Ptarmigan Traverse on a tight schedule?

So I know the standard routine for the Ptarmigan is to take at least four nights to complete it, Kool-Aid lake, Yang-Yang lake, White Rocks lake, Dome Peak area, and out...anyone have personal experience trying it on skis in a shorter timespan, maybe three nights out instead of four? I know its been done just a day or two, but I'm curious to hear from folks that have actually done a shorter than usual traverse.<br>Work and other commitments will not permit a trip longer than four days and I figure that the odds of catching perfect weather over memorial day weekend to do this trip is slim, but I just thought I'd see what info folks could share.<br>Thanks.<br>

I think the Suiattle River Road is washed out at Downey Creek. This is only a few hundred feet from the trailhead, but expect to get wet or look for a log if the water is up. Otherwise, ask Skoog? He's lurking. He'll know a acceptable itenery for you. I've been to the area with skis and know that four days is plenty sufficient to cruise through and even tag a few summits along the way for a party in average shape. Good luck...

yeah I heard about the road too, I won't mind soaking my boots (or going for a swim) if I've only got a few hundred yards till I'm done and at the car.<br><br>and I'm kinda hoping that Lowell can help me out...I figure he got this tour down cold.

Here are journal notes from my first Ptarmigan trip, when we did the route in three days. We opted for a mix of peak bagging and ski runs.<br><br>==========<br><br>www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/notes/ms/l...tml#lds-journal-p139

p. 139: 1982, June 8-10, Ptarmigan Traverse (Cascade Pass to Downey Creek)

With Gary Brill, Kerry Ritland, Mark Hutson. Perfect weather. The Cascade River road was open to the end. We hiked and skied to Mixup Arm and made the steep Mixup Peak traverse on skis and skins. We continued to Spider-Formidable col, camped and took a run down the Middle Cascade Glacier after dinner. The next day we traversed to Yang Yang Lakes, reached the divide above and climbed Le Conte Mtn. We skied to the Le Conte Glacier, dropped packs and scrambled up Sentinel and Old Guard peaks. I relaxed while the others took a ski run down the Le Conte Glacier then joined them as they were returning. At sunset Mark and I made a run from our camp at the edge of Le Conte Glacier to the flats on the South Cascade Glacier. On the third day we skied to White Rock Lakes and up Dana Glacier. While Gary and Kerry made a run back down the Dana Glacier, Mark and I scrambled up Spire Point. Mark took a different route and was stopped, but I tagged the summit. Then we all made a 1000 foot run back down the Dana Glacier, climbed up, and finally skied to Bachelor Creek via a high traverse near Spire Lake. We continued out Downey Creek and returned to the Cascade River to recover our car.

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For a three-day itinerary, your goal should be to get as close to Spider-Formidable col as possible on the first day. On the second day, you should aim for somewhere between the LeConte-South Cascade Glacier pass and White Rock Lakes. From there, you can make it out on the third day. With a fourth day you can easily bag Dome Peak. The nicest way to do this is to go from White Rock Lakes through the Dana-Dome Glacier col to the summit, then follow the west slopes to Ipsoot Ridge to head home.

Be aware that the normal summer traverse from Cascade Pass to the Cache Glacier via Mixup Arm has fallen out of favor for spring ski trips. That slope is pretty dangerous in spring. It's better to ski down into Pelton Basin and climb up the gully that reaches the lower NE corner of the Cache Glacier.

thank you for all the beta Lowell, I really appreciate it!

Pete, Check the condition of the Suiattle River road. It has a 200' washout at mp 14.4.<br><br>www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/conditions/roads_damage_2003.shtml

thanks Tim, hadn't heard anything about that washout...looks like a temporary fix has already been put in place so it is driveable through that wash-out.<br><br>www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/flood-dama...uiattle-repair.shtml

Milepost (MP) 14.4 – T32N, R11E, Section 14 (before the Huckleberry Trailhead).
Damage: High river flow washed out 330 feet of roadway. Temporary access has been built adjacent to the washout, and is currently driveable.
Proposed Repair: Relocate the road away from the river for about 600 feet and relocate the Huckleberry Trail and parking just beyond the washout.