BETA PHOTO: Overflow, right side, viewed from the snow slope a...
Description
Overflow is a broad ice apron on the lower east face of Thatchtop Mountain, about 200 yards south of Jewel Lake and maybe 100 yards west of the Glacier Gorge Trail. The area is very secluded and is difficult to see from the trail. This year (2007/2008) the ice is very good and much more extensive than when it was first climbed in 1977. Though not very tall (70 to 80 feet) the curtain is maybe 200 feet wide and offers 4 or 5 interesting lines of ascent. The routes are not too challenging, mostly WI3 M0, but are great fun. To escape from the top, wallow down steep snow to the south or rappel from trees.
Getting There
Hike the Glacier Gorge Trail as for Black Lake. Look for a large boulder on the left side of the trail maybe 200 yards past Jewel Lake. Go straight west over/around windfall and across Glacier Creek. The ice flow will be obvious about 200 feet above the creek.
Fun area, though it looks like it might lie at the bottom of an avalanche run. Has not been recent activity as there are big trees at the top, but above it lie tiny trees.
Eli Helmuth calls this Jewel Lake Ice on his website, I haven't heard it called "Overflow" before. Is this a historic name or should we change this area name to Jewel Lake Ice with routes of Overflow Left and Overflow Right?