[TR] Mt. Thielsen- Regular Route 5/6/2006

[gapertimmy]

Climb: Mt. Thielsen-Regular Route

 

Date of Climb: 5/6/2006

 

Trip Report:

Part II of my TR Series: There are other Mountains in Oregon besides Hood

In this installment, the C.O. crew heads south to Mt. Thielsen. This was one of those PERFECT days in the mountains: good snow, good rock, good weather, good turns, and all experienced with a good friend. Grab a beer and enjoy the stoke!

 

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Jlag phoned Friday while I was working on a TPS report and a plan was hatched to head 2 hours South to go check out Thielsen. Weahter was looking pretty solid for Saturday down South so we set out Friday evening with visions of corn shreddage in our heads.

 

Lightning Rod of the Cascades: Note the major (to the ground slide) lookers right of the large castle rock

 

We arrived at the TH around 10ish and began the corn pre-funk. Clear skies, stars and cold temps were a welcome sign so the champagne of beer was flowin like water.

 

We woke up to quasi overcast skies on Saturday morning, and a fog was lingering above us in the trees. Gear was packed, breakfast was chubbed, and by the time we headed up into the woods the sun was starting to poke through the fog.

 

The firm snow made for a quick skinning through the trees, and soon we were getting above it all

Mt. Bailey to the South still has plenty of snow to schralp

 

If anything the snow was too firm at this point. We had to chill out a bit in the trees to wait for things to soften up, and once it did, the hike up continued to be wonderful, and beautiful:

jlag skinning up the southwest side

 

McLoughlin looking TASTY

 

Once we got higher up on the face, the sheer power of the slide in the first photo came into full view. A point release high on the summit ridge caused a 3' crown to propigate and peel away to *the ground*. Pretty amazing, and we guessed it had happened last Saturday during the 2-3 days of warm temps and no freeze at night.

 

The next treat Thielsen provided was a wonderful climb up the summit pyramid. Albeit short, the rock on the pitch was sweet, and the views were wonderful from the interesting summit. It also ended my lengthy drought of being on the rock... good times

gapertimmy rapelling, if you look close you can see the pink belt

 

With the stoke from the climb still rushing through our veins, we got to rip off the skins and ski PERFECT CORN down the SW face of the mountain. FKN STELLAR!!!

jlag scoping his line

 

shred the gnar brah!!!!

 

The ski between the amazing rock outcroppings on the face was very enjoyable, and the corn made the turns fast and effortless. I heart cascades corn.

 

We were able to ski all the way back to the truck where IPA and smoked salmon capped off the perfect day.

tailgatin, with nobody else in sight

 

An amazingly good time was had by all, get out and get it because its soooo good right now (well not today its cloudy and shatty right now, thus i'm sitting at home reliving the stoke from yesterday). Thanks jlag for the fun times.

 

Approach Notes:

Snow all the way to the trailhead, some spots down low are begining to melt out on the trail. Snowpack up high is getting thin in spots and will not last much longer.

[jlag]

Hell yeah, good times were had. Couldn't have had better weather, snow conditions or lack of other peeps. It's fun to own a mountain all to yourself. I'm sure the huge avy crown has kept some away, good thing we drove in at night. Thanks Timmy.

[letsroll]

ncie work you two. Guess this answers my question as to what Jlag was doing this weekend.

You guys ski off the base of the summit?

[gapertimmy]

jlag actually took his board up onto the summit block and did a SICK 80' huck with a mute grab. Unfortunately my camera froze up.

[sweatinoutliquor]

Those are awesome pictures guys. I hate it when y'all have to go and remind me that not only can you be having a great time climbing, but you can be enjoying what seems to be the best time of the year for backcountry skiing. This theilsen trip seems to be a sweet balance of the two!

[John Frieh]

 

When was part I? Did I miss it?

 

Thielsen is where it is at in OR

[kurthicks]

are the bolts that supposedly went in recently still there?

[gapertimmy]

there was one bolt on the summit for a rap anchor. i didn't see anything else on the route.