Matt_Alford Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 Trip: Ptarmigan Traverse with the wives - Date: 8/14/2009 Trip Report: Dave, Jill, Jen and I spent August 14th-18th on the Ptarmigan Traverse. I have always thought that one cannot consider oneself a true Cascade Alpinist until completing the Ptarmigan Traverse. While bivied on top of Goode last year Dave and I hatched the plan to do the Traverse with our lovely wives. Great trip with the best of company! Basically the view for the first two days Day 3 dawns clear Middle Cascade Glacier Happy Couple who will make cute and smart babies Alpine Dancer Pose LaConte cheerleader pose Laconte Glacier Both Dave and I married up Dome Peak from White Rocks Lakes High on the Dana Camp was ok after Spire Col Although the views of Dome were little obstructed Cub lake in need of a Ski boat Bachelor Creek was a highlight of the trip Suiattle River 9 mile walk stoke! Gear Notes: Unreasonable amounts of food will keep your wife coming back to the mountains! Approach Notes: The longest 1/4 mile in the Cascades Quote
ivan Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 nice! not thinking my wife will ever be making that walk w/ me though betyer wifes weren't calling that superior peak la cunt though! Quote
Matt_Alford Posted August 27, 2009 Author Posted August 27, 2009 Most of my wife's colorful language was reserved for the flies, slide alder, and avalanche slides of Bachelor Creek. Quote
wayne Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 Nice that your marriages survived . not nice that I am not a cascade true alpinist. Interesting how people have come to terms with the added mileage on this route. Quote
Matt_Alford Posted August 27, 2009 Author Posted August 27, 2009 Ah Wayne...my rules apply only to myself... You can be a Alpinist again if you go tick all the hard 5.10s at Nevermind. Deal? Quote
cascadesdj Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 So if I've done the 5.10s at Nevermind and the Ptarmigan twice, do I get to be a super alpinist? I wish! Quote
LostCamKenny Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 LaConte cheerleader pose Oh, that's just hot! How bout handfulls of slings for pom poms? Quote
ivan Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 Interesting how people have come to terms with the added mileage on this route. me n' josh's solution in particuliar says a good bit [video:youtube] who says you can't drive dem 9 miles? Quote
Sol Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 That's how I need to do the traverse, thanks for the inspiration, and nice job. Quote
Fairweather Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 Leaving next week to do this trip. Passibility prospects to remain AoK in your opinion? How was the moat at Cache Col? Quote
ivan Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 fw, you hear there's gonna be some closure on the cascade river rd and checked that it won't interfuckwith yer plan? Quote
Fairweather Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 Shit! Just checked the NCNP website: Road closed at MP12.7 starting Sept 1st--the day we are/were leaving. (Tuesday's kind of a weird day to start a road project.) I don't think I can psychologically handle a roadslog on both ends of this trip. Thanks for the head's up Ivan! I'll have to see if the wife will drop us off on Monday instead, or... Anybody know anything about the Pyramid/Inspiration Traverse? Quote
ivan Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 why not get dumped off the night before? if you went s to north, would it be open by the time you exited (josh and i did it that way and really dug it, 'especially getting hte shit of bastard creek immediately behind you) there's always the index traverse Quote
Fairweather Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 I thought about S-->N, but we would still have to walk out to where we left the car at MP 12.7, and it would be too hard to coordinate a pick up since we might go an extra day. Looks like we're gonna try to find someone to drop us off Monday night. My wife said no. Again. Quote
ivan Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 you could drop bikes off at cascade pass before the closure goes into effect. Quote
SemoreJugs Posted August 28, 2009 Posted August 28, 2009 Very well composed photos! "La Conte Glacer" and "High on the Dana" are bigtime winners. The first looks to be Alpinist mag quality. And you are lucky husbands indeed! Quote
kinnikinnick Posted August 29, 2009 Posted August 29, 2009 ivan, when did you drive the suiattle river road? biked it this year and there were definitely some butthole puckering sections Quote
YocumRidge Posted August 29, 2009 Posted August 29, 2009 Very well composed photos! "La Conte Glacer" and "High on the Dana" are bigtime winners. The first looks to be Alpinist mag quality. And you are lucky husbands indeed! Who have lucky wives! Quote
sweatinoutliquor Posted August 31, 2009 Posted August 31, 2009 :tup: Great pics and what looks like a great time. That there is what it's all about. Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted August 31, 2009 Posted August 31, 2009 Interesting how people have come to terms with the added mileage on this route. me n' josh's solution in particuliar says a good bit [video:youtube] who says you can't drive dem 9 miles? Finding that vehicle at the end of road was the happiest little surprise of my backcountry career, fo sho. Too bad the battery was dead. BUT...JoshK had one a them charger/starter units on board. BUT...we couldn't figure out how to work it cuz we were too stupid. BUT...we finally did cuz we were more desperate than stupid...and we got to thrash the shit out of his nice ride, as depicted on this little film just before my battery ran out, on the way out. Don and I will be forever grateful to your insanity. Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted August 31, 2009 Posted August 31, 2009 Nice that your marriages survived . not nice that I am not a cascade true alpinist. Interesting how people have come to terms with the added mileage on this route. You...haven't done...the Ptarmigan, Wayne? And here, all this time, I thought.... Quote
ivan Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 ivan, when did you drive the suiattle river road? biked it this year and there were definitely some butthole puckering sections last year, and i was merely a passenger, but i was instrumental in the safety briefing beforehand Quote
banos Posted September 3, 2009 Posted September 3, 2009 Interesting how people have come to terms with the added mileage on this route. an additional 9 miles down a road seems a bit inconsequential when compared to the 20+ miles down the Elwa/NF Quinault trails needed to get out of the Bailey Trav.. jmo still, it would be nice if they fixed the road.. cuz I plan on doing the Ptarmigan in the next couple of yrs Quote
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