Athelstan has been on my mind for ages, especially after gazing across at it from the Pebble Peak area some years back. The south route described here is direct, steep, and relentless, with a reputation for exhausting "two steps forward, one step back" pumice slogging. Tackling it in early summer avoids much of that nonsense, as snow still blankets the worst sections. Better yet, it makes for one long-ass glissade on the way back!

I parked about five minutes short of the mine gate near the end of the Upper Lillooet River FSR, as the road has become eroded with a deep ditch running across it. Probably manageable in a 4x4, but I didn't feel like risking it, and it adds very little to the overall day anyway. From there, I headed through the mine site, taking a direct line toward the timbered (now mostly burned) spur leading into the alpine below the peak. Finding the best place to cross the two ravines before reaching the spur is key, as it keeps both the bushwhacking and general faff to a minimum. Lower is definitely better, with less elevation loss and gentler sidewalls. About two hours brought me to the base of the moraine.

Then came the endless UP.

I slogged to the top of the main snowfield, where the dreaded pumice finally became unavoidable—fortunately not for long, as solid rock appears just to the left. At a snail's pace, I worked my way through this section before reaching a bench where the scrambling finally begins. The remainder of the route is best described as a series of scrambly steps separated by snow patches on the more level sections. There are a few steeper bits of rock here and there, but overall the exposure is moderate and well within the comfort zone of a competent scrambler.

A sizeable summit cornice was still hanging on, so I didn't dare venture beyond the cairn. The views, however, were outstanding in every direction, particularly toward the icefields and towering peaks to the northwest. Sampson, Thiassi, Ethelweard, Meager, Overseer, Pebble, and countless other familiar summits all showed up beautifully. I carried an ice axe and crampons but never felt the need to use either. The climb took a laborious six hours—ugh!—followed by a scorcher of a descent that, thankfully, included at least one glorious glissade. About ten hours round trip all told. Afterwards, it was off to the Duffey for the night before hiking Ample the following day.

Surprisingly reasonable stats for such a significant peak! For anyone considering Sampson but put off by reports of bushwhacking and its generally brutal approach, I'd strongly recommend Athelstan as an alternative. With the hike essentially starting from the driveable end of the FSR, it offers a wonderfully remote feel and an outstanding 360-degree panorama that would be hard to match anywhere else in the area.

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