Mount Jefferson: a dangerous mountain in Oregon

Early Attempts 1987 - 1988

From my Climb Journal, June 27, 1987
At 0630, began the climb from Whitewater Creek trailhead. Reached Jefferson Park Lakes by 0930.  A beautiful location - brings tears to the eyes, also mosquitoes in hoards at this time of year!  Up to a campsite on the eastern side of the Jefferson Park glacier, elevation 8250’.  An excellent sheltered location on the snow behind moraine rocks and away from any potential avalanche fall.

The new Coleman gasoline stove went berserk - bloody useless, and kicked it into a deep crevasse.  Fortunately, one lone bush by the tent.  I used the dead wood for heating supper and breakfast.  Very good weather and the night mild.  Woke at 0530 and off up the slope at 0630.  The route is classed II - 3 to 4 grade [whatever that means?].  Many crevasses, also afternoon danger from falling rock. 

  • Mount Jefferson [10,500'] from the north, as seen from the Jefferson Park Trail Mount Jefferson [10,500'] from the north, as seen from the Jefferson Park Trail
  • 1987 Solo climb: Looking up at Jefferson Park Glacier from my high camp 1987 Solo climb: Looking up at Jefferson Park Glacier from my high camp
  • 1987 Solo climb: My high camp location, safe from rock fall. 1987 Solo climb: My high camp location, safe from rock fall.
  • 1987 Solo climb: Moving up the glacier in the early morning 1987 Solo climb: Moving up the glacier in the early morning
  • 1987 Solo climb: Crossing the rock fall zone 1987 Solo climb: Crossing the rock fall zone
  • 1987 Solo climb: At the bergschrund 1987 Solo climb: At the bergschrund
  • 1987 Solo climb: My route across the bergschrund 1987 Solo climb: My route across the bergschrund
  • 1987 Solo climb: Climbing the steep snow above the bergschund 1987 Solo climb: Climbing the steep snow above the bergschund
  • 1987 Solo climb: Climbing along the narrow ridge crest 1987 Solo climb: Climbing along the narrow ridge crest
  • 1987 Solo climb: Climbing along the narrow ridge crest 1987 Solo climb: Climbing along the narrow ridge crest
  • 1987 Solo climb: Considerable exposure along the ridge to my right 1987 Solo climb: Considerable exposure along the ridge to my right
  • 1987 Solo climb: Considerable exposure along the ridge to my left 1987 Solo climb: Considerable exposure along the ridge to my left
  • 1987 Solo climb: My highest point reached, the way ahead is too steep without a rope. 1987 Solo climb: My highest point reached, the way ahead is too steep without a rope.
  • 1987 Solo climb: The west ridge viewed from my high point. The Sisters & Three Fingered Jack behind 1987 Solo climb: The west ridge viewed from my high point. The Sisters & Three Fingered Jack behind
  • 1987 Solo climb: The summit ridge and pinnacle viewed from my high point 1987 Solo climb: The summit ridge and pinnacle viewed from my high point
  • 1987 with Pat Stewart: Our camp at Hank's Lake near Hunts Cove - first recce of southern face. 1987 with Pat Stewart: Our camp at Hank's Lake near Hunts Cove - first recce of southern face.
  • 1988 with Jim Frost: Looking down the southern face to Mudhole Lake and the PCT 1988 with Jim Frost: Looking down the southern face to Mudhole Lake and the PCT
  • 1988 with Jim Frost: One day climb of the southern face 1988 with Jim Frost: One day climb of the southern face
  • 1988 with Jim Frost: Our high point at Red Saddle - the summit pinnacle behind 1988 with Jim Frost: Our high point at Red Saddle - the summit pinnacle behind
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Traversed the glacier to the left side, up to the highest point, then level across to exit glacier.  Bergschrund gave some problems - crossed at extreme left with a 20 foot ice wall to climb and snow bridges not too secure.  Up the exit glacier to saddle and left along a narrow rock ridge. Suspect I took the wrong route?  A rock traverse became more and more extreme.  Much exposure and loose rock.  Decided to retreat as time passing [1230] and a long careful descent ahead before crossing falling rock zone  - must pass there no later than 1400.  The correct route maybe up the gully to the left of rock ridge?
Down without incident to the tent and packed up and off to Jefferson Park and out to trailhead by 2100.  A belated warning from a passing hiker about dangers and deaths on the route I’ve just taken. Certainly a day of much exposure with extreme prejudice.  I must never try a route like this again without a partner and rope.  I really went out on the edge today.

Pamelia Lake and the southern face, July 17, 1988    A one day epic:  Trailhead, Pamelia Lake - side trail to PCT - Mudhole Lake - South face climb to the Red Saddle and return to the trailhead, all in the same day.  A 20 mile round trip in 19.5 hours.  Met with Jim Frost, student at Corvallis.  He’d never climbed before but a good traveling companion. We gave it our best shot but the slope below the summit pinnacle too exposed for a traverse without being roped. Also tight on time.  Met a climbing team from the Mazamas club in Portland - amazed at our plan to climb in one day from the trailhead.
The weather beautiful and snow conditions ideal for climbing, but what a tiring day.  The route up the south face goes best to the left of the prominent valley above Mudhole Lake.  The walk out in the dark, almost from Mudhole Lake, was an experience to remember.  I had the only flashlight, a small glimmer in an impenetrable forest darkness.  It seemed we were moving so fast along the trail but in reality our pace was considerably slower than normal daytime travel - a strange unexplained illusion.  The imagined presence of Bigfoot, a bear, or a cougar keeping pace in the trees parallel to the trail, was easy to accept in the circumstances.

 

 

  • 1996: Back at the familiar high camp on the morraine edge of Jefferson Park Glacier 1996: Back at the familiar high camp on the morraine edge of Jefferson Park Glacier
  • 1996: Climbing with Lucy in the early morning on Jefferson Park Glacier - roped this time! 1996: Climbing with Lucy in the early morning on Jefferson Park Glacier - roped this time!
  • 1996: Lucy in the early morning on Jefferson Park Glacier 1996: Lucy in the early morning on Jefferson Park Glacier
  • 1996: Peter close to the bergschrund on the Jefferson Park Glacier - roped this time! 1996: Peter close to the bergschrund on the Jefferson Park Glacier - roped this time!
  • 1996: Lucy practicing crevasse extraction in the warm afternoon, and close to camp. 1996: Lucy practicing crevasse extraction in the warm afternoon, and close to camp.
  • 1996: What do they say about a hole in the head? The damage was done by a fall, not the ax! 1996: What do they say about a hole in the head? The damage was done by a fall, not the ax!
  • 1997: At Whitewater trailhead, preparing our gear - Peter, Lucy and Mal Hill 1997: At Whitewater trailhead, preparing our gear - Peter, Lucy and Mal Hill
  • 1997: In the snow at Jefferson Lakes Park. Mal, Peter and Lucy 1997: In the snow at Jefferson Lakes Park. Mal, Peter and Lucy
  • 1997: Back to the familiar high camp on the morraine, with two tents 1997: Back to the familiar high camp on the morraine, with two tents
  • 1997: Early morning climbing the lower section of Jefferson Park Glacier 1997: Early morning climbing the lower section of Jefferson Park Glacier
  • 1997: Lucy having a snooze below the bergschrund 1997: Lucy having a snooze below the bergschrund
  • 1997: Peter moving roped above the bergschund 1997: Peter moving roped above the bergschund
  • 1997: Peter front-pointing the very steep snow gully below the summit ridge 1997: Peter front-pointing the very steep snow gully below the summit ridge
  • 1997: Mal hanging out on the summit ridge at our high point for the climb 1997: Mal hanging out on the summit ridge at our high point for the climb
  • 1997: Peter resting at our high point for the climb - Mount Hood in the backgound 1997: Peter resting at our high point for the climb - Mount Hood in the backgound
  • 1997: Mal in descent below the bergschund after being hit on the chin by a small rock. 1997: Mal in descent below the bergschund after being hit on the chin by a small rock.
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Roped with Lucy and Mal 1995 - 1997

By 1996 I was back climbing on Jefferson with roped partners: my wife, Lucy and best climbing mate from Australia, Mal. During the summers of 1995 - 96, Lucy and I made attempts from both the Jefferson Park Glacier and the southern face routes. We reached the lower side of the bergschrund on the glacier and Red Saddle on the southern ridge, giving both climbs away for safety reasons.

In mid 1997, Mal joined us for the last [serious] attempt on the Jefferson Park Glacier. The climb went well, reaching a higher point under the rock ridge than I'd made in 1987, but retreated under the threat of falling rock in the early afternoon. Mal was hit on the jaw by a fast moving pebble, while belaying me over the bergschrund during our descent to high camp.

 

 

Success at Last: September 1997 - Southern Route

Lucy and I left our high camp at 0630, reaching Red Saddle by 0930 and finally on the summit by 1330. Unfortunately not much to see, as the peak was enveloped in cloud.  No snow on the summit pinnacle, which made the final ascent easier than our previous attempt at this route.  We did make a few wrong moves on the pinnacle rock before reaching the final summit face. 
Much time consumed in belaying the steep snow traverse from the Saddle up to the base of the pinnacle and back down. Reached our high camp by the pond at 1730, only to be subjected to a fearsome thunderstorm display for half the night. A night of barely controlled fear, pretending that our fragile tent would protect us from the lightning strikes on the surrounding rock outcrops.
The irony of safely returning from a dangerous summit, only to killed in our sleeping bags by a lightning strike!

©2014 Peter Tremayne, Reno NV
  • 1997 climbing with Lucy: The view of the southern face from Mudhole Lake on the PCT. 1997 climbing with Lucy: The view of the southern face from Mudhole Lake on the PCT.
  • 1997: Looking down the southern face to Mudhole Lake and the PCT. 1997: Looking down the southern face to Mudhole Lake and the PCT.
  • 1997: Our high camp [7,700'] on the southern face, close to a very small pond 1997: Our high camp [7,700'] on the southern face, close to a very small pond
  • 1997: Lucy approaching Red Saddle from the rocky ridge 1997: Lucy approaching Red Saddle from the rocky ridge
  • 1997: Lucy resting on the steep rocks just below Red Saddle 1997: Lucy resting on the steep rocks just below Red Saddle
  • 1997: Peter resting on the only flat section of Red Saddle 1997: Peter resting on the only flat section of Red Saddle
  • 1997: Lucy leading the belayed traverse across, and up to the summit pinnacle 1997: Lucy leading the belayed traverse across, and up to the summit pinnacle
  • 1997: Lucy: leading on the third and final roped belay to the summit pinnacle 1997: Lucy: leading on the third and final roped belay to the summit pinnacle
  • 1997: Peter seaching out a route on the summit pinnacle 1997: Peter seaching out a route on the summit pinnacle
  • 1997: Peter holding up the pinnacle 1997: Peter holding up the pinnacle
  • 1997: Lucy taking a break before we ascend the summit pinnacle. 1997: Lucy taking a break before we ascend the summit pinnacle.
  • 1997: View from the summit, along the narrow ridge that leads to the Jefferson Park Glacier. 1997: View from the summit, along the narrow ridge that leads to the Jefferson Park Glacier.
  • 1997: Final success - Lucy resting on the summit rocks, unfortunately in cloud! 1997: Final success - Lucy resting on the summit rocks, unfortunately in cloud!
  • 1997: The brilliant sunset from our high camp, before the thunderstorms' arrive 1997: The brilliant sunset from our high camp, before the thunderstorms' arrive
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Saturday, August 24, 2024