Subject: Ptarmigan on Alta Mountain
Date: Jul 11 10:30:33 2002
From: Hal Opperman - hal at catharus.net


Dear Tweets,

My son, Lucien, found a White-tailed Ptarmigan while hiking up Alta Mountain
last Sunday (July 7). He is a careful observer and though not a birder, I
have seen signs that he may yet get the bug. He described the bird thus:
"White body, some black flecks around neck as I recall. About hen size,
with big feet that were pretty agile on snow and rock."

Alta Mountain is in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, in northwestern
Kittitas County. Many of the higher slopes in this area have alpine
vegetation that is fine ptarmigan habitat, but birders rarely go there and
ptarmigan reports are almost non-existent. For example, there is only one
ptarmigan record in the Kittitas County Breeding Bird Atlas (by Howard
Armstrong on Bear's Breast Mountain in 1990).

To get there, take Exit 62 from I-90 and go up FR-49 to Kachess Lake, then
take FR-4930 to its end at a trailhead parking lot. Trail #1313 starts here
and goes up Box Canyon Creek to Rachel Lake. In another mile the trail
reaches the Rampart Lakes Basin, and forks. Take the right branch toward
Lila Lake. Before reaching Lila Lake a hiker's track turns off to the left
and follows a ridgeline north to the summit of Alta Mountain (about 6,200
feet elevation). Last weekend the trail was still buried beneath snow from
Rachel Lake on up, so Lucien went cross-country. It was not always easy
going, he said. He sometimes had to backtrack, and his gaiters were packed
with snow.

The ptarmigan was along that south ridge of Alta Mountain, below the summit,
at approximately 5,400-6,000 feet elevation. Lucien must nearly have
stepped on it before it sprang up and moved a short distance to clamber
about in the boulders. It was quite confiding, he said.

I think I'll wait until the snow melts some more before heading up there to
have a look. Even if you miss the ptarmigan it is a beautiful day hike,
about 10 miles round-trip with 2,300 feet elevation gain (3,100 feet if you
go all the way to the summit).

Hal Opperman
Medina, Washington
hal at catharus.net