Gallery of Jim Blilie's Photos:

Ptarmigan Traverse, August 1986

 

All images are copyright © James W. Blilie, 1986 through 2009, All rights reserved

 

If you prefer a slide show, Click HERE

 

For the slide show:  Click on the first picture on the black photo

album page and then click the "play" button at the upper right

of the view panel to start the slide show.  Enjoy.

 

I did the Ptarmigan Traverse (or link) in Aug-1986 with a group from Boealps:  Jerry Baillie, Tim Backman, Mark Morissey,

John Shipway, Al Baal, and Mike Bingle.  We went north to south and climbed many peaks.  I climbed 7 (Tim

had the bag max:  he climbed 8):  Magic Mountain, Hurry-Up Peak, Art's Knoll, Le Conte Mountain, Sentinel Peak,

Spire Point, and Dome Peak

 

Me:  Summit of Dome Peak, Aug-1986

 

Me on top of Sentinel Peak, Aug-1986

 

Panorama of from the north end of the traverse, looking north (these are stitched from my photos, so they may not be

accurate, except for the peaks themselves):

 

Panorama from LeConte Peak, looking south (south end of the traverse):

 

Back to Main Photo Page

 

Ptarmigan Trav 001 Aug-1986 Trailhead.jpg (159221 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 002 Aug-1986 Traverse Crew.jpg (448926 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 003 Aug-1986 To Cascade Pass.jpg (129085 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 004 Aug-1986 Cascade Pass.jpg (115086 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 005 Aug-1986 to Cache Col.jpg (107454 bytes)

At the trailhead to Cascade Pass

The team:  L ro R:  Me, Tim Backman, John Shipway, Mike Bingle, Mark Morissey, Jerry Baillie, and Al Baal

Trail to Cascade Pass

Cascade Pass, cold and damp.  Little did we know this was almost the end of the clouds for the next 9 days.

Climbing from Cascade Pass to Cache Col

Ptarmigan Trav 006 Aug-1986 to Cache Col.jpg (95125 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 007 Aug-1986 Cache Col.jpg (91015 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 008 Aug-1986 Descending from Cache Col.jpg (285713 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 009 Aug-1986 Crossing to Koolaid Lake.jpg (266513 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 010 Aug-1986 Koolaid Lake Camp.jpg (214368 bytes)

Up to Cache Col (lit notch at center, background)

Cache Col

Descending from Cache Col to Kool Aid Lake (background, center)

Crossing to Kool Aid Lake

Kool Aid Lake Camp; and the last of the clouds!  End of Stage 1

Ptarmigan Trav 011 Aug-1986 Johannesburg Mtn Sunset.jpg (58861 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 012 Aug-1986 Moonrise Mt Formiddable.jpg (97736 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 013 Aug-1986 Up Magic Mtn.jpg (275397 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 014 Aug-1986 Top of Magic Mtn.jpg (210249 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 014 Aug-1986 Top of Magic Mtn Me.jpg (181041 bytes)

Johannesburg Mtn at Sunset

Mt Formidable Moonrise

Climbing Magic Mtn

Top of Magic Mtn, Sahale, Forbidden and Eldorado in background (R to L)

Me on top of Magic Mtn

Ptarmigan Trav 014 Aug-1986 Descending Magic Mtn.jpg (246589 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 015 Aug-1986 Magic Mtn.jpg (246788 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 016 Aug-1986.jpg (204803 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 017 Aug-1986.jpg (221519 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 018 Aug-1986 Tim Backman on Arts Knoll.jpg (271303 bytes)

Descending Magic Mtn

Looking back at the summit of Magic Mtn

Kool Aid Lake, Art's Knoll and Formidable behind

Top of Art's Knoll, looking south to Formidable and Spider

Tim coming to the summit of Art's Knoll

Ptarmigan Trav 019 Aug-1986 Tim Backman on Arts Knoll.jpg (191198 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 020 Aug-1986 The Red Ledge.jpg (187069 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 021 Aug-1986 Byond the Red Ledge.jpg (230853 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 022 Aug-1986 To Spider Col.jpg (146551 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 023 Aug-1986.jpg (147891 bytes)

Tim, Summit of Art's Knoll

Crossing the infamous Red Ledge - probably the worst bit of the entire traverse

Clear going beyond the Red Ledge

Ascending the Middle Cascade Glacier to Spider Col

Ascending the Middle Cascade Glacier to Spider Col

Ptarmigan Trav 024 Aug-1986.jpg (110671 bytes)

 Ptarmigan Trav 026 Aug-1986.jpg (174585 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 027 Aug-1986.jpg (271672 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 025 Aug-1986.jpg (239682 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 028 Aug-1986 at Yang Yang Lakes.jpg (62822 bytes)

Spider Col

Descending to Yang Yang Lakes Descending to Yang Yang Lakes

Yang Yang Lakes Camp (end of Stage 2)

Sunset/Moonrise at Yang Yang Lakes

Ptarmigan Trav 029 Aug-1986 Old Guard Mtn.jpg (97314 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 030 Aug-1986 To Le Conte Mtn.jpg (177234 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 031 Aug-1986 Top of Le Conte Mtn.jpg (115365 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 032 Aug-1986 Me Top of Le Conte.jpg (128951 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 033 Aug-1986 S Cascade Glacier from Le Conte.jpg (175320 bytes)

Moonrise between Old Guard Mtn and Sentinel Peak over the LeConte Glacier

Climbing to LeConte Mtn (at right background)

Top of LeConte Mtn

Me, Top of LeConte Mtn

South Cascade Glacier from the top of LeConte

Ptarmigan Trav 034 Aug-1986 Le Conte Glacier.jpg (153030 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 035 Aug-1986 Col Under Sentinel Pk.jpg (187836 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 036 Aug-1986 Col Under Sentinel Pk.jpg (123820 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 037 Aug-1986 Rock Pitch on Sentinel Peak.jpg (255196 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 038 Aug-1986 Me on top of Sentinel Peak.jpg (175729 bytes)

LeConte Glacier to the Sentinel/Old Guard notch

Below Sentinel Peak

Below Sentinel Peak

Rock pitch on Sentinel Peak

Me, top of Sentinel Peak

Ptarmigan Trav 039 Aug-1986 from White Rock Lks Spire Pt and Dome Pk.jpg (102129 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 041 Aug-1986 White Rock Lakes.jpg (188295 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 042 Aug-1986 Chickamin Glacier.jpg (174894 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 043 Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (155630 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 044 Aug-1986 Me at White Rock Lks.jpg (101691 bytes)

White Rock Lakes camp, end of Stage 3

White Rock Lakes

Dana Glacier

Dome Peak from White Rock Lakes

Me at White Rock Lakes, Spire Point, Dana Glacier behind me

Ptarmigan Trav 045 Aug-1986 White Rock Lakes.jpg (156877 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 046 Aug-1986 Leaving White Rock Lakes.jpg (128449 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 047 Aug-1986 to Spire Pt.jpg (166213 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 048 Aug-1986 Spire Point.jpg (222038 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 049 Aug-1986 Spire Point.jpg (82049 bytes)

White Rock Lakes

Leaving White Rock Lakes

Crossing the Dana Glacier (we had excellent conditions)

Climbing the 5th Class pitches on Spire Point

Summit of Spire Point (me I think, on the summit -- there was only room for one at a time!)

Ptarmigan Trav 050 Aug-1986 Below Spire Pt.jpg (151109 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 051 Aug-1986 Camp Under Dome Pk.jpg (259581 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 052 Aug-1986 Dome Pk Camp.jpg (250366 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 053 Aug-1986 Glacier Pk.jpg (107276 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 054 Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (165362 bytes)

Below the rock on Spire Point, our next-to-last summit

Camp under Dome Peak and Spire Point:  End of Stage 4

Camp, with Dome Peak behind, our last summit of the trip

Glacier Peak from Camp

Dome Peak at sunset

Ptarmigan Trav 055 Aug-1986 Sunset Under Dome Pk.jpg (124610 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 056 Aug-1986 Sunset Under Dome Pk.jpg (55514 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 057 Aug-1986 Dome Pk Morning.jpg (100350 bytes)

 Ptarmigan Trav 057b Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (117816 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 058 Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (162790 bytes)

Sunset under Dome Peak

Sunset under Dome Peak

Dome Peak, early morning, day of the climb

 Ascending to the Dome Peak summit ridge

Dome Peak summit ridge

Ptarmigan Trav 059 Aug-1986 Me Dome Pk Summit.jpg (144762 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 059b Aug-1986 Me Dome Pk Summit.jpg (160264 bytes) Ptarmigan Trav 059c Aug-1986 Me Dome Pk Summit.jpg (121631 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 060 Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (114490 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 061 Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (148670 bytes)

Me, going to the summit of Dome Peak (yep, there's a huge drop on both sides)  Good thing there was no wind.

Me, going to the summit of Dome Peak:  Finally gotta grab hold! Me, on the summit of Dome Peak

Descending Dome Peak

Looking back up to the summit of Dome

Ptarmigan Trav 062 Aug-1986 Dome Pk.jpg (178234 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 063 Aug-1986 Dome Pk Camp.jpg (202420 bytes)

Ptarmigan Trav 064 Aug-1986 Trail Out.jpg (218068 bytes)

Looking back up to the summit of Dome

Ready to roll out (almost)

The (bad) trail out - Stage 5

 

Data on the Ptarmigan Traverse:

 

View of most of the route:

Ptarmigan Image.jpg (241604 bytes)

 

Map of the route:

Ptarmigan Trav Map.JPG (396340 bytes)

 

Detailed maps of the stages:

Stage 1   Stage 2   Stage 3   Stage 4   Stage 5

 

Peaks on the Route (and elevation in feet above sea level):

Dome Peak  8920
Gunsight Peak (Blue Mtn.)  8198
Hurry-up Peak (S Mountain)  7800
Le Conte Mountain  7762
Lizard Mountain  8400
Magic Mountain  7610
Mix-Up Peak  7440
Mount Formidable  8325
Old Guard Peak  8240
Sentinel Peak  8261
Sinister Peak  8440
Spider Mountain  8286
Spire Point  8264

 

Back to Main Photo Page

 

Background image is Tim Backman on the Art's Knoll summit ridge, Aug-1986

 

Last updated:  16-May-2010