Any opinions on the most "classic" line on this peak?

Jason

Hi Jason,

Good question - there's an arete on the left side of the west face (from Dusy Basin) which I've heard is good. Routes from the glacier side aren't that great. Although the long northeast ridge has always appealed to me - it starts with a 5.6 chimney somewhere at the toe of the buttress.

Hey Jason!

The lower reaches of Thunderbolt all seem pretty loose on the east side - nothing unmanageable, but you have to be careful for your second. The upper parts of the mountain are nice. I'd be curious about Wilcox & Benton's "Austrian Arete".

The upper parts of Underhill (above the couloir) are pretty nice, the pitch out of the notch especially. We descended that way. We went up via one of the Northeast couloirs (I forget what name it goes by, and we did an undocumented variation anyway) ... nothing special until you got up on the crest, from there it was the "usual" spectacular arete running.

Jason,
The "classic" line is SW Chute #1, from Palisade Basin on the west side. Mostly 2nd class, with a 4th class step at the initial entry and at the end from the ridge notch to the summit. The 5th class grade is strictly for the tower-top.
Camping is great at T-bolt Col if and only if water is running up high on the Palisade Basin side of the Col, otherwise drop down to the first lake (400' down) for excellent camping and year-round water.
Cheers!
Chris