Beautiful day to get up and climb. The scrambling was excellent and the conditions were perfect. Attempt to traverse to both Mickey's Spire and Mount Carter, but bailed on both due to time and sketchy ice on the route. Guess that just means I have an excuse to get back out into the range.
Pretty straightforward route altogether. Follow the trail along the ridgeline from Redfish Lake TH, and climb up to Thompson Lake. The pass between Thompson and Williams is relatively simple, and the line is easy to find. Once up in the valley, the line to Thompson is simple as well, and if you are lucky there will be people in front to trailblaze it for you.
All in all amazing day. 1/57
idaho_peaks - Jun 22, 2022 1:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2018
08/2020 - This is by far my favorite hike and scramble in the Sawtooths. It offers a little bit of all things fun in the outdoors with a lower risk level then most others. Anyone who loves this range should do this scramble. Stay towards left as approaching the headwall. This was a very heavily travelled peak scramble with all different ages. 10/10 would recommend. If you're uncomfortable doing something like this solo grab a guide from SMG, its worth doing. Ice Axe was helpful. in a few spots but late season is doable with or without trecking poles. Trail is straight forward. Bing a good camera!
TN310 - Aug 9, 2020 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2020
Thompson Peak
Easy approach from the Jct. of the Alpine Way Trail. Stay to the right after the first meadow. Went too far left on the way to the Col on the approach and mistakenly followed the trail in the snow on the approach. Route finding can make a big difference. Can see this go around 1:35HR from the TH to summit.
Annalikeslenses - Sep 26, 2019 12:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2018
Roof of the Sawtooths
Camped at Redfish Lake, hit the trail out of the backpackers' lot around 7am, took some time to hang out at the Lake 9000 waterfall, didn't summit until 2 :( (Granted, we had some injuries and route-finding difficulties, but the route past the lake is definitely SLOW.) The worst part is the scree slope up the Thompson-Williams headwall - loose, loose, loose! Beautiful hike in and great summit views, but not a lot of space at the top to chill without feeling like you're about to topple off an 1800' cliff. Almost everyone in our group agreed the climb as a whole was harder than Borah. A lot prettier though!
asmrz - Aug 4, 2019 3:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2017
Early season snow climb
Penelope and I hiked the Alpine Way to about a mile before Marshal Lake. We went up a large, steep slope to a basin below Williams and Thompson Peaks. There is a small lake there. Next morning (June 22, 2017), we cramponed up rather large snow field to the saddle between the two peaks. Continued on snow around Thompson and up the regular route. Wonderful early season frozen snow which most likely made the trip much easier.
OwenT - Mar 25, 2019 9:48 am Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2015
Day 3
Came in from pass at the head of the valley and exited via Goat Lake to Iron Creek
LazyJSkwires - Nov 3, 2018 9:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2013
It was a while ago
When I got to the plateau behind the lake a geologist decided to join me for the trek to the top. Good views from there
Brian Jenkins - Sep 23, 2018 2:45 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2018
Ouch
With Flanders. Got a late start on Friday, only got to the lower unnamed lake in the dark. Hiked up the next morning. Successful summit with rain clouds approaching. Dislodged a large boulder in the minefield between the summit and the saddle and went flying. Nothing major but had to break out the first aid kit and use compression to stop a dripping wound on my hand. Took me a while to find my trekking pole after. Somewhere in that boulder field in a flat whitish one with a lot of betadyne and my blood on it.
wyatt_meyers - Oct 24, 2017 1:37 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2016
Perfect day
Lost my partner going up one shoot early. Had to do a few risky moves to get to the peak, but well worth it!
Super Dave - Sep 10, 2017 6:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2017
Top of the tooths
Climbed Thompson as one of 9 summits during an amazing 4-day backpacking trip in the Sawtooths. My second time summiting Thompson. Fun scramble and very straightforward route as long as you go all the way to the Thompson/Mickeys saddle. Trip Report
SawtoothSean - Sep 7, 2016 6:30 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2016
Goats
Saw 2 Nanny Goats and 2 Kid Goats below. Crazy smoke made it surreal. Went up from the north ridge to make it interesting.
sjaxon16 - Aug 20, 2016 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2016
My first Sawtooth summit. Coming from doing most of my hiking/climbing in the Northeastern United States and Colorado, this was a nice introduction to Idaho. We put in about a 11 hour day. On the ascent, we tried a short cut that got us into class 5 terrain, and on the way down, we lost the route and were on some super sketchy scree slopes... Good times!!
derekperc - Jan 22, 2015 9:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2014
a genuine sawtooth
Easy scrambling, but certainly a long trek. I went with my wife's parents- real troopers at 60 years old!
The summit is great. It's basically a series of spikes with few places to sit. Flat or dome-shaped summits just don't have that same cool factor.
Super Dave - Sep 15, 2014 2:46 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2014
Big Loop
Excellent day of adventures with SawtoothSean. Felt more like October than August, with a big snow squall on the summit of Thompson. Later climbed Mickey’s Spire, then some wild rappels on our way to climb Anna’s Pinnacle. Long descent down Fishhook Creek. Used headlamps for last section of trail. Trip Report
SawtoothSean - Aug 25, 2014 3:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2014
Traverse
Did the standard route with Class 4 finish (from north on summit ridge, from south to summit is Class2). Traversed over to Mickey's Spire, then rappelled to base of Anna's Pinnacle and climbed that. Snow squalls and sun.
gbrill - Aug 10, 2014 9:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2014
Always Beautiful
Hiked this peak via Alpine way then exited through the Goat Lake drainage to make a loop out of it. Beautiful day to be in the Sawtooths!
13 hours car to car from the Alpine Way TH. Had to snowshoe the 7 mile approach to avoid postholing. Switched to crampons around 9000ft, climbed a mellow couloir on the North side near the Williams saddle, then traversed to the South Couloir to summit. The snowshoe back to the car took 7 miserable hours due to wet extremely rotten snow. Definitely a death march on the way out.
coltonfay - Sep 26, 2022 3:28 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2022
Thompson SummitBeautiful day to get up and climb. The scrambling was excellent and the conditions were perfect. Attempt to traverse to both Mickey's Spire and Mount Carter, but bailed on both due to time and sketchy ice on the route. Guess that just means I have an excuse to get back out into the range.
Pretty straightforward route altogether. Follow the trail along the ridgeline from Redfish Lake TH, and climb up to Thompson Lake. The pass between Thompson and Williams is relatively simple, and the line is easy to find. Once up in the valley, the line to Thompson is simple as well, and if you are lucky there will be people in front to trailblaze it for you.
All in all amazing day. 1/57
idaho_peaks - Jun 22, 2022 1:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2018
Thompson ClimbSuccessful climb on a beautiful day.
JohnDunc - Oct 25, 2020 4:55 pm
Best Sawtooth Scramble08/2020 - This is by far my favorite hike and scramble in the Sawtooths. It offers a little bit of all things fun in the outdoors with a lower risk level then most others. Anyone who loves this range should do this scramble. Stay towards left as approaching the headwall. This was a very heavily travelled peak scramble with all different ages. 10/10 would recommend. If you're uncomfortable doing something like this solo grab a guide from SMG, its worth doing. Ice Axe was helpful. in a few spots but late season is doable with or without trecking poles. Trail is straight forward. Bing a good camera!
TN310 - Aug 9, 2020 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2020
Thompson PeakEasy approach from the Jct. of the Alpine Way Trail. Stay to the right after the first meadow. Went too far left on the way to the Col on the approach and mistakenly followed the trail in the snow on the approach. Route finding can make a big difference. Can see this go around 1:35HR from the TH to summit.
Annalikeslenses - Sep 26, 2019 12:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2018
Roof of the SawtoothsCamped at Redfish Lake, hit the trail out of the backpackers' lot around 7am, took some time to hang out at the Lake 9000 waterfall, didn't summit until 2 :( (Granted, we had some injuries and route-finding difficulties, but the route past the lake is definitely SLOW.) The worst part is the scree slope up the Thompson-Williams headwall - loose, loose, loose! Beautiful hike in and great summit views, but not a lot of space at the top to chill without feeling like you're about to topple off an 1800' cliff. Almost everyone in our group agreed the climb as a whole was harder than Borah. A lot prettier though!
asmrz - Aug 4, 2019 3:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2017
Early season snow climbPenelope and I hiked the Alpine Way to about a mile before Marshal Lake. We went up a large, steep slope to a basin below Williams and Thompson Peaks. There is a small lake there. Next morning (June 22, 2017), we cramponed up rather large snow field to the saddle between the two peaks. Continued on snow around Thompson and up the regular route. Wonderful early season frozen snow which most likely made the trip much easier.
OwenT - Mar 25, 2019 9:48 am Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2015
Day 3Came in from pass at the head of the valley and exited via Goat Lake to Iron Creek
LazyJSkwires - Nov 3, 2018 9:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2013
It was a while agoWhen I got to the plateau behind the lake a geologist decided to join me for the trek to the top. Good views from there
Brian Jenkins - Sep 23, 2018 2:45 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2018
OuchWith Flanders. Got a late start on Friday, only got to the lower unnamed lake in the dark. Hiked up the next morning. Successful summit with rain clouds approaching. Dislodged a large boulder in the minefield between the summit and the saddle and went flying. Nothing major but had to break out the first aid kit and use compression to stop a dripping wound on my hand. Took me a while to find my trekking pole after. Somewhere in that boulder field in a flat whitish one with a lot of betadyne and my blood on it.
wyatt_meyers - Oct 24, 2017 1:37 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2016
Perfect dayLost my partner going up one shoot early. Had to do a few risky moves to get to the peak, but well worth it!
Super Dave - Sep 10, 2017 6:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2017
Top of the toothsClimbed Thompson as one of 9 summits during an amazing 4-day backpacking trip in the Sawtooths. My second time summiting Thompson. Fun scramble and very straightforward route as long as you go all the way to the Thompson/Mickeys saddle. Trip Report
SawtoothSean - Sep 7, 2016 6:30 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2016
GoatsSaw 2 Nanny Goats and 2 Kid Goats below. Crazy smoke made it surreal. Went up from the north ridge to make it interesting.
sjaxon16 - Aug 20, 2016 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2016
Thompson PeakWas my 4th time up!
TheWolfIsLoose - Oct 30, 2015 10:32 pm
Scree CityMy first Sawtooth summit. Coming from doing most of my hiking/climbing in the Northeastern United States and Colorado, this was a nice introduction to Idaho. We put in about a 11 hour day. On the ascent, we tried a short cut that got us into class 5 terrain, and on the way down, we lost the route and were on some super sketchy scree slopes... Good times!!
derekperc - Jan 22, 2015 9:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2014
a genuine sawtoothEasy scrambling, but certainly a long trek. I went with my wife's parents- real troopers at 60 years old!
The summit is great. It's basically a series of spikes with few places to sit. Flat or dome-shaped summits just don't have that same cool factor.
Super Dave - Sep 15, 2014 2:46 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2014
Big LoopExcellent day of adventures with SawtoothSean. Felt more like October than August, with a big snow squall on the summit of Thompson. Later climbed Mickey’s Spire, then some wild rappels on our way to climb Anna’s Pinnacle. Long descent down Fishhook Creek. Used headlamps for last section of trail. Trip Report
SawtoothSean - Aug 25, 2014 3:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2014
TraverseDid the standard route with Class 4 finish (from north on summit ridge, from south to summit is Class2). Traversed over to Mickey's Spire, then rappelled to base of Anna's Pinnacle and climbed that. Snow squalls and sun.
gbrill - Aug 10, 2014 9:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2014
Always BeautifulHiked this peak via Alpine way then exited through the Goat Lake drainage to make a loop out of it. Beautiful day to be in the Sawtooths!
splattski - Apr 22, 2014 8:51 am
Re: 4/20 ThompsonCongratulations. You put in a good day!
Trevor. - Apr 21, 2014 3:37 pm Date Climbed: Apr 20, 2014
4/20 Thompson13 hours car to car from the Alpine Way TH. Had to snowshoe the 7 mile approach to avoid postholing. Switched to crampons around 9000ft, climbed a mellow couloir on the North side near the Williams saddle, then traversed to the South Couloir to summit. The snowshoe back to the car took 7 miserable hours due to wet extremely rotten snow. Definitely a death march on the way out.