Ptarmigan Ridge — Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024

Went for an overnighter with a friend to the established camp sites near Goat Lake/Jade Green Lake. The trail was in good shape from start to finish, but there were some large snowfields that were crossable with trail runners, but microspikes would have made much easier. The lake was 90% covered with snow and ice, so the colors of the lake weren't too visible, but the views of Baker and Shuksan made up for it. There was smoke in the air, but it wasn't too bad and just added a bit of color to the sky. Bees and flys were pretty bad in this spot - surprising, as I've never had a problem with bees above treeline before. Going up on a Thursday and coming back on a Friday allowed us to miss most of the crowds - the Artist Point parking lot was full, but once we hiked out and reached the first snowfield, there weren't many people out there.