Transport to/from Ptarmigan Traverse trailheads

[Girevi]

Hi everyone,

 

I am planning to do the Ptarmigan Traverse this summer (mid July)with a friend. We'll be coming over from Europe and the East Coast and, hence, will need to rent a car.

 

As we would like to avoid having to rent two cars (one to leave at the Southern trailhead (Downey Creek) and the other at the Northern (Cascades Pass), I wonder whether you'd have any advice on agencies/people out there who might either pick us up at, or deliver us from, Downey Creek to Cascade Pass.

 

Any advice would be most appreciated!!

 

Cheers,

 

Girevi

[bistro]

damn good question. I'd like to know the answer too.

[Dan_Miller]

Unfortunately Girevi, the Suiattle River Road #26 will not be driveable to the Downey Creek Trailhead during your planned mid-July trip time. The Downey Creek Trail is situated 20 miles up the Suiattle River Road. Suiattle River Road is only driveable 11.5 miles (see text of the US Forest Service current notice on the status of that road which has been damaged for several years now, below):

 

Suiattle River NOT CLEARED

Closed to all motorized traffic at mile 11.5. Open to foot, bicycle and horse travel beyond closure. Many trees down beyond the gate. Reconstruction and repair work will resume in spring of 2011. Watch for equipment and construction traffic. Road is not projected to open to motorized traffic until fall of 2011 at the earliest. Paved/Gravel

Two/One Lanes

 

Although there is a bit of a road walk involved more than a few parties do walk the closed section of the road each season.

 

I am unable to come up with any sort of shuttle service that you might hire to provide transportaion back to the car that you left at the other end of the Ptarmigan Traverse, whether that may be at the 11.5 mile point on the Suiattle Road, or at the Cascade Pass Trailhead on the Cascade River Road. I wish I could be more helpful in that regard. If others have any thoughts on a hireble shuttle service working in the Marblemount/Darrington area please provide that information here.

[curtveld]

Another way to do it, though not a true 'traverse', is to go in 3-4 days from Cascade Pass and return the same way. No shuttles, no road walking and almost the whole trip is above timberline.

 

Some friends did it that in 2009 with good results.

 

 

[Girevi]

Thanks much Dan! Yup, I had read about the 9 mile slog.... That wouldn't stop us... It is just a painful thought to rent an extra car just to leave it standing idle for a week...

Though we might end up doing just that.