Tweets:

In the spirit of things, and because I really appreciate the explicit
directions to the Ptarmigan crowd at Panorama Point, I thought I
would reciprocate with explicit directions to the brood of one hen
and four chicks that Clarice and I saw, on Saturday, on our way
back to Paradise.

The main reason this might be of interest is that this brood is much
closer to Paradise and is at a much lower elevation. They are
easier to get to. Not as much adventure.

If you start at the Paradise Inn, and take the counter-clockwise
direction on the Skyline trail, that is to the east, you will be heading
for Myrtle falls rather than Alta Vista. The trail is paved to an
overlook for Myrtle Falls. Then, continue across the creek on the
Skyline trail to where Golden Gate trail takes off. Golden Gate trail
goes straight ahead, which is northeast, while Skyline trail bends
east toward a big loop that takes you to Sluiskin Falls. Go straight
up Golden Gate, past a waterfall on your left (where they have a
water collection building) and climb gently through a now intoxicating
bloom of lupines. Shortly, in front of you, you will see where Golden
Gate trail begins some long, steep, switchbacks up an open
meadow slope. Edith Creek is visible as are its falls, which are
running southwest along side the trail, on the trail's left side, as you
look up. Start looking to your left (northwest) right when the
switchbacks come into view,and when you are still a couple of
hundred yards before you get to them. We had good, long, close
looks at a female Ptarmigan, with four chicks, in the kind of eroded
looking meadow along the west (left) side of the trail. The birds
were pretty close, the chicks coming to within about 45' of us. There
were also lots of Pipits. The meadow has many very low willows
(less than a foot tall), and the Ptarmigan were feeding on the willow
shoots. We watched for about a half hour-- and I did notice mom
was beginning to act a little nervous, making gentle clucks to keep
her brood in line. This trail gets a lot of use on weekends, so a
whole lot of people walked by them without a clue.

The best part of this is that you are less than a mile from the
Paradise Inn and only about 400-500 feet higher in elevation.

Of course, if you don't luck out here the Golden Gate trail continues
up the switchbacks to the Skyline trail, and the intersection is only a
few hundred yards from the bottom of the meadow where the birds
were first reported. The climb is a grunt, however.

Good looking.
Jerry Broadus, PLS
Geometrix Surveying, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Puyallup, WA. 98371