Mazamas — For the Love of Mountains
The most commonly misspelled peak in Oregon and one of a handful of alpine rock routes, this is a fairly easy day climb. It may look quite challenging from the start, but the technical climbing is just one pitch of easy 5th class rock at the top. Duct taping your boot tops is recommended for the scree descent. An apres climb swim in Diamond Lake is recommended.
Known as “the Lightning Rod of the Cascades”, the striking summit of Mt. Thielsen is the 7th highest peak in Oregon. The peak was named for a pioneer road builder, Hans Thielsen. It is similar in age and structure to Three Fingered Jack and Mt Washington, where glaciation and other types of erosion have left a relatively solid exposed plug of basaltic andesite. The plug is excellent rock in contrast to the rest of the mountain, which is generally poor. There is a small remnant glacier on Thielsen, and thus summiting this peak qualifies one for Mazamas membership.
The first ascent was done in 1883.
Activity Notes
We will depart the Mt. Thielsen trailhead by 6 AM on May 28th and ascend via trail and on snow using ice axes and crampons if needed. Depending on how quickly the snow melts out this year we may be on snow most of the way or on scree or a mix of both. Once we reach the summit pinnacle we will set up a fixed line for the 4th class climb to the summit. We will rappel off the summit and then descend back the way we came. Approximately 12 miles and 3,600 feet elevation gain. Expect a long day (~12 hours).
Climb team members can either join us at a campsite at TBD campground the night before the climb or drive up early on the morning of the climb. The trailhead is a 4.5 hour drive from Portland so driving at least part of the way down Friday evening is highly recommended.
Additional Costs: depending on how many people and cars we have at the campsite, camping will cost an additional $TBD per person. Northwest Forest Passes are required to park. Our ability to carpool to share costs may be limited due to COVID restrictions. Please keep these costs in mind as they are not covered by the climb application fee.
What to Expect After Applying: please apply by May 4th for initial consideration. After May 4th, I will select the climb team and alternates and notify everyone via email of their status by May 11th. My goal in selecting a climb team is to create a well balanced group with a diverse range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences.
Financial Aid: please see this page for information about the Mazamas' financial aid program.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 250 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 5 hours |
| General Route Info | summitpost https://www.summitpost.org/mount-thielsen/150419 mountain forecast https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Thielsen/forecasts/2797 |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in one day |
| Relevant Books | Oregon High by Jeff Thomas |
| Relevant Maps | USGS 7 minute series, Mt. Thielsen and Diamond Lake Google map https://goo.gl/maps/xg6vS1k4prQ2 |
| Useful Links | GPS Track GPS Coordinates Map |
