Ptarmigan Traverse North Extension - Opinions?

[nat]

In about 10 days, myself and Wayne K (from Olympia) will attempt to add a northern extension to the classic Ptarmigan Traverse. I'm doing some research and am wondering if anyone has completed this before, with or without the Ptarmigan proper. I'm also curious to know of any traverse/link-up issues with the proposed route. The connections appear to work via Beckey's book.

 

From 20 at Colonial Creek, take Thunder Creek trail to McAllister Creek. Begin East Route approach to Primus Peak.

 

Do Primus Peak, to Tricouni Peak.

 

Cross Austere Ridge to Klawatti Peak.

 

Do Eldorado ascent and descent from the East.

 

Boston Basin to Sahale Mountain. Possibly add Forbidden and Torment if we want to bring an alpine rack. None of the other peaks require a rack.

 

Down Sahale Arm to Cascade Pass.

 

Then the standard Ptarmigan from there.

 

Comments? Beta? Flames?

[John_Scurlock]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but your 'northern extension' describes at least part of the Inspiration Traverse, more or less. That, however, would typically begin either up the Pyramid Lake trail or (masochistically) up Colonial Creek, crossing the Colonial/Pyramid group to Snowfield/Neve Glacier, etc.

 

The link-up has been done in the past, both on foot and ski. Don & Natala Goodman, for example, even threw the Picket Traverse & points farther north in on top of that. Others in this forum with personal experience with the I T will be more specifically helpful than myself.

Edited July 19, 2008 by John_Scurlock

[nat]

Thanks for the heads-up, John. Until you mentioned it, I wasn't familiar with the Inspiration Glacier Traverse. Indeed, some of our proposed route closely follows the southern half of that route. The biggest difference is the inclusion of Primus/Tricouti and then to Inspiration via Austere Ridge and Klawatti. It doesn't seem like Klawatti is a very popular peak.

 

Is it really easy to get from Eldorado to Boston Basin? I couldn't find much about that in the Beckey book.

[Lowell_Skoog]

Is it really easy to get from Eldorado to Boston Basin? I couldn't find much about that in the Beckey book.

 

There is a tricky ridge to cross SSW of Mt Torment. Typically this will require a rappel or two with packs. It's rather slabby.

 

Here's the story of Don and Natala Goodman's trip:

 

http://www.mountaineers.org/NWMJ/05/051_GrandTour1.html

 

 

[nat]

Thanks for the beta Lowell. I may be resigning to bring a full rope.

 

After doing some more reading (including the link you sent, thanks) it seems like the Isolation/Inspiration traverse is a more popular northern "extension" to the Ptarmigan. However, my proposed route of Primus/Tricouni via Thunder Creek Trail to Klawatti & Eldorado seems a bit quicker. Is my assessment right? From 20, would it take more days to complete the Isolation traverse similar to how you and the Goodman's did it?

[John_Scurlock]

My previous assertion of Isolation as a separate traverse was incorrect. Apologies to Lowell.

Edited July 20, 2008 by John_Scurlock

[kThurner]

However, my proposed route of Primus/Tricouni via Thunder Creek Trail to Klawatti & Eldorado seems a bit quicker. Is my assessment right?

 

Depending upon side-trips, your route to Primus via Borealis ridge and on to Eldorado is shorter than the route over Snowfield and Isolation, if only by a day. Few people choose to drop to Klawatti and Moraine Lakes in summer, but it can be worth while if you have the time.

[nat]

Few people choose to drop to Klawatti and Moraine Lakes in summer, but it can be worth while if you have the time.

 

I hadn't planned on dropping that low. Getting down to brass tacks here, I had imagined going from first camp on Borealis ridge to second camp at the east end of the Austera finger to third camp at a col between Eldorado creek basin and Inspiration glacier. Do those times sound reasonable?

[Lowell_Skoog]

After doing some more reading (including the link you sent, thanks) it seems like the Isolation/Inspiration traverse is a more popular northern "extension" to the Ptarmigan. However, my proposed route of Primus/Tricouni via Thunder Creek Trail to Klawatti & Eldorado seems a bit quicker. Is my assessment right? From 20, would it take more days to complete the Isolation traverse similar to how you and the Goodman's did it?

 

It depends on what the climb out of Thunder Creek to Primus/Tricouni is like. I have not been that way. It seems like it could be Cascade river crossing and bushwack horror show, but I really don't know. On the other hand there's a pretty well established climbers trail up from Pyramid Lake to the Colonial glacier area.

[kThurner]

I had imagined going from first camp on Borealis ridge to second camp at the east end of the Austera finger to third camp at a col between Eldorado creek basin and Inspiration glacier. Do those times sound reasonable?

It depends on what the climb out of Thunder Creek to Primus/Tricouni is like. I have not been that way. It seems like it could be Cascade river crossing and bushwack horror show, but I really don't know.

Going up Borealis Ridge from McAllister Camp used to require more routefinding attention, but is now a pretty well trodden route. It is steep and direct. Your itinerary looks ambitious to me. The first day from the car to the top of Borealis Ridge is a very big day indeed. Your described "Second Camp" sounds like you're thinking of putting down on steep snow at the east end of Austerra Ridge which is not advisable. Better to camp on the south slope of Primus along the North Klawatti Glacier. From there the next good camp would be further up on Austerra or Klawatti peaks.

[nat]

Thanks for everyone's replies. After talking it over with Wayne, we've decided to stick to the "classic" Isolation Traverse coined by the Skoogs, right along the lines of the Goodman's trip: Pyramid Lake, Colonial Glacier, Neve, Stout Lake, SW of the Backbone, Mcallister /Inspiration col, Torment col, Boston Basin (skip Torment and Forbidden and Sahale), into Cascade Pass. Wayne was up around Torment this weekend and has his head around that area. Our only question is where to cross the Backbone, which we'll figure out when we get there. We're planning 5 days of food for the northern part, 4 days of food for the Ptarmigan. No rope, lightweight and fast. Leaving July 30.

Edited July 22, 2008 by nat

[TomDancs]

Perhaps it would be worth having a cache at the parking lot for cascade pass.

[nat]

Perhaps it would be worth having a cache at the parking lot for cascade pass.

 

Perhaps. Care to drive it in for me?

 

Seriously though, is there a good spot to cache food? I don't know the parking lot scene.

[nat]

I talked to a ranger at the Marblemount station and she said it was okay to leave a bear canister somewhere near the parking lot, but I was doing so at my own risk. She said there weren't any bear boxes. Now I have to figure out a bear canister...

 

Nonetheless, this will lighten our packs considerably. Thanks for the idea, Tom!

[nat]

Wayne and I are hitting the Pyramid Lake trail on Saturday morning at the butt-crack of dawn (or earlier, knowing Wayne). Full TR after we return on Aug 10.