I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.
GPX track added to your cart.
Jan 20, 2020 — We noted Thumb Peak as a high-prominence KOFA high point from the top of Castle Dome Peak and with a lot of time left today, decided to set out to attempt a route to the summit. Part of the adventure was a very long drive on a Big Eye Mine Road to its end. We took Matt's Jeep, and while the road was in decent shape, there were a couple of steep washes and rocky sections that my car likely couldn't get past. We had no idea how much fun this peak would be, a cryptic route-find on fun Class 3 rock. We were quite happy we made the long-ass drive out there.
Once at the trailhead, just a fence in the wash at the end of the road, we continued west up the wash for a short time before ascending south through a side drainage to its head, which led us to a slope to the northeast of Thumb Peak. Keeping generally in the middle of the slope to avoid the worst of the steepening Class 2 loose stuff, we ascended toward a series of rock pinnacles above, separated by notches. We guessed at a good notch to ascend to, and were pleasantly surprised to have chosen well. Photos below may be more helpful. Once at the notch of choice, we dropped over to the south side of the pinnacle-filled ridge and traversed southwest for a short time, hugging the pinnacles. Eventually the terrain became too steep on the south side of the pinnacles, and the route-finding began in earnest. To our right, a sustained Class 3 mostly solid rock rib took us up to the ridgeline, where a terrifying view north toward the pinnacles we had avoided showed us we were on a good route. We attempted to follow the ridgeline, but were almost immediately cliffed out, instead finding a Class 3 downclimb to the north side of the pinnacles. An interesting and colorful slope led us southwest, avoiding the final massive set of pinnacles. Some short Class 2/3 moves led to the top of the slope to a shallow notch, east of Thumb Peak. We continued on easy terrain to the summit of Thumb Peak, where we were giddy with excitement at how much fun the route ended up being. The views around KOFA were incredibly cool, especially with the gloomy dying light.
Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
