Sore Thumb & Hamma Hamma

[MTNEER]

Hi All,

Saturday, Tony, John and I went to check out Sore Thumb. This tower erupts out of an already steep ridge. Unfortunately, we were about 300 ft. above the cloud base and so were in swirling fog and drizzle. I’m not sure whether it would have been more or less intimidating if it had been clear. The quality of the rock is quite good but it was too wet to climb that day. See access directions below.

Sore Thumb 3825 ft (1166m)

Sore Thumb is an astonishing tower at the end of a tall thin ridge. It is at fairly high altitude, so the access melts out in the late spring or early summer (often sometime in June).

Geology: The climbing area is intrusive basaltic rocks set in the midst of sedimentary rocks of the Western Olympic Lithic assemblage. Notable on the southern aspect of the ridge, is large outcrop of conglomerate rocks with well rounded pebbles of a large variety of stone.

Access: From Port Angeles, drive west 30 miles to USFS 2918. This is a few miles past the Sol Duc Hot Springs road. Turn left (south) onto 2918 and proceed 3.7 miles to USFS 2931. Turn right (SE) onto 2931 and proceed 5.9 miles to the 200 spur. Do pay attention to your odometer. As of this writing, the 200 spur was unmarked. You will find it in a saddle with broad turnouts just before 2931 starts a descent. The 200 spur is not for low slung vehicles, but it is an exhilarating drive. The spur ends in 2.4 miles. At the NW side of the small parking, find a way trail on the west side of the ridge. This arduously constructed trail follows the ridge top to the south face of Sore Thumb. Descend to the east to the airy trail leading around the east face. The East Face holds a number of routes but many possibilities exist on other faces as well.

Map Resources

Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park (Olympic Peninsula Recreation Map): Published Jointly by Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park.. Available at all ranger stations and visitor centers.

USGS 7.5 minute series:

Slide Peak

 

On Sunday, John and I went to The Hamma Hamma River Rocks with the intent of finishing Edge Of Space on Black Wall. The recent rains left the route too wet and slimy to finish. So we concentrated on other parts of Black Wall. John pioneered the thin crack in the center of the wall on top rope. He found that it goes easier than we feared but still at a high standard. He gave it the working name of Knobs End.

We then decided to try the large ramp on the right margin of Black Wall. It was also a little damp but not bad by early afternoon. The damp ramp got twisted in with an old rock and roll song and the name was born. The rope fouled when we tried to pull it down, so John got to lead the second ascent. It was an especially fine lead as it was his first. Route description below.

 

Rampa Dampa Ding Dong - 5.5, pro to 1.5 in. On the right margin of Black Wall, find a large left going ramp with a large open book on the right. The corner of the open book provides plentiful easy pro. Thin cracks in the face near the top. Chains in place at top. 50 meter rope needed for rappel. First Ascent: Dale Boyle & John Stieber 2004.

[olyclimber]

Has anyone climbed a multi-pitch wall located just somewhere just past or near the northwest end of Lake Crescent? This would be on the other side of 101 from the "Sore Thumb".