Route: Mt Thielsen (OR)

Mt. Thielsen is a Southern Oregon Classic! It stands like a gravity defying tower, almost like something out of a Dr. Suess book. Various mountaineers and mountain runners have been testing themselves against its ascent, complete with an exposed final 80 feet of class 4 scrambling to the true summit. 

The ascent FKT Starts from the obvious trailhead kiosk next to the bathroom and finishes when you tag the geological survey (summit marker) on the true summit.

There is a Strava Segment for the ascent https://www.strava.com/segments/5913502 

and round trip https://www.strava.com/activities/355651263/segments/2712621010946148144 

But do to the inaccuracy these strava segments can have, and that their start/end points do not always line up perfectly with Trailhead and true summit pinnacle, Please report your true split to the summit

Summit post describes Thielsen as follows:

"Mount Thielsen is a dramatic horn-shaped peak located in the Southern Oregon Cascades just north of Crater Lake. The peak rises abruptly from its surroundings to a very distinct spire. Its north and east faces are most impressive, towering 2200 feet upward in a near vertical fashion. Due to its dramatic spire shape, its dominance among other peaks in the region and the unstable weather this region receives Mount Thielsen is said to be struck by lightning more often than any other High Cascade peak, earning it the nickname the lightning rod of the Cascades.

This is the reigning peak in this part of the Cascades, there is no summit in the range higher until you reach the South Sister to the north and Mount McLoughlin to the south. Situated on the east side of Diamond Lake, it is directly opposite Mount Bailey, which offers sno-cat skiing and snowboarding in the winter. It is just south of Howlock Mountain, another rugged peak that is the third highest summit in the Diamond Lake area.

Despite its intimidating appearance, a climb of Mount Thielsen is a relatively straightforward undertaking. The West Ridge is an exhilarating route, not quite technical but with enough exposure to get the adrenaline pumping. The true summit is a spectacular spire sticking impressively upward into the sky. Standing on the summit, the land seems to drop off thousands of feet in almost every direction, giving the same feeling as if hovering high above the dense forests of the Oregon Cascades. Views are expansive in every direction, on a clear day Mount Shasta is visible to the south and the Three sisters are visible to the north. The summit of Mount Thielsen is also the only place outside of Crater lake National Park where the waters of Crater Lake are visible."

I cannot emphasize how worth your time this 9k' peak is, FKT or not.  It is simply astonishing how the whole world falls away from you as if you are on a tower.

A related FKT in the area is the Diamond Lake Double, which links together Mt. Thielsen with Mt. Bailey on foot
see here: https://fastestknowntime.com/route/diamond-lake-double-thielsen-bailey-or

Water and Food available at nearby Diamond Lake Resort and Campgrounds

Further Research: 

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/mount-thielsen-trail#:~:text=Mount%20Thielsen%20Trail%20is%20a,used%20from%20July%20until%20December.

https://www.summitpost.org/mount-thielsen/150419

- Submitted by Jason Hardrath https://www.jasonhardrath.com/ , Photo Credit Luke Webster https://www.lukewwebster.com/