[Allison]

Hey anyone remember this article from last year? I want to get my hands on a copy of it, thinking of doing it this summer. Steve, you must have a copy of it floating around!

[SteveF]

Although I was on the trip, I don't have a copy. I think it was last July, Aug or Sept issue? Is it on their website? I prefer the 1953 article in The Mountaineer. It describes the original 1938 ptrip. Those hard men did a loop trip, starting at the southern end, climbing all those peaks, and hiking down to Stehekin, then back out on trails to the car.

[Dave Weyrick]

SteveF wrote: I prefer the 1953 article in The Mountaineer. It describes the original 1938 ptrip. Those hard men did a loop trip, starting at the southern end, climbing all those peaks, and hiking down to Stehekin, then back out on trails to the car. ---------- Is this pstory online somewhere or in some book or magazine one could get ahold of? Sounds like an epic trip similar to the 1890s explorations of the Olympics by O'Neil, the Press party , the Wickershams and others I've been reading about lately.

[reststep]

Dave, you may be able to find a copy of the 1953 Mountaineer to read at the George Martin Mountaineering Library which is part of the Olympic College Library in Bremerton. The George Martin Room is downstairs. The roof caved in on the library in the snow a few years ago. I was worried that the books might have been ruined but the George Martin collection was not touched. They have since of course built a new library. I don't know if they have that particular Mountaineer Annual but they do have many I believe. There is some info about the first Ptarmigan Traverse in the Cascade Voices book.

[Allison]

I Googled, and found some interesting stuff, but not the BP article. Hoping someone has a copy they can Xerox for me.

[MCaver]

I have issues from the last 2-3 years at home. I'll see if I can dig it up.

[SteveF]

The Mutineer journals are at the UW liberry, and probably a few udder liberries. The Ptarmigan is already overpublicized. Ran into a pair trying it last June. They were from Ohio. Made it near Cashe Col, took 'em two-three days, turned around and came back. Of course, their car was parked at the Suiattle River trailhead! The original story quite innerestink. They were in the Great Depression, no jobs. So they gathered some food, nailed their boots, and took off. The Ranger told 'em they'd never make it, the route was impassable. En route they did first ascents of numerous peaks at a pace we'd consider insane (except of course the great Stefan). Their hobnails were nearly gone by the end of the trip. They ran out of food but kept walking. It was a two week trip if I recall correctly. I think this was done slightly before the advent of Outdoor Magazine and gear enthusiasts.

[MCaver]

Hmm. I scanned through all of 2002 and don't see it. Is it a feature article about Ptarmigan, or mentioned as part of a larger article? Part of a regular column? Any idea what issue?

[MCaver]

Found it. August 2002, page 54. I'll photocopy it and bring it to the social.

[Allison]

Excellent, thanks a bunch. As I recall , these guys did it just the way I want to do it. BP mag got a lot of mileage out of that trip in terms of gear reviews and other stuff....this is the feature on doing the Ptraverse, pright?

[MCaver]

It's called The Ptarmigan Test by Andy Dappen. It looks like a narrative of doing the Ptarmigan, about 2 pages long, and a half page "Expideition Planner" with info on how to get there, route, preparation, etc. It's the only thing I've seen regarding the Ptarmigan in any of last years' issues.

[Dalekz]

A good read by lowell Skoog on a ski traverse Cascade pass to Holden can be found here. http://www.offpistemag.com/themag/features/vol3/classic.html You can also check his site WWW.alpenglow.org for references to the mountaineers bulletin

[Tsolo]

As long as we have a Ptarmigan Traverse thread going... I did the PT in August 1973, N to S, and I don’t think we saw anybody else beyond Cascade Pass. There was a faint path to Koolade Lake, but nothing at all beyond until Bachelor Creek. I also had a friend who’d done the complete 2+ weeks version of the trail, S to N, sometime in the mid '60s. He’d remarked that it was one of the few places he’d been in the Cascades where there was absolutely no sign of any previous visitation over most of the route. I tried the PT again in ’82, but we got rained off a mile or two beyond Yang Yang Lakes and bailed out down to the So. Cascade River Trail. By then there was definitely a trail of sorts in all the snow-free areas. Any others of you other than SteveF who’ve done (or tried) the route? Also, I keep hearing how the Bachelor Creek Trail is in pretty bad shape these days, but I remember it being unmaintained even then and much of it was completely overgrown. I’d think just the traffic on the PT these days would open it up a bit (I always thought it would be great to backpack up to Cub Lake...). And thanks for the mention of Cascade Voices (I hadn’t heard of it). I'm going to go find a copy for my winter reading.

[SteveF]

That traverse has a very obvious trail most of the way. You found the correct article. Our group of 3 did it N to S in late Aug '01, the low-snow year. The glaciers were ice but gripped well with aluminum crampons. One section had a 10-15' ice climb up a crevasse wall. The Batchelor Creek area had been hacked out and was an easy walk down that year, but I've heard it's overgrown again. Expect a bushwack. We did it in five days, summited about 3 or 4 easier peaks. Went light, of course (lowtop shoes, minimal shelter). A couple photos here, one showing that crevasse step. I was lucky to wear a Dana pack on the Dana glacier loaned to me by my friend Dana on that trip. writeup of PT Be sure to stop at Cascadian Farms for a few beers... oops, I mean milkshakes.

[MCaver]

Article photocopied. I'll bring it tomorrow night.