Mount Hood
Mount Hood also know as Wy’east is yet another Stratovolcano in the Cascade Range. The most northern volcano in Oregon and the most near to a large metropolitan area. It is also the states highest peak (with a promenance of 7,706 feet) and sees the most mountaineers locally and a large amount of international climbers. Hood is home to 12 glaciers and holds snow year round, it is also considered the most active volcano in Oregon but is not seen as likely to erupt.
Alpinist say it is wise to use ropes for the ascent/descent, though the South side via the Palmer Glacier is very skiable from the true summit without any special mountaineering equipment like harness, rope, etc.
Trip Report:
May 17th 2016
After a failed attempt to ski Middle Sister just outside of the town of Bend Oregon, I feel defeated and am not sure what to do next. I stay in town for another night then remember a guy I met on Lassen who said he lived here and would be down to meet up and ski. I hurriedly check the forecast for Oregon Volcanos and see that Hood is looking like the only one with a really good weather window. The idea became a reality very quickly and at 6:30 the next morning Sid and I are skinning up the South side of Hood under cloudless skies. Timberline Lodge is a mountaineers paradise with free overnight parking, trash cans, toilets and snow that, man made or not always goes right to the road.
At the Hogsback at 10,600 feet we are astonished at how the natural sulphur vents have melted out the 500+ inches of snow that formerly buried them and made caves with snow walls that appear sun cupped. Last year when Mike and I skied this we attempted whats known as the Pearly Gates and found ourselves on 60 degree blue water ice with only mountaineering axes and aluminum crampons. Needless to say we turned back and went up the easier route. This time with el nino in our favor the Pearly Gates were some 35 degrees and basically had a set of snowy stairs going through the choke of it.
It amazes both of us that some Mountaineering parties left at midnight to make the summit and get back before the snow gets too soft to walk on. We take an hour nap at around 11,000 feet because the snow was still too stiff to ski.
Sid and I make the summit shortly after 11:00 and hangout in the once in a lifetime weather of sun and no wind until we feel the snow has melted enough to “corn up.” We drop into whats known as Old Chute, hootin and hollerin the whole way down.
