Craggy Thornton Peak stands over dark blue Thornton Lake in the Lower Skagit Mountains
Thornton Peak and Lower Thornton Lake viewed from Trappers Pass

Thornton Peak via Thornton Lakes—Southeast Face—East Ridge (Lower Skagit Mountains, WA)

Jim Brisbine·
Lower Skagit MountainsNorthwestern WA CascadesThornton Peak
·167 views

Trip Date: July 25-27, 2009

Thornton Peak Climbing Trip

Trapper’s Pass
Thornton Lakes
Thornton Pass
Thornton Peak (6935’)

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Trip Report Summary

Region: Northwestern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Lower Skagit Mountains

Area: North Cascades National Park

Starting & Ending Point: Thornton Lakes Trailhead at end of Thornton Creek Road (Elev. 2500 feet)

Way Points: Thornton Creek & Trappers Pass & Lower Thornton Lake & Thornton Meadows & Thornton Ridge Knob (trail hike & bushwhack & rock scramble)

Campsite: Thornton Ridge Knob (Elev. 6100 feet)

Sidetrip: Thornton Pass & Upper Thornton Lake Cirque (trail hike & rock scramble)

Summit: Thornton Peak (rock scramble via Southeast Face—East Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 16 miles traveled; 6000 feet gained & lost.

Full Trip Report

Here are some photos from last weekend’s climb of Thornton Peak with Eileen and Fay. We hiked in via Thornton Lakes and camped on a 6100-foot rock knob just south of Thornton Pass. The theme for our trip was thunder, lightning, rain, hail and wind—all of which we had in spades.

Dark, black storm clouds over Mt Hagan in the North Cascades
Storm Clouds over Mount Hagan

During the worst onslaught, the three of us stood under a small tarp for over an hour and helplessly watched our campsite become flooded, while hoping that none of the lightning bolts would find us. It was comically pathetic!

sun beams through storm clouds over Mt Hagan in the North Cascades
Mount Hagan after the storm

Between storms, we managed to squeak in a sunny hour on Thornton Peak’s summit. Our route went up a snow/scree chute on the SE face and then up the delightful east ridge (Class 2-3). This is a terrific viewpoint that gets surprisingly few visits per year. Oh yes, the black flies were pretty bad.

selfie of mountain climbers on the summit of Thornton Peak in the Lower Skagit Mountains
Eileen, Fay, and Jim on Thornton Peak Summit

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Thornton Peak and Lower Thornton Lake viewed from Trappers Pass
Storm Clouds over Mount Hagan
Mount Triumph piercing clouds
Sunset behind Mount Hagan and Mount Blum
Eileen, Fay, and Jim on Thornton Peak Summit
Mount Hagan after the storm
Rainbow over Trappers Peak and Thornton Lakes
Swirling clouds around Mount Triumph and Thornton Peak