[TR] Mt. Thompson (Thomson) - West Ridge 7/13/2008

[mkporwit]

Trip: Mt. Thompson (Thomson) - West Ridge

 

Date: 7/13/2008

 

Trip Report:

A few of us decided to make a one-day attempt at the West Ridge of Thompson. The peak had eluded me last year when a friend and I got to the base of the climb and then decided we didn't feel like climbing after all, so I was psyched to go back and try again.

 

We left the trailhead via the PCT at 5:05am and made very good time. We were at the Kendall Katwalk by 7. The trail was largely snow-free, and what little was there was pretty soft and melting fast. After the Katwalk the problems began. There is still a lot of snow on the trail. Steep, hard sections with unpleasant runouts abound. After stopping at Ridge Lake to filter some water, we made it to the top of Bumblebee pass at 10am. Our initial schedule had called for us to be at the base of the climb by this time. The basin below Thompson is still largely full of snow, and the descent from Bumblebee Pass looked very steep. Parts of the final talus approach were melted out. We figured it would take us another 1.5 or 2 hours to get to the base of the route, by which point this would start to smell like a mini epic in the making, so we called the climb and headed back.

 

On the way back we took the Commonwealth Basin trail. About 200 yards after the fork with the PCT we promptly lost it in the snow and did not regain it until the part where the alternate approach for Guye heads off across the creek. The rest of the trail was relatively easy to follow, largely snow free.

 

Link to pics on Flickr

 

Gear Notes:

We brought ice axes and made heavy use of them. We should have brought crampons for all that firm snow. The rack did not even leave the pack this time.

 

Approach Notes:

Lots of snow beyond the Kendall Katwalk.

Edited July 15, 2008 by mkporwit

[olymand]

Sorry you had to bail, but probably did the right thing. I really like this climb. Did it in October with a rather short day, even though we started around 530 with headlamps. The first part of the trip goes fast, but it is quite a hike down and up from Bumblebee pass. I think it took us a couple of hours to get to the climb. Second pitch took some time too. The move is straight up and over and looked harder than it actually was--so put it down to route finding. The scramble down was sporty too. You kind of know it when you pass lots of rap rings, but it was getting late. We didn't get back to ridge lake until 430 5-ish and ended up getting back to the car in the dark and rain. It's a pretty burly one day climb.

[Rad]

Thompson is like Unicorn: a very long way to haul a rope for a few moves of mid-fifth chossy climbing. The setting is certainly fabulous.

 

We came in/out via a road SE of Commonwealth basin. It brought us up to the ridgecrest in 30 minutes of x-country travel at the point where the PCT flattens on the ridgecrest and heads toward Red mtn/Kendall. If you can find this it will save you substantial time/miles/elevation.

 

IMHO, N face Vesper is better in every aspect.