Two Roseburg Men Summit Mt Thielsen in the Snow

This past Saturday, Roseburg residents Ben Driver and John Blodgett hiked to the 9,184 ft snowy summit of Mt Thielsen. The photos they captured were spectacular. I caught up with Ben afterward to find out more about their experience. The pair left Roseburg around 5 am Saturday morning and left the trailhead at around 7:30 am. It took them 5 hrs to reach the summit. For comparison, the hike usually takes 3.5-4 hours to reach the summit in the summertime when there is no snow to deal with. They used backcountry skis with "skins" for the first couple of miles. These skins are basically removable strips that attach to the bottom of the skis to help with traction while climbing. Once it got too steep for skis, Ben and John switched to crampons and hiked the rest of the way. For the last 1/2 mile, they used their ice axes until they reached "Chicken Ledge", which is apparently about 80 feet from the peak. These last 80 feet they used climbing harnesses and ropes to reach the top. Ben pointed out that the hike is possible in the summer without climbing gear, but it's still a steep, long hike. The last 80-100 feet are definitely more technical. In the winter, climbing gear is necessary, as is basic alpine climbing knowledge. Going with someone that has made the hike before in the winter is also very helpful. He also reminded me that people should not do this hike alone. This past year, Ben's also hiked Mt Whitney, Middle Sister, Mt McLoughlin, and Mt Bailey. This past year, Ben has definitely noticed lots more people hiking in the area. “Sport climbing has become much more popular. I have noticed with the pandemic many people have been outside and hiking much more.” Ben Driver is a local dentist who grew up in Roseburg and eventually moved back to the area with Jenny Driver, his wife who also is a dentist, to work in the family's dental practice, Driver Dentistry. Ben mentioned the community, the people, outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, and climbing are all things they love about the area. Photos courtesy of Ben Driver