Traverses & Loops (Classics)

Trip reports for truly classic traverses and loops of various types.

Bacon-Hagan-Blum Trav (WA) Enchantment Traverse (WA) Grand Canyon Raft Trav (AZ) Haute Route (Alps) High–Giant Traverse (WA) Huayhuash Circuit (Peru) Inspiration–Isolation Trav (WA) Olympus–Bailey Trav (WA) Overland Trav (Tasmania) Picket Traverse (WA) Ptarmigan Traverse (WA) Sneffels Ski Traverse (CO)

Last sun on the summit of Buck Mountain taken from Mt Berge in the Chiwawa Mountains

High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to Little Giant Pass via High Pass—Louis Creek Basin—Napeequa Valley + Buck Mtn + Mt Cleator + Mt Berge (Chiwawa Range, WA)

Jim Brisbine · September 3, 1984

Trip Date: August 31 – September 3, 1984 High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to High Pass to Little ...

Buck Mountain (8528/8534 ft) Chiwawa Range High–Giant Traverse (WA) North-Central WA Cascades The Chiwawa Four Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

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

Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade River to Suiattle River via Kool-Aid Lake—Yang Yang Lakes—White Rock Lakes + Magic Mtn (Ptarmigan Mountains, WA)

Jim Brisbine · September 14, 1981

Trip Date: September 9-14, 1981 Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade River to Suiattle River Cascade PassCache ColKool-Aid Lake ...

North-Central WA Cascades Ptarmigan Mountains Ptarmigan Traverse (WA) Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

Mt Hagan with a large snow field as seen from Mt Blum ridge during the Blum-Hagan Traverse in the Lower Skagit Mountains

Blum–Hagan Traverse: Baker River to Hidden Lake via Blum Lakes—Hagan Glacier + Mt Blum + Mt Hagan (Lower Skagit Mountains, WA)

Jim Brisbine · July 6, 2007

Trip Date: July 4-6, 2007 Blum–Hagan Traverse: Baker River to Blum Lakes to Hidden Lake Baker River Bridge ...

Bacon-Hagan-Blum Trav (WA) Blum, Mt (7680 ft) Hagan, Mt (7080+ ft) Lower Skagit Mountains Northwestern WA Cascades The Lower Skagit Five Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

A backcountry skier stares at Mt. Sneffels in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado

Sneffels Range Ski Traverse: Telluride to Ridgway (San Juan Mountains, CO)

Jim Brisbine · March 25, 2022

Trip Date: March 20-25, 2022 Sneffels Range Ski Traverse: Last Dollar Trailhead to Miller Mesa Trailhead Last Dollar ...

Favorite Trips Sneffels Ski Traverse (CO) Snow Tours in Other Locations Traverses & Loops (Ski)

Oarboats float down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park

Colorado River Rafting Trip: Pipe Creek to Diamond Creek + Shinumo Creek + Havasu Creek (Grand Canyon National Park, AZ)

Jim Brisbine · July 7, 2014

Trip Date: June 29 – July 7, 2014 GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE VACATION Colorado River Rafting Descent: Pipe ...

Arizona Canyoneering Family Trips Favorite Trips Grand Canyon Raft Trav (AZ) River Rafting

Boardwalk in a field of grasses with distant hills and bridge at Ronnie Creek Crossing at the start of the Overland Track in Tasmania

Overland Track Traverse + Cradle Mtn + Barn Bluff + Mt Ossa (Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania)

Jim Brisbine · January 20, 2019

Trip Date: January 15-20, 2019 2019 TASMANIA ADVENTURE VACATION Overland Track Traverse: Ronnie Creek to Narcissus ...

Family Trips Favorite Trips Overland Trav (Tasmania) Tasmania Traverses & Loops (Trail)

Olympus–Bailey Traverse: Hoh River to Sol Duc River via Bear Pass + Mt Olympus + Mt Ferry + Stephen Peak + Mt Carrie (Olympic Mountains, WA)

Jim Brisbine · July 26, 2020

Trip Date: July 17-26, 2020 Olympus–Bailey Traverse: Hoh River to Sol Duc River Hoh RainforestGlacier MeadowsBlue ...

Carrie, Mt (6995 ft) Olympic Mountains WA Olympus–Bailey Trav (WA) Olympus, Mt (7969 ft) The Olympic Thirteen The Regal Six Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to Little Giant Pass via High Pass—Louis Creek Basin—Napeequa Valley + Buck Mtn + Napeequa Mtn (Chiwawa Range, WA)

Jim Brisbine · August 3, 2020

Trip Date: July 31 – August 3, 2020 MID-SUMMER OUTING NO. 18: CHIWAWA RANGE High Giant Traverse: ...

Buck Mountain (8528/8534 ft) Chiwawa Range Favorite Trips High–Giant Traverse (WA) Mid-Summer Outings North-Central WA Cascades The Chiwawa Four Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to Little Giant Pass via High Pass—Louis Creek Basin—Napeequa Valley + Buck Mtn via West Face (Chiwawa Range, WA)

Jim Brisbine · October 1, 2011

Trip Date: September 28 – October 1, 2011 GOLDEN LARCH OUTING: CHIWAWA RANGE High Giant Traverse: Buck ...

Buck Mountain (8528/8534 ft) Chiwawa Range Golden Larch Outings High–Giant Traverse (WA) North-Central WA Cascades The Chiwawa Four Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

Morning sun casts a warm light on Gunsight Peak & Dome Peak viewed from White Rock Lakes during the Ptarmigan Traverse in the North Cascades, WA.

Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade River to Suiattle River via Kool-Aid Lake—Yang Yang Lakes—White Rock Lakes + Dome Peak (Ptarmigan Mountains, WA)

Jim Brisbine · August 14, 2021

Trip Date: August 6-14, 2021 Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade River to Suiattle River Cascade PassCache ColKool-Aid Lake ...

Dome Peak (8920/8921 ft) Family Trips Favorite Trips North-Central WA Cascades Ptarmigan Mountains Ptarmigan Traverse (WA) The Landmark Twelve The Ptarmigan Pten The Tall Twelve Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

North side of the Southern Pickets with McMillan Glacier as seen on Day 5 of the Picket Traverse

Picket Traverse: Little Beaver Creek to Sourdough Creek via Perfect Pass—Picket Pass—McMillan Pass—Torrent Pass + Whatcom Peak + Elephant Butte (Picket Range, WA)

Jim Brisbine · June 24, 2018

Trip Date: June 16-24, 2018 Picket Traverse: Little Beaver Creek to Sourdough Creek Little Beaver CreekWhatcom Arm ...

Favorite Trips Northwestern WA Cascades Picket Range Picket Traverse (WA) The Outlier Twelve Traverses & Loops (Alpine) Whatcom Peak (7574 ft)

Haute Route Mountaineering Traverse: Chamonix to Zermatt + Aiguille du Tour (Western Alps, France + Switzerland)

Jim Brisbine · June 18, 2025

Trip Date: June 12-18, 2025 2025 WESTERN ALPS ADVENTURE VACATION Mountaineer’s Haute Route: Le Tour to Ober-Stafel ...

Favorite Trips France Haute Route (Alps) Switzerland Traverses & Loops (Alpine)

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Traverses & Loops (Classics)

High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to Little Giant Pass via High Pass—Louis Creek Basin—Napeequa Valley + Buck Mtn + Mt Cleator + Mt Berge (Chiwawa Range, WA)

Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade River to Suiattle River via Kool-Aid Lake—Yang Yang Lakes—White Rock Lakes + Magic Mtn (Ptarmigan Mountains, WA)

Blum–Hagan Traverse: Baker River to Hidden Lake via Blum Lakes—Hagan Glacier + Mt Blum + Mt Hagan (Lower Skagit Mountains, WA)

Sneffels Range Ski Traverse: Telluride to Ridgway (San Juan Mountains, CO)

Colorado River Rafting Trip: Pipe Creek to Diamond Creek + Shinumo Creek + Havasu Creek (Grand Canyon National Park, AZ)

Overland Track Traverse + Cradle Mtn + Barn Bluff + Mt Ossa (Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania)

Olympus–Bailey Traverse: Hoh River to Sol Duc River via Bear Pass + Mt Olympus + Mt Ferry + Stephen Peak + Mt Carrie (Olympic Mountains, WA)

High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to Little Giant Pass via High Pass—Louis Creek Basin—Napeequa Valley + Buck Mtn + Napeequa Mtn (Chiwawa Range, WA)

High Giant Traverse: Buck Creek Pass to Little Giant Pass via High Pass—Louis Creek Basin—Napeequa Valley + Buck Mtn via West Face (Chiwawa Range, WA)

Ptarmigan Traverse: Cascade River to Suiattle River via Kool-Aid Lake—Yang Yang Lakes—White Rock Lakes + Dome Peak (Ptarmigan Mountains, WA)

Picket Traverse: Little Beaver Creek to Sourdough Creek via Perfect Pass—Picket Pass—McMillan Pass—Torrent Pass + Whatcom Peak + Elephant Butte (Picket Range, WA)

Haute Route Mountaineering Traverse: Chamonix to Zermatt + Aiguille du Tour (Western Alps, France + Switzerland)

Ashley Gorge Via Ferrata Climbs: The Outlaw + Abduction + The Pump + The Soup + Toothy Grin (Uinta Range, UT)

Guye Peak: North Summit + Middle Summit + South Summit via Alpental Valley / Commonwealth Valley (Snoqualmie Range, WA)

McAlester–Rainbow Loop via McAlester Pass—Rainbow Creek—Rainbow Pass—Bridge Creek + McAlester Mtn (North Stehekin Mountains, WA)

Hoodoo Pass Loop via Eagle Lakes—Horsehead Pass—Libby-Crater Saddle—Crater Lake + Mt Bigelow + Crater Peak (Sawtooth Mountains, WA)

Amabilis Mtn Bike Loop via Amabilis Beacon + Amabilis Peak (Keechelus Mountains, WA)

Three Fingers Mtn: South Peak / Lookout Via Meadow Mtn—Goat Flats—Tin Can Gap—Southwest Side (West Sauk Mountains, WA)

Defiance Trail Traverse: Thompson Pass to Hemlock Pass via Mason Pass—Pratt Pass + Mt Defiance (Lower Snoqualmie Range, WA)

LaCrosse Pass Loop via Enchanted Valley—O’Neil Pass—Duckabush River—Dosewallips River—Anderson Pass (Olympic Mountains, WA)

Granite Mtn via Hyas Lake—Tuck Lake—Robin Lakes—Northwest Ridge (Upper Icicle Mountains, WA)

Glacier Basin Climbing Reconn: Monte Cristo Peak attempt + Cadet Peak attempt (Monte Cristo Mountains, WA)