Search trip reports
PXL_20240901_153242122.jpg

Trip Report    

Alpine Scramble - Tomyhoi Peak/Southeast Route

A full-value overnight scramble trip with a strong and experienced team, and the weather held out for the whole trip! We tagged Tomyhoi Peak on Day 1. Routing finding and exposed scrambles made the amazing views on the top well worth it. We spent the evening at the Yellow Aster camping area. For day 2, we checked out Yellow Aster Butte on our hike out.

Ambrose Zhi Ambrose Zhi
January 08, 2025
  • Road rough but passable

  • The trail to Yellow Aster Butte and camping area is well maintained. You might have some class 2 scrambles (unmaintained climber's trail + slabs) near the true summit of Yellow Aster Butte. 

    PXL_20240831_171801437.jpg
    Looking at the main camping area from Yellow Aster Butte junction. Tomyhoi peak can be seen in the background too

    From camp to Tomyhoi Peak, there's a fainted boot path (basically climber's trail) to follow until you arrive at the snowfield or what's left of Tomyhoi Glacier. From that point, you get into class 3-4 scramble terrains rest of the way.

    PXL_20240831_201029475.jpg
    Here is what the fainted bootpath looks like. It's easy to follow till Tomyhoi Glacier

    After the junction for Yellow Aster Butte (go left for Yellow Aster, go right for Tomyhoi Lake), there are a couple of creeks you can use to filter water. At the main camping area, there are plenty of water sources. We camped by one of the tarns for easy access to water source. From camp to Tomyhoi Peak, there is a tarn at 6,360', but water seemed a little still. Alternatively, you could melt water at Tomyhoi Glacier.

    thumbnail_IMG_7120.jpg
    Tarn at 6,360'

    PXL_20240831_215933343.jpg
    View of Tomyhoi Glacier from Summit

     

The beta we got from this WTA trip report really served us well, and we basically took the scramble route outlined in the report. I highly recommend you to check it out. Here is the GPS Track

PXL_20240831_215934269.jpg
Spectacular Summit Views from Tomyhoi Peak
Trip Summary & Timeline 

Saturday: 
8AM -  Arrived at the Yellow Aster Butte TH. It was packed, so we had to park on the side of the road. We got going around 8:20ish
10:40ish-AM - Arrived at the camping area, set up tents, rest, and filtered some water. We got going again around 11:20AM.
2:50ish-PM - Made it to the summit. We spent about 15 mins there appreciating the views and taking photos.
6PM - Returned to camp, made dinner, and rest
Sunday:
7ish AM - Most of us were up around 7AM, and we packed everything and got going a little before 8AM. We ditched out packs at the base of Yellow Aster Butte before hiking up.
9AM -  We arrived at the true summit of Yellow Aster Butte. It was covered with flying ants, so we spent no more than 5 mins there.
11AM - Returned to TH. We stopped by Gunners Tex Mex BBQ for lunch in Glacier. Highly recommend

Other Important Trip Information:
As mentioned above,  Yellow Aster Butte Trail was in great shape, and there's a fainted boot path (basically climber's trail) to follow until you arrive at the snowfield or what's left of Tomyhoi Glacier. At this point, there is a clear path that goes up the side of the rock to a spot on the ridge that looks like you could scramble from there - but you can't. Don't follow that path up. Instead, you need to cross the snowfield and then scramble up the rock to the big false summit.
thumbnail_image0_Original.jpg
Crossing the snowfield
thumbnail_20240831_140204_Original.jpg
Scramble up a chossy gully to the false summit
Once you are on the false summit (wide-open ridgeline), you would get a full and close look at the summit block. It looks daunting, but it really isn't. Once you're down at the very base looking up, the route is very obvious (but also put a picture here for reference). The exposure is not so bad - only one or two really exposed spots. I would still call it class 4 scrambles due to exposure at certain spots.
13905842-5145-4302-a723-e37cac179197.jpeg
Photo Credit: aelv13 on WTA
thumbnail_image3_Original.jpg
Someone else got an action shot of us climbing up the summit block

IMG_7141.jpg
Summit Block Shenanigans
The scramble is pretty fun, with solid rocks. And the 360 view at the true summit is spectacular. 
thumbnail_PXL_20240831_224644232-EFFECTS_Original.jpg
Ptarmigan Looking at Mt Baker

thumbnail_PXL_20240901_021944305_Original.jpg
Back at base camp with the crew