Trip Report

The graduation trip for the climbing school this year was a climb of Mt. Thielsen. Seven students and three leaders left the South Eugene parking lot at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and arrived about 2½ hours later at Diamond Lake Store (& Pizza Parlor) parking lot. Each of the cars was sporting a colorful layer of bugs on windshield and front bumper ("what kind of bugs are these anyway? - Sticky!") After some discussion about whether to share a camp with numerous "fisher-people" or to camp on snow in seclusion, we found yet another alternative - a secluded spot (except for occasional car traffic) at the head of Thielsen trail, on (for joy!) rare, bare ground. Whether we went to the Pizza Parlor that evening for dinner will remain our secret. (Won't it, Fred.)

The next morning we broke camp and headed toward the mountain at 6:00 a.m. It was a clear, crisp morning with firm snow underfoot. At the rock outcrop on the southside at about 8,000 feet, we practiced self arrest techniques, rested, snacked and looked at the view of the Crater Lake Rim, Mt. Shasta, Mt. McLoughlin, then, with crampons an we pressed to the base of the summit pinnacle. Finding snow and ice in the chute on the conventional route, we diverted our course a bit to the left and made the ascent with the help of two friends from Grants Pass. It was a calm, warm summit stay with a view that ranged from Shasta to Hood. Everyone sliding and leaping (Keith and Romella on their X-country skis), we moved down the mountain to reach the cars just before sunset. We arrived in Eugene just ahead of Monday morning. Congratulations to all on the graduation climb: Janet Baker, Tom Daletas, Fred Schepman, Sharon Fraley, Romella Taylor, Barbara Pope, John Jacobsen and leaders Ken Daletas, Keith Blunck and Mary Ellen de la Pena.