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| SE slope   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Washington, United States, North America Route Type: Scrambling Season: Spring, Summer, Fall Time Required: One to two days Rock Difficulty: Class 3 Difficulty: Class 3
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| Page By: tazz Created/Edited: Oct 26, 2006 / Oct 26, 2006 Object ID: 238714 Hits: 546 Loading... Page Score: 88.14% - 7 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Approach route to Trap PassTunnel Creek trail to PCT trail.Take the Tunnel Creek trail (trail # 1061) for 1.6 miles. The trail ends at Hope lake. From Hope Lake head South on the PCT trail. You hike up switchbacks for about .5+ miles to a saddle and then it levels out a bit. One you cross the ridge you start to traverse the slope on the south side. You come into a meadow and then the trail basically levels out and traverses for a couple of miles (with great views and meadows) till you start the switchbacks up to trap pass above trap lake.
TH at 3100' Hope lake at 4400' Trap pass around 5800'
5.6 miles to Trap pass on easy trail.
Surprise Lake trail.
This approach may be a mile shorter but it is an extra 800' or so gain. It also is in the trees for the entire hike. Take Surprise creek trail (#1060) 4 miles to surprise lake. From surprise lake turn left on tr #1060.1 ascend many switchbacks to Trap pass.
TH at 2400'
4.6 miles to Trap pass. Route DescriptionFrom trap Pass head South on a well established climbers path that takes you along the ridge. The path is easy to follow. Ascend to around 6200' give or take. This is when you come into the first open meadow just below Slippery Slab Tower.
From this point on you are in the open. (Fragile meadows! Please try to stay on trails or rock) The main path dwindles into granite slab and boulders. You can loose and find a path all the way to Thunder pass.
From the base of Slippery Slab traverse your way around the ridge for about 1+ miles only gaining a couple hundred feet.
Then you come to the ridge that you must cross to drop down to Thunder lakes. There are 2 saddles to chose from. Both work fine. We took the one just under Nimbus Peak on the right.
I came back out through the saddle on the left. You can just see the summit of Thunder Mountain from the saddle.
After you drop down you will not see it again till you climb up the ridge above Thunder Lake or traverse all the way around the ridge.
From the Lake you have a choice to take the E-NE ridge proper or drop to a easy traverse to the SE slope. The ridge involves quite a gain to only loose it again. It also is a bit more sketch (class3 ?)dropping down. It is rotten and hard to find the route in places along the ridge.
I would recommend the SE slope traverse, as it is faster and easier. From the south corner of the lake drop a bit down to a large bench and follow it to a gully. Drop down into the gully and find a small shelf that takes you around a small ridge.
Stay on a descending traverse till you see Thunder mountain off to the right. Shoot for the small gully/saddle to the west of the summit block. Ascend several hundred feet up a steep heather slope. All class 2.
Once in the saddle you climb over some boulders and trees and hang a sharp right. From here the summit block is solid class 3 to a tiny summit. Descend the same way.
Essential Geara helmet is nice especially in the gully to the summit ridge.
Ice axe and crampons in early saeson. Images
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