[adam]

has anyone completed the ptarmigan traverse recently? I'm thinking of trying in the next few weeks, but would like to know what I may be getting myself into, especially in this low snow year. thanks

[Don]

Adam, the PT is not a solo trip. It involves crossing at least four major glaciers that can and likely will be heavily crevassed. A recent report on here has the South Cascade Glacier, the gentlest of all of them, to be heavily crevassed. I would call the Darrington RS for the latest info they have. They can usually offer pretty up-to-date info.

[adam]

Fair enough-- by "myself" I mean "myself as part of a party". As for the South Cascade, isn't the traverse on the opposite side of the glacier from the recent TR here? I don't know-- I'll re-read it with a map. Thanks for the reply, adam

[Don]

Adam, Good enough. The post I was referring to saw the glacier from the vicinity of the monitoring station, but could see up near Lizard Pass. But seriously, contact the Darrington RS. They get many climbers checking in after completing the PT due to their location near Downey Creek, and I have always found their info quite reliable. It is worth a phone call.

[aestivate]

I was in the Buckindy/Snowking area recently. Most persistent snow patches and glacier remnants were melted down to multi-year firn or glacier ice: all of last winter's snow has melted off. I suspect the ptarmigan will be in much the same condition. That means ice or totally consolidated old snow, crevasses, undermined snow, basically all kinds of nasty sh**t where you weren't expecting it. Be warned. Bring crampons.