Ptarmigan Ridge Trail

Celebrating Big Goals & Small Wins

Over the last 6 months I have been hustling to pay down my sustainable student loan debt. During this less than enjoyable process, Nick and I decided to acknowledge the accomplishment of certain milestones during our journey to become debt free. To celebrate my loans finally falling under 100K, we decided to dust off our boots and spend some quality time together near Mt Baker.

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Mountain Vistas, Stone Bridges, and Picturesque Lakes

Bagley Lakes Trailhead

Typically we would have started this hike from Artist Point, but due to Covid and late season snow the road was still closed. Instead we parked at the Bagley Lakes visitor center and approached the loop in a counterclockwise fashion heading toward the stone bridge that spans Bagley Creek. I remember being a little enamored with this idyllic bridge the first time we hiked Chain Lakes. It reminds me of those wonderful stone structures that you stumble upon while exploring Europe. You’d think it would feel out of place amid the natural beauty of the area, but instead it adds to the sense of wonder and enchantment you feel when hiking this trial. This is by far one of Winston’s favorite parts of the hike. We usually let him enjoy some time at the creek and along the shores of Bagley Lake before ascending Herman Saddle.

Being so early in the season, we encountered numerous small water crosses and a few snow drifts as we made our way up the trail. The clear, crisp weather also afforded us magnificent views of Mt Shuksan each time we paused to look back down the path. From the top of the saddle the scenery is even more stunning as Mount Baker comes into view. At the top, Winston entertained passersby by rubbing his face in the snow and pulling himself sled-style down an expansive snowdrift.

Mazama Lake Campsite

Before heading down to our campsite, we made our way across a large snowfield to explore a photogenic tarn. Winston instantly became a little too intrigued by the floating pieces of ice and started doing laps around one of the more prominent chunks. After we coaxed him anyway from the water, we continued down the trail to Iceberg and Hayes Lake. Later in the day we would return to swim and spend time at these lakes, but for now we made a beeline for camp. There are only 4 designated campsites in the area which motivated us to set up camp early. Luckily we were able to find a spot at Mazama Lake.

Bugs, Bugs, and More Bugs

Unfortunately this is the point where our first night took a turn for the worse. The second we stopped moving and start setting up camp we were attacked ruthlessly by swarms of mosquitoes and the random horsefly for good measure. We spent the rest of the evening at the lakes edge or hiding in our tent. The bugs were so relentless that we started to question whether we should cut the trip short and just hike out the following morning.

Mountain Goats, Starry Skies, and Snowfields

Coleman Pinnacle

The next morning we headed toward the trail junction for Ptarmigan Ridge with bugs and snow at the forefront of our minds. As we got closer to the ridge we could only make out the barest of trails and endless snowfields. Lets just say at this point we were far from optimistic, but as fate would have it we would soon meet someone on the trail that would reignite our sense of hope and adventure.

Before giving up entirely on the venture we decided to make our way toward the ridge to try to discern the trail among the many snowfields. We donned our microspikes and made our way across the first steep snowdrift. It was then that we noticed a lone hiker with a dog making his way towards us out of the snowy expanse beyond. This guy was the embodiment of a true mountaineer. He had a snow axe, a prominent beard, and a ridiculously obedience dog at his side. He was also unbelievably helpful and provided us with detailed route information, current conditions, and campsite recommendations. Additionally, he informed us that there were NO BUGS along the ridge.

I seriously could have hugged him at that moment, except for the fact that there’s currently a pandemic and the strong possibility that he would have thought me completely insane. And so, with newly found hope and still fresh footprints to follow we made our way toward the ridgeline in the distance.

Goats, Goats, and more Goats

We spent the next several miles in awe as we hiked along the ridgeline surrounded by snowy peaks enjoying the solitude that this area offers. As it turned out, we did not see another person for the next 24 hours. Only the warning whistles of marmots broke the silence as we crossed snowfield after snowfield.

Our original goal was camp Kiser which ended up being a little too ambitious with Mr. Winston in toe. Unfortunately his sensitive paws are notorious for acquiring pad injuries. As we neared Colman Pinnacle and saw several rocky inclines in the distance, we decided to make camp and spend the afternoon exploring unnamed ice-filled lakes instead.

After setting up camp and dropping our packs we set our sights on the lakes we had previously seen in the distance. At first the terrain consisted largely of snow and short strengths of rocky trail. However to our surprise, we eventually found ourselves hiking through a meadow surrounded by countless wildflowers.

There were large stretches among the wildflowers where you would find yourself completely blanketed by the most wonderfully intoxicating smell. We eventually deduced that the heady scent was coming from a handful of low-growing inconspicuous white flowers. The smell was one of the best floral scents I’ve ever encountered and reminded me of warm summer evenings. I remember standing there wishing I could stay in that moment a while longer. Reluctantly, we continued down the trail and found a nice grassy bluff overlooking the lakes below. Not wanting Winston too close to the melting ice Nick stayed with him while I made my way down to the lakes edge.

The rich blues and unique hues of the water were even more spectacular up close. With cautious warring with my urge to get as close to the edge as possible, I got as near as I dared to observe the layers of melting ice and the surrounding mountains reflecting onto the water’s surface. At this point the sun was getting low on the horizon so we made our way back through the meadows and snowy expanse to our campsite.

That evening it was difficult to choose which mountain to focus on as the sunset played out over the snowy peaks around us. At one point I ran across the snow to get a better view of the far ridgeline only to be stopping in my tracks as I took in the family of mountain goats before me. With silent frantic hand gestures and lots of arm waving, I was able to pursued Nick to abandon his tripod to see the goats. Little did we know that this same herd would also grace us with their presence the following morning as we made our way off the mountain.

That night we set our alarms for midnight and drug ourselves from our warm sleeping bags to take in the starry sky above. We watched the Milky Way as it spilled out over Mount Baker and searched the night sky for shooting stars. Even though the trip did not have an ideal start, it ended with a perfect day in the mountains. We are already eager to make a return trip to camp Kiser to further enjoy the wonder and solitude of this area.