[TR] Mount Rainier - Ptarmigan Ridge (attempt) 6/12/2008

[AOC]

Trip: Mount Rainier - Ptarmigan Ridge (attempt)

 

Date: 6/12/2008

 

Trip Report:

On June 12 – 14, John (NY), Henry (Chicago) and I (Albany, NY) set out to climb Ptarmigan Ridge and descend the D.C. route. We knew beforehand that snow levels on the lower mountain would present a huge problem. But when the forecast finally called for good weather we decided to take our chances. After spotting a car at Paradise and driving the 100+ miles to Mowich Lake Rd., we headed out from just below Paul Peak trailhead.

 

Travel on snowshoes (shit! – extra 12 pounds of total gear) was reasonable to Mowich Lake, which we found buried under 10 feet of snow. But after passing the lake, travel was stalled by deep, wet snow, especially the traverse below Hessong Rock on the way to Spray Park. We crawled along under our heavy packs at about one-half mile per hour. We all took tumbles into deep tree wells along this section of the approach. We camped just below Spray Park at 5200 feet.

 

The next morning better snow conditions in the alpine zone made for reasonable progress but we stalled breaking trail up the Russell Glacier and later on lower Ptarmigan Ridge. After 11 hours of effort on approach day-2, we bivyed on the ridge at 10,200 ft.

 

The route looked to be in perfect condition. But we were not. Too spent to commit to a one-day push up and over to Camp Muir, we reluctantly descended the next day.

 

After returning to Paradise to pick up the spot car, John and I did a consolation climb of the D.C. route to 13K before being stopped by high winds. On Ptarmigan Ridge we saw only our own footprints and a bear. It is a beautiful route. I plan to return (without the snowshoes).

 

 

[treknclime]

Pretty photos; very nice.

 

Good effort and decision; hope you get a chance to return.

 

tnc

[Alex]

Good effort!

[mountainmatt]

Way to get back there! After all that work it must have been hard to turn around. Were you finding it easier to travel early in the morning? Or were the temps such that you got to swim your way up no matter what?

[Stefan]

great pics, and way to try!

[dreimer]

What about gear notes....what did you take? Other than the snowshoes

[AOC]

Were you finding it easier to travel early in the morning? Or were the temps such that you got to swim your way up no matter what?

 

Travel in the a.m. was easier, but the freezing level was too high to make much of a difference. We wore snowshoes until the steeper section of the ridge around 9K.

 

What about gear notes....what did you take? Other than the snowshoes

 

Way, way too much as it turned out. We brought 3 pickets, a few pins, 3 cams, a few medium nuts and 5 ice screws. An axe and tool each. 60 mm 8.5 rope. (A shorter rope would be a better choice.) We also brought 2 tents because we didn't have anything that comfortably fit 3. They were light tents though (I-tent and Firstlight) + down bags. (Next time no tent)

[zloi]

Congrats on a valiant attempt. I imagine this route sees very few successful attempts before July--too far to go, too much soft snow. Come back in August-early Sept. Better weather then, too.

[AOC]

I've enjoyed a lot of great weather trips to the Cascades in August. But that's too late for Ptarmigan Ridge, which is usually out of condition by then. It's tricky planning climbs like this so far in advance. We had a few alternative climbs in mind this year, including Ice Cliff Glacier on Stuart.

[ivan]

if you do the left variation of the route, you can leave all the rock gear, plus all but 1-2 picketts and maybe 3 screws behind.

[ScaredSilly]

Ptarmigan gets a few attempts compared to many of the other routes. We did it in May one year. Had great conditions. In fact, in three trips to that side of the hill (via Spray Park from Carbon River) it has always been pleasant walking to a high camp.

 

The problem this year is the huge amount of snow low down is just not consolidating very well. And up high there does not seem to be the cover. So later in the year the route will be out.