges. We did not see any people, encounterd 4 bears, a little too much rain though, it rained the 1 and 2nd day and again the 5 the day, with a extremely wet descent through a bushwack of a river valley.

[Lowell_Skoog]

I am an intermediate skier -- but maybe more like "beginner" with the big pack on my back. Wife is the same.

 

An acquaintance of mine skied the Ptarmigan a few years ago and found it strenuous and a little intimidating. I remember him commenting on how steep some of the traverses seemed on skis. This fellow had previously skied the Haute Route in the Alps and has a lot of backcountry experience. He felt that the Ptarmigan was a ski MOUNTAINEERING trip, with the emphasis on mountaineering.

 

I don't want to put you off (it is a great trip) but just caution that doing it on skis with a full week's provisions may be tough if you're not a strong skier. Also, given the light snowpack this year, you should expect to carry your skis for a considerable distance at either end of the traverse.