July 4, 2005, Russell Glacier

What an amazing day. But a pretty brutally long day, underestimated how long would take me and almost missed the fireworks back at home  ;)  Took me 7 hours to reach my high point on Ptarmigan Ridge and that wasn't even the 'real' high point (would have taken another 15 minutes at least of rubble walking). I think it might just be the linear distance; I'm not GPS enabled but looking at the topo I'm thinking that round trip from Mowich Lake (main trail to Park) to top of Russell Glacier is about 11 miles one way. The return trip was MUCH shorter (3:15).
Some of what I might have reported already covered by July 3 Flett/Observation report. The bugs in Spray Park were thick but mostly deterrable with DEET, but without question the Proboscis Police was enforcing a No Stopping No Standing rule in all the flowery parts of the park; I would have been frustrated had the Park been my destination for taking pictures, eating lunch etc. I've been here in August the two years previous and there wasn't that much more snow low, but there was definitely more above 6.5K (the 'inside passage' under Observation Rock still went, didn't the previous Augusts, and it was possible to transition from Flett to Russell on a small strip where moraine hadn't melted out).
Weather stayed mostly clear with just occasional wispy clouds, temperature good for shirtsleeves the whole time. Easy skinning at the start thanks to a party of 2 that preceded me; this party and another pair that I think owned the typical ridgetop camp at ~6700 feet were the only skiers I saw all day. The final slope before the notches leading straight into the true Ptarmigan Ridge climbing route still had plenty of snow; in other peoples' pictures this apparently is not part of the glacier and can be done by midsummer. Tricky skinning though with a hard crust under just a little softening, the other party opted to boot the ridge here so I had the pleasure of finding this out making fresh track. Started down a bit before 4. The turns from that high point of around 10100 to the next bump down were the best of the trip; I guess harder to skin==perfect to ski. From 9000 down the snow was a bit suctiony but fun in a different way, had to stay more in fall-line and ride the backseat. This was my first trip up the Russell to significantly beyond Obs Rock and it sure is nice up there. A little flat in spots but that final slope (pictured)  and the views from there: looming presence of Liberty Cap icefall, dread pit of Mowich Glacier, faroff weird creeping black of Carbon Glacier, definitely worth price of admission.
Side note: on way down busted the plastic piece on one  heel of my Fritschis that does double duty as lifter post/the thing that holds down the heel in downhill mode. Guess you can't use your other foot to lock it down, can't take the force? Will use poles as levers from now on. Confirms my suspicions that in some places metal tho heavier is a better idea. Managed to get it locked for the ski down thank god. Does anyone know how and where one might get parts and service for the older (2-3yrs, the yellow+gray) Freerides? Lacking a good lead, I might try fusing the relatively clean break with epoxy or perhaps pipe cement if in fact this stuff is PVC like I think it is. It does have to take the force of stomping on the posts and transitions, but I think releasability is still viable/unaffected because the break was in the part just behind where it holds it down for downhill mode.
For the hardcore, Flett Headwall looked skiable still, as evidenced by small sluffs (if CAN sluff, it's not ice, right? That's good!) I might have done it had I no plans to go beyond Obs Rock.