Mount Thomson East Ridge by Alaska Mountain via Kendall Katwalk / 湯姆森山

  • Reading time:5 mins read

Mount Thomson by Alaska Mountain rises above Middle Fork Snoqualmie past Kendall Katwalk. This unique feature also marks the highest point in Snoqualmie Pass North before Snoqualmie Mountain. The classic climbing routes over excellent rocks attract climbers and mountaineers alike.

Mount Thomson east ridge in full display
Mount Thomson east ridge in full display

See more trip photos here.

Mount Thomson at a Glance

Access: Pacific Crest Trail
Round Trip: 12 miles
Elevation Range: 3000′-6554′
Gear: helmet
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no

The Preface

I went climbing Mount Thomson with the Mountaineers two years ago. But the snow past Kendall Katwalk kept us from moving efficiently. Then we went as far as Bumblebee Pass and turned around. But I was glad to revisit the mountain.

See more trip photos here.

Pacific Crest Trail

I sent out a call for a partner for this trip. But there wasn’t any taker. Since I couldn’t generate interest, I went mid-week instead. This way, I could also avoid the weekend crowds. But most of them would likely go up the west ridge.

The Pacific Crest Trail wasn’t as busy as I had thought. But I met three or four thru-hiking groups on the way up to Kendall Katwalk. It was still impassible when I came checking out snow conditions three months ago.

Pacific Crest Trail Section J
Pacific Crest Trail Section J

See more trip photos here.

Mount Thomson Summit Plus Views

The classic route runs up the west ridge, but I went up through the east since I climbed solo. It turned out to be a technical scramble with one class 4 move below the top. But it felt incredible to stand on top of the mountain I’ve stared at for years.

The mountain was a great vantage point to see the Middle Fork Snoqualmie. It was also thrilling to see the places I had visited. There was also the view of the Stone Kingdom. But Mount Price was a real treat. I want to come back and try the west ridge at some point.

Ridges and lakes
Ridges and lakes

See more trip photos here.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from One Hike A Week / 每週一行

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading