cascadesdj Posted August 9, 2009 Posted August 9, 2009 Trip: Mt Thomsom - East Ridge Date: 8/2/2009 Trip Report: Mt Thomson East Ridge 8/2/09 SKT I would like to preface my TR with congratulations to offthehook and other mountain runners and speed demons who are setting FKT records through the mountains. Their accomplishments are admirable and deserving of great respect. In fact, in 1975, my brother, two friends, and I hiked the 46 miles through the Olympics over the Low Divide in a day, sure we were making history. It took all day. We’d never imagined such a thing as running through the mountains. That said, I think perhaps at age almost 61 and veteran of three knee operations (1985, 2000, and 2007) and a pacemaker implant (2008) I may be uniquely qualified for a new kind record, SKT, or Slowest Known Time. I decided on 8/2 to test my abilities in this vein on The East Ridge scramble/climb route on Mt. Thomsom (Thompson?). When I got to the parking lot at 7:30 AM, I had my first piece of luck. A middle-aged couple, whose goal was the Catwalk, was also just starting up. I asked them if they knew about the Commonwealth Basin cutoff trail. They did not, so I offered to lead them through. This was all to my advantage, as they were slower hikers than I, thereby increasing my total time for the route via this approach. Of course, I took my time with them discussing the local mountains, trails, climbs, etc. Upon reaching the junction with the Pacific Crest Freeway, whose grade I appreciate at this age, I took off and hoofed it to the Catwalk, which I reached at 9:40. Realizing this pace was probably not good for an SKT record, I took a 20 minute lunch/hydration break. There I met another gentleman about my age who declared he was considering the same route as I. However, he also said he was not feeling well and did not bring enough water. I believe that when opportunity presents itself, one should embrace it. His condition presaged a potential very slow pace, so I offered to climb with him. Unfortunately, however, he immediately backed out, and said he would prefer to just watch me from Bumblebee Pass. I never saw him again, and reached the pass at 10:40. A food and sunscreen break at the bottom of the south face ate up a few minutes, and then the heinous talus scramble began. After the notch in the east ridge, I started up through the steep heather and the slabby east ridge proper. Here, at elevation, I enjoyed an advantage other SKT hopefuls may envy. I have noticed since my pacemaker implantation, I have aerobic problems when climbing over about 5000 feet. This necessitates a rest step pace, usually reserved by climbers at much higher slopes. Of course, record-breaking temps and incipient dehydration may also have slowed me. When I reached the summit blocks, I stopped, ate again, and put on climbing shoes. My first 25 foot rock pitch (5.5-5.6) led to a step-across I was not willing to reverse, so I down climbed, figured I was not to summit, and went back to my pack. This was lucky, as it probably increased total time by 15 minutes of so. Then, exploring around to the left, I found another “path” with a short little 5.5 or 5.6 dihedral section easily and comfortably climbed. From there it was just a short scramble to the summit proper with its sublime, albeit hazy, views. I wish I were able to post photos, but I don’t even own a camera, a distinct disadvantage I will have to rectify if I want to continue achieving SKT fame. I did, however, feel richly rewarded at the summit, for I had been looking at this mountain for 40 years, yearning for a shot at the top. I also felt good in that I was at the top at the late hour of 12:40, over 5 hours from the TH! The descent was mostly slow and fairly uneventful. In the talus on the lower south face, one must be very careful. This is some of the most unstable talus I have had the displeasure to travel. At one spot I set in motion what may have been Paul Bunyan’s dinner plate, a four foot diameter, one foot thick disk that surfed 30 feet down over the underlying loose rocks. You would not want to be taken on that ride, especially when traveling solo. At the bottom of the slope, I wasted time resting at the creek, boots off, tanking up on water, killing mosquitoes and horseflies. Then ensued the slow grind, again at rest step pace, up the 300 feet to Bumblebee Pass, reached at 1:50. Back at the Catwalk, Lady Fortune smiled at me again in the form of a Chinese tourist who asked if I would be willing to take pictures of him. I then volunteered to burn more minutes pointing out all the local peaks and naming them for him. Down on the Commonwealth cutoff trail, I was overjoyed to hear alarmed voices shouting down amongst the creek crossings. A couple, dazed, confused and tired, was lost in the tangle of trails. Following my civic duty, I offered to lead them out of the maze. Her feet were “killing” her, so I set a appropriately slow pace for the final mile. We finally reached the PCT trailhead at 4:50 PM, making my total elapsed time 9:40, good for the current record books for SKT. Basking in glory, I proudly cruised down to the Snoqualmie Summit minimarts to start the next phase of the adventure, rehydration with orange juice, chocolate milk, and a large plastic bottle of water. A note to anyone hoping to beat my time: this record is for the route using the Commomwealth Creek variation—no fair taking the PCT all the way, which adds an extra mile or so each way and therefore cheating on time. Quote
Le Piston Posted August 9, 2009 Posted August 9, 2009 You are doing more than many with your medical history and age. Keep up the mountain adventures! The slower you go, the more you usually get to see and enjoy. I salute and admire the young speedsters, but I also salute you and others who take time to savor the alpine world. Cheers! and thanks for the great TR. Quote
Alpinfox Posted August 10, 2009 Posted August 10, 2009 A very enjoyable TR sir. I hope you will share your next SKT story with us as well. Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted August 11, 2009 Posted August 11, 2009 Nice job. Hoe does camping under the peak affect SKT records? I thought that way was especially slow (yet enjoyable). Also does it count if you lose time due to missing bumble bee pass (and trying to approach/climb without any sort of prior knowledge other than rumor of a route)? I look forward to more of this time trend! Quote
cascadesdj Posted August 14, 2009 Author Posted August 14, 2009 I guess my record is for one day ascents, with no camping. So you can get a new type of record for overnighters. That's a great win-win situation for us both. Now, if you got lost trying to find Bumblebee Pass, you can beat my record. However, I would not want to admit in public that I couldn't find it! Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted August 14, 2009 Posted August 14, 2009 Hehe, actually I think it was the existence of bumble bee pass I not aware of. I had just remembered walking by Thompson on the PCT a few years earlier and thinking it didn't look hard to get to. After my Stuart climb got canceled earlier that day by a fire and a newly closed trailhead we decided to try Thompson instead of going home, no guidebook or map or anything. Good adventure. I'm glad we're not in conflict for ascent times though. Quote
cascadesdj Posted August 14, 2009 Author Posted August 14, 2009 So, did you get up it via the East Ridge? If so, what did you think of it? And how long do you estimate it took--for your 2 day SKT record? Quote
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