[TR] Mt. Thielsen - West Side (Regular Route) 6/14/2008

[David_Zeps]

Trip: Mt. Thielsen - West Side (Regular Route)

 

Date: 6/14/2008

 

Trip Report:

We had a great day on Mt. Thielsen 6/14/2008. The summit block is free of snow. We carried too much gear. We didn't encounter conditions requiring avy beacons, shovels and probes. We didn't need our snowshoes. In the morning the snow was hard and supported us without snowshoes, by afternoon the snow was too soft to hold the snowshoes on any appreciable slope. We never needed crampons. We could avoid snow entirely above about 8200, although at times it was easier to ascend on the edges of the remaining snowfields. If you want to see some pictures (sorry about all the portraits) check http://picasaweb.google.com/jasonthelee/MtThielsen14June2008

 

Gear Notes:

We used a hand-line on the summit block.

 

Approach Notes:

From the trailhead off hwy 138 we followed the Thielsen trail about 1 mile until it became obscured by snow and lots of blowdown at about 6200'. We then headed East about 1.3 miles to gain the ridge at 7200' The route up the ridge is snowcovered and easy going to about 8200' when the snow gives out and scree begins. From 8200 up, it is the usual scree and loose rock on gravel.

[Mon_Col]

Hey David. I tried to do the same trip this last December and struggled through the blowdowns and couldn't find a reasonable way through. Has anyone done any work to clear them? Or were you just more patient than us and found a way past them farther along?

[cdweiland]

I attempted it last weekend on the 8th and had a blast in the rain and wind. We weren't able to do the summit block with brutal winds and rain, but I did try to find a way around the blowdown on the way down the mountain. I followed some other foot prints in the snow for a while but then headed due west after I thought they were going too far north. Once I got back below the clouds and could see something I realized that I was north of the Pt. 5794 near hwy 138 along what must have been Porcupine Creek. I then headed southwest to get closer to the trailhead and promptly found myself in a lot of blowdown again before coming out onto the road a quarter mile north of the trailhead.

 

So the moral of my story is that if you wanted to hike a mile down the road you might be able to avoid the blow down to the north, but I think you might have better luck going along the Camp Creek to the south (just speculation).

 

Congrats on making it David, I hope to get back sometime on a day like you had.

 

Here are my pictures (with two good ones of blow downs): http://picasaweb.google.com/cdweiland/SoOregonDay4MtThielsenAndDriveHome

[David_Zeps]

On the way in we spent about 30 minutes getting past a really bad section of blowdown, then it was OK. Coming down, we stayed about 100 yards south of the Thielsen Trail and joined it at about 6100'. That route avoided almost all the blowdown.

[Mon_Col]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll have to get out there and try it again.

 

Congrats on the successful trip!