Thompson Peak (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thompson Peak |
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View of Wedding Cake Peak (left) and Thompson Peak (right), viewed from Canyon Creek Lakes.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,001 ft (2,744 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 3,914 ft (1,193 m) |
| Parent peak | Mount Eddy |
| Geography | |
| Location | Trinity County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Klamath Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Thompson Peak |
Thompson Peak is a very tall mountain located in Trinity County, California. It stands at an amazing 9,001 feet (about 2,743 meters) high! This makes it the highest point in the beautiful Trinity Alps Wilderness.
It is also the second highest peak in Northern California, if you look west of the Cascade Mountains. Thompson Peak is part of a long, high granite ridge. Another famous peak, Wedding Cake, is also found on this same ridge.
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Thompson Peak: A Giant in the Trinity Alps
Thompson Peak is the highest point in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This wilderness area is a huge space filled with rough, rocky granite mountains in northwestern California. It is the seventh largest wilderness area in California.
What Makes Thompson Peak Special?
Thompson Peak has some very steep sides, especially on its north and east faces. But its southwest side is much gentler and slopes down smoothly.
Glaciers on Thompson Peak?
You might think glaciers only exist in very cold places, but Thompson Peak has them! Even though small trees grow near the top, there are still active glaciers here.
One of these is called the Thompson Glacier. It sits below the mountain's north face. Later in the year, after most of the winter snow has melted, you can see its deep cracks, called crevasses, and its ice. There's also another smaller area of snow and ice nearby that might also be considered a small glacier.
This is quite special because the Trinity Alps are the only mountain range in the United States that has active glaciers but is entirely below the timberline. The timberline is the elevation where trees stop growing because it's too cold or windy.
Climbing Thompson Peak
Many people enjoy climbing Thompson Peak. The most common way to reach the top is by following the Canyon Creek Trail. From there, climbers go up the South Ridge, which is on the east side of the mountain.
This climbing route is considered a "class 2-3" climb. This means it involves some easy scrambling over rocks, and you might need to use your hands for balance. The climb gains about 8,000 feet in elevation, which is a lot of uphill walking! The entire route is about 10 miles long.
