Thunder Mountain – October 6, 2007

Mountain height:           2367 m
Elevation gain:               972 m
Ascent time:                  3:45
Descent time:                2:10

Scrambling with Raff and Ferenc.

Fighting a cold and with Mark out of town I was planning to stay at home. However, I felt well enough on Saturday morning to try something short and easy. A quick perusal of various websites revealed Thunder Mountain to be a good candidate. Bob Spirko’s north ridge route looked to be an interesting and stress-free trip and I thought the week’s new snow might add to the scenery. Also Sonny, Linda, and Antri had completed the trip a week earlier and enjoyed the ascent.

I was going to go alone, but decided to give Raff a call just in case he was available. He and Ferenc were on their way to attempt Banded Peak. They agreed that if there was too much snow on the approach trail, we would meet in Longview and attempt Thunder Mountain together. There was and we did.

We stepped out of Ferenc’s van into a vicious west wind and had to concede that the ascent would be completed in very windy conditions. The first part of the trip was very easy and the wind was not an issue at all. As expected, when the snow appeared the scenery improved dramatically, especially with a clear sky above – the yearly reminder of the dramatic beauty of winter that is upon us.

We stayed on the ridge throughout the ascent, to enjoy the snow and the new scenery it created. Ferenc led the ascent and did so with remarkable agility and ease. He would practically run across sections that I was tempted to crawl across!

Soon, the wind did become an issue - surprisingly not in an altogether bad way. Though it was an extremely strong wind, it was not a bone-chilling one. It made travel a far greater challenge, but more importantly created some amazing scenes as blowing snow ravaged the mountainside, the ridge, and those upon it. I fell behind at this point to watch Raff lead the way across the ridge, while being brutalized by the wind and blowing snow. It was quite thrilling. Raff and Ferenc then made their way up the summit in equally vicious conditions. Normally, these types of conditions would make for miserably cold travel, however, the ascent was more refreshing and exhilarating than cold and we all arrived at the summit in good spirits (actually, I was elated!).

Clouds covered most everything on the Continental Divide, but we continued to enjoy clear skies over the Front Ranges. The descent was fast, but we were facing more into the wind and the blowing snow was absolutely biting against any exposed skin. Again, it was a treat to watch Ferenc bounding across the ridge and down the slopes with the grace of a mountain goat.

A thoroughly enjoyable day with several terrific surprises and the company of two great guys and amazing scramblers.  

Raff and Ferenc on the ridge, with the false summit to the right

 

Evergreens, the sun, snow, and a clear sky - an unbeatable combination

 

Tornado Mountain

 

Ferenc leads the way across an narrow, exposed section; Raff followed and I walked around!

 

Raff comes down from the exposed part

 

The pleasant contrast of a snowy ridge and snow-free foothills

 

Beautifully snow-covered trees

 

Through the trees

 

A little scrambling to gain the ridge (photo by Ferenc)

 

Ferenc climbs a short, but steep rockband (I went around)

 

Raff climbs the crux (photo by Ferenc)

 

Raff and Ferenc with the ridge and summit ahead

 

Same as above

 

The terrific upper ridge

 

Same as above

 

Raff tackles another tricky section (photo by Ferenc)

 

Raff leads the way up the ridge

 

More of the beautiful ridge (photo by Raff)

 

The wind picks up a little

 

And a little more; Raff and Ferenc are visible on the ridge 

 

They're still visible

 

Barely visible

 

Raff disappears in the blowing snow

 

There he is again

 

More ridge

 

Raff and Ferenc start the up the summit block;
they are just visible near the bottom of the slope

 

Same as above

 

A little calmer; Raff and Ferenc are on the face somewhere

 

Not so calm

 

More cool scenery before the summit

 

Same as above

 

Raff and Ferenc at the summit

 

A view to the south

 

Raff at the summit

 

Me and Raff coming down and trying to avoid the biting blowing snow (photo by Ferenc)

 

Thunder Mountain as seen from the west from Forestry Road 940

LOG