Trip Date: September 9-14, 1981

Ptarmigan Mountains Climbing Trip & Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade Pass to Suiattle River

Cascade Pass
Cache Col
Kool-Aid Lake
Magic Mountain (7610 ft)
Spider–Formidable Col
Yang Yang Lakes
Sentinel Pass
Lizard Pass
White Rock Lakes
Downey Creek Saddle
Downey Creek Valley

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Trip Report Summary
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Trip Report Summary

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Ptarmigan Mountains

Areas: North Cascades National Park & Glacier Peak Wilderness

Starting Point: Cascade River Road washout blockage (Elev. 2200 feet)

Way Points: Cascade River Vehicle Bridge & Cascade Pass Trailhead (road walk); Cascade Pass & Cache Glacier & Cache Col & Kool-Aid Lake & Middle Cascade Glacier & Spider–Formidable Col & Yang Yang Lakes & LeConte Ridge & LeConte Glacier & Sentinel Pass & South Cascade Glacier & Lizard Pass & White Rock Lakes & Downey Creek Saddle & Upper Downey Creek & Lower Downey Creek (trail hike & off-trail hike & rock scramble & snow climb)

Ending Point: Downey Creek Trailhead on Suiattle River Road (Elev. 1400 feet)

Campsites: Cascade Pass Trailhead parking lot & Kool-Aid Lake & Yang Yang Lakes & White Rock Lakes & Upper Downey Creek

Summit: Magic Mountain (rock scramble via Southwest Slope)

Approximate Total Stats (excluding sidetrip): 34 miles traveled; 13,000 feet gained; 13,800 feet lost.

Approximate Total Stats (including sidetrip): 35 miles traveled; 14,500 feet gained; 15,300 feet lost.

>>> Ptarmigan Traverse + Dome Peak – August 2021

>>> Ptarmigan Traverse + Hurry-Up Peak + LeConte Mtn + Old Guard Peak + Dome Peak – August 2012

>>> Downey Creek Loop + Mt Bruseth + Sentinel Peak + Spire Point + Dome Peak – June 2005

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge…

Forbidden Peak and Sahale Arm From Mixup Arm

Freeman and Sherrill Climbing Toward Cache Col

Sherrill Downclimbing Moat At Cache Col

Spider Mtn and Mt Formidable From Cache Col

Descending To KoolAid Lake

Sherrill and Freeman On Middle Cascade Glacier

LeConte Glacier From Spider-Formidable Col

Yang Yang Lakes Below LeConte Mtn

Spider Mtn Ridge From Yang Yang Lakes

Freeman and Sherrill On LeConte Glacier

Dome Peak From Lizard Pass

Descending To White Rock Lakes

Morning sun lights up Gunsight Peak and Chikamin Glacier and Dome Peak from camp at White Rock Lakes during the Ptarmigan Traverse

Gunsight Peak and Dome Peak viewed from White Rock Lakes on the Ptarmigan Traverse

Spire Point and Dana Glacier From White Rock Lakes

Dome Peak From Downey Creek Saddle

White Rock Lakes From Downey Creek Saddle

Mt Bruseth From Downey Creek Saddle

Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade Pass to Suiattle River + Magic Mtn (Ptarmigan Mountains, WA)

Ptarmigan Mountains Climbing Trip & Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade Pass to Suiattle River

Trip Report Summary

Photo Gallery

White Rim Bike Traverse: Mineral Bottom to Shafer Canyon (Canyonlands National Park, UT)

Bob’s Outback Figure-8 Bike Loop + Mallory’s Outback Hill (Lower Methow Mountains, WA)

Ptarmigan Peak Summit Loop: Tatoosh Ridge to Rolo Pass via Lago–Carru Col (Pasayten Mountains, WA)

Huckleberry Mtn via Kendall Pass—Huckleberry Flats—East Ridge—Upper East Face (Snoqualmie Range, WA)

Argonaut Peak Attempt via Fourth Creek Pass—South Slope—Porcupine Basin—Northeast Ridge (Icicle Mountains, WA)

Dip Top Loop: Marmot Lake to Pea Soup Lake to Peggys Pond + Lynch Peak (Miller-Foss Mountains & Snoqualmie Range, WA)

Vicuna Peak via Upper Coldwater River—Southeast Slope—Northeast Ridge (Coquihalla Range, BC)

Yak Peak via Highway 5—South Slope—Upper Southeast Face (Coquihalla Range, BC)

Wind River Traverse: Seneca Lake to Knapsack Col to Indian Pass to North Fork Canyon (Wind River Range, WY)

Hiawatha Bike Traverse: East Portal to Pearson via Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Bitterroot Mountains, MT/ID)

Luna Cirque Loop via Access Creek—Luna Pass—Challenger Gap—Wiley Ridge + Luna Peak (Picket Range, WA)

McGregor Mtn Summit Traverse: Rainbow Pass to Heaton Basin via Sandalee Glacier (North Stehekin Mountains, WA)

French Cabin Mtn: West Peak via French Cabin Creek—Silver Creek Basin—South Ridge (Kachess Mountains, WA)

Otter Falls Slab Sport-Climb via Poppys Peril Route (Taylor-Tolt Mountains, WA)

Mostnica Gorge Trail Loop via Lake Bohinj—Vojah Hut—Blato Prairie (Julian Alps, Slovenia)

Mala Osojnica Viewpoint Loop via Bled Round Trail (Julian Alps, Slovenia)

Vintgar Gorge – King Of Triglav Trail Loop via Sum Waterfall (Julian Alps, Slovenia)

Steamboat Rock Summit Loop via Steamboat Benchmark + Steamboat Bow (Upper Grand Coulee, WA)

Northrup Canyon Loop via Old Homestead—Northrup Lake—Northwest Rim (Upper Grand Coulee, WA)

East Barker Knob via Banks Lake Shoreline—Barker Gap—West Side (Upper Grand Coulee, WA)

Bacon–Hagan–Blum Traverse + Bacon Peak + Mt Blum (Lower Skagit Mountains, WA)

La Bohn–Tank Loop + Little Big Chief Peak via Dutch Miller Gap (Miller-Foss Mountains & Snoqualmie Range, WA)

East Portal Peak via Ptarmigan Ridge—Camp Kiser (Mount Baker Massif, WA)

Mt Arriva via South Ridge + Fisher Peak via Northwest Ridge + Silent Lakes (Ragged Range, WA)

Icicle Ridge Traverse + Grindstone Mtn + Big Lou Mtn + Lake Ida + Lake Augusta (Chiwaukum Mountains, WA)

Grand Teton via Lower Owen-Spalding Couloir—Wall Street—Upper Exum Ridge (Grand Teton National Park, WY)

Inspiration–Isolation Traverse + Primus Peak + Eldorado Peak + Snowfield Peak (McAllister Mountains, WA)

Baby Munday Peak + Stewart Peak + Knight Peak via Airplane Creek (Cheam Range, BC)

Mt St Helens [Pre-Eruption] via Dogs Head—Nelson Glacier (Southern Cascades, WA)

Tam McArthur Rim Ski Tours + Three Creek Lake Yurts (Deschutes Mountains, OR)

Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade Pass to Suiattle River + Magic Mtn (Ptarmigan Mountains, WA)

Ptarmigan Mountains Climbing Trip & Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade Pass to Suiattle River

Trip Report Summary

Related Posts

Photo Gallery