If weather is good, I'm planning on climbing Hood during the first weekend of February via the Hog's Back route. Just wondering if there's any newly develpled obstacles or alternate routes, or--and I don't mean to put it lightly--if things are relatively straight forward; Up the Hog's Back and through the Perly Gates. I know things can pretty much change on a dime this time of year, but any tidbit of information, suggestions, or opinions would be helpful

When is the last time you climbed the Hogsback? For the past few years the Hogsback hasn't lead straight up the gates and people have reported a semi technical ice ledge in The Gates...last time I climbed it was late May 2009 and almost all folks were avoiding The Gates and headed up the Old Mazama Route

I've never climbed Hood.

I've heard that some people are taking the old route but I didn't think that *most* were doing it. I figured I'd assess the situation when I got there, but if the old route is the way most people are safely reaching the summit, I may just make it my intended route from the start. Thanks for the tip.

i wouldn't worry about it beforehand homeboy - you get up by crater rock, then go whichever way looks the easiest, which in all likelihood will be the way off left of the hogsback

better yet though, do luetholds - you'll have none of the crowds and see a far kewler side of the hill - just don't turn too early and wander up the reid headwall, and take a second tool so you can thoroughly enjoy yourself! coming back down the s side is no problem - just face in and bomb down!

nah, most IS the operative word, as far as southside climbers go in the past year+

Was skiing Timberline yesterday (1-28) and the boot pack up to the Hogsback and around to the left of Hogs was visible from the parking lot of the lodge. Blind guy with no guide could have found his way yesterday

Thanks for all the info, guys. Getting excited about the trip!

Went up to the bottom of the Hogsback on Thursday, 28 Jan. Very deep soft snow above the Palmer lift. Can you say post holes? I was beat. The Hogsback is too far West this year to make it easy to go up the Gates. lots of ice in both sides of the Gates. There was a boot track going around to the Old chute.

I was just up there on Wednesday, and over the Hogsback up the Old Chute is the way to go. Very deep soft snow above Palmer, so bring snowshoes or skiis. Also very deep on the Chute itself. The one other thing to consider is if you come up the main, very wide portion of the Old Chute, you come up on a soft, narrow ridge and have to walk it to head over to the summit. Seemed stable and not corniced (at that point) but it was a little uneasy going. Here's a pic from Wednesday.

Yes, we made it on our descent after summitting via the Devil Kitchen Headwall. Totally agree about the postholing city. It was even worse at the base of the headwall. We used poles with no powder baskets as 5' pickets for self-belay.
Perfect powder for skiing from the summit though.

Me and a couple of buddies are planning (hoping for the weather), I guess we will be bringing snow shoes now