Ptarmigan Traverse, North Cascades

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In 1973 Marc Dilley and I went on a famous mountaineering trip in the North Cascades of Washington. It is called the Ptarmigan Traverse. It starts at Cascade Pass, which is reached by one of the most spectacular hikes imaginable because you are surrounded by incredible peaks on either side. From Cascade Pass, you leave the trail, not to see another trail for 5 or 7 days, depending on how fast you do the route. Some of these photos are by Marc, some by me.

This was at Kool Aid Lake, where we visited with another party on the same route as us. I've done the Traverse when we were the only party, and we didn't see another person for 6 days. Other times there were several other parties and we saw them everyday.

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Sunset on the Ptarmigan Traverse.

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Our second night on the trip was spent at a small lake named Kool Aid Lake. There is usually no lake to be seen here, as its usually covered by snow. In the evening at Kool Aid Lake a cloud formed over us and swirled about in the golden evening sun. It had a real magical air about it.

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A landmard along the way is a small pass above the snow fields of Johannesburg Mountain, called Cache Col. This photo is below Cache Col, where we camped for the night.

View from White Rock Lakes

This is what your view looks like from inside your tent at White Rock Lakes, looking across the valley toward Spire Pass, where the low clouds are. Spire Point is to to the right of Spire Pass. This was from my 1985 tour of the Ptarmigan Traverse, with Mark Gibson.

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On the third day of the trip, you have to cross a rocky ridge, and this snow filled gulley. This is called the red band, for the band of red rock that leads up to the snow gulley. I crossed first, cutting steps in the hard snow. Then I belayed my partner across. The run out below the snow crossing is not pretty, so your heart is pumping pretty good as you move your ice axe with each step, and concentrate on not tripping on your own crampons.

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This view is of the shoulder of Dome Peak, with a bit of moon peeking around the side. We were looking toward Glacier Peak from Spire Pass.

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This is our group in 1973 crossing the fields of glaciers above White Rock Lakes, near the South Cascade Glacier. We were spread out to lessen the weight on snow bridges covering crevasses, and roped together so if someone fell into a crevasse the others on the rope team could get him out.

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This photo shows the group after leaving Yang Yang Lakes, climbing a ridge, and looking at the route for the rest of the day. The route is to head toward the dark rock wall, descend to the left towards the big scary glacier, then pick your way through the crevasse fields of that big mother glacier, and top out on a pass next to the pointy peak at the right of the picture. The crevasses were so incredibly deep, maybe 200 feet deep. Crossing the snow bridges was a little disconcerting.

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Traversing a slope with El Dorado in the background. Ptarmigan Traverse #3, 1985.

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Mark Gibson descending a steep snow slope with a big pack. The danger was in sliding down thesnow and sliding right over the little rock ledge.

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Dome Peak from White Rock Lakes. 1973.

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Bob Crossing Chilliwac River

Below is a pic of me, 30+ years ago, crossing the Chilliwac River on our way to circumnavigate Mt. Challenger in the Picket Range. It was either cross with your boots on or take the boots off and risk hurting your feet on river rocks. I chose wet boots, another guy chose dry boots, and we both ended up OK.

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This is the snow field that has to be crossed from the top of Cascade Pass to Cache Col. It is deceptive in how steep it is, and dangerous because the slope runs right up to rocky cliffs. On our first Ptarmigan I slipped on this slope, and instantly went into a self arrest. To my surprise, the self arrest didn't stop me, and my ice axe was buried to the hilt and I was still sliding toward the cliffs below the snow. I dug in with feet, knees, and elbows, and the pick of the ice axe, and still I didn't stop, and with my full pack went right over the edge of the snow. I feel about ten feet onto a rocky ledge, flat on my back but with my pack under me. I broke the hip belt of my pack, and was otherwise unhurt. I was damn lucky.