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Trip: Mt. Hood - South Side Pearly Gates Trip Date: 05/24/2020 Trip Report: Nothing short of perfect climbing conditions on Mt. Hood Sunday morning. Our party of three started right about midnight. The sky was clear and the stars were out but the waxing crescent moon provided no additional light for us. Snow conditions were firm and cold. Two of us were on AT skis with skins and one in our party carried a snowboard and used snowshoes. Skinning conditions continued to be excellent above Palmer, however as the route got steeper and icier we opted to drop our skis and boards about 1,000 feet above the top of Palmer. In retrospect we should have just traversed a bit and taken them all the way up to devil's kitchen. We got in line at the hogsback and took our time as we were behind a couple other parties. Most people were ascending the pearly gates and then coming down the old chute. This made for a nice circle and less of the usual traffic jam. No sign of the bergschrund which still seemed to be covered in snow. As we made our way up to the gates the line of climbers seemed to all be headed to the right gate. Normally I've climbed the left gate and after discussing with my partners and the other teams, it seems that the only reason people were going for the right gate was because that's where others were going. So we took the left gate and had it all to ourselves. I kicked steps for about 100ft in perfectly firm snow pack and then once we got into the hour glass there were footsteps the rest of the way to the summit. I don't think I've ever had that section all to myself before and it was incredibly enjoyable. We took our time and it was about 7:30 by the time we reached the top. It was a first time on top of Hood for one of our party. Conditions were a bit cloudy up top with greater visibility up to the North than the South but little to no wind. I would estimate 50+ people made the summit on Sunday morning with 100+ more hiking or skinning as far as devil's kitchen. We made our way back down through the left gate as still no one else was on that route. The rest of the descent was uneventful and the snow had softened to make things easier for us. Skiing was decent all the way down to the top of magic mile, then it was just warm Cascade concrete with no groomed run to follow down the mile. Gear Notes: Prior to the route changing years ago I would have never considered needing a second tool for the pearly gates, but these days almost everyone had one and it certainly makes things feel way more secure using two tools in a low-dagger position. Also want to give a shout out to my new Atomic Backland Carbon ski touring boots (the 2018-2019 version before the BOA lacing system) and their removable tongues. Flexible and light for the way up and stiff enough for the descent. Approach Notes: As noted in the previous post no need to get a reservation or anything with Timberline. Just drive right up to the overnight lot and register in the climber's cave as usual.

Hi ScaredSilly, I respectfully disagree. I want to say it was the early 2000's when the glacier significantly shifted. Prior to that the Pearly Gates were never that steep and almost no one climbed the old chute. For a number of years after it seemed that the old chute route was used exclusively. Now, in my experience, parties may attempt any one of the gates and/or the old chute again. I'm glad you feel comfortable with one tool. I can certainly mange the technique, however I believe our party was safer, faster, and more efficient with two. I noticed many more parties had the same idea and was simply calling out the change from my first climb in the 90's when I would have never seen anyone with a second tool. It surprised me as well. You are of course correct though, the middle climber is a very experienced back country skier who made his first summit attempt with two experienced climbers. While being roped in the middle is arguably the best place, it does provide for tricky rope management, which was a constant correct and adjust. What you can't see is his second tool in his right hand in the photo but yes, the pick in his left hand is pointed the wrong way at that particular moment as he recently shifted from having it correctly in his hand on his uphill side while traversing to a vertical ascent with his second tool in his right. That was caught and adjusted later but thanks for the observation. I know it's not the most exciting or adventurous climb but my hope in posting this TR was that someone might appreciate a current update on a popular route.

A couple of comments, glad ya got up and down without incident but a few observations. The route has not changed, people have. People have skipped learning to be competent with a single tool and immediately go to two tools. So while one may feel way more secure using two tools in a low-dagger position that feeling is misplaced. And for what ever reason when I look at your picture it reminds of years ago when I went by three climbers in about the same place, all with their axes also in their left hand which was the the down hill side. Just after I passed them they all went sliding down the Hogsback. May just be the perspective. That said, the middle climber needs some mentoring on rope management so to keep it out from under their feet.

Trip: South Sister - Silver Couloir Trip Date: 05/25/2020 Trip Report: Images: https://imgur.com/a/5vQUocK 9 PM start 11 PM pass North / Middle sister climbers trail on Camp Lake trail 12:45 AM Camp Lake 5 AM base of the climb 7 AM heading down from North Face Couloir 8 AM top of Silver Couloir 8:45 AM Summit Thanks ScaredSilly, Drocka, et al. for your trip reports on South Sister. Maybe you could name the route you took The Fin for the rock near the bottom of the route. https://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/topic/101689-tr-south-sister-north-face-05222018/ https://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/topic/101726-tr-south-sister-north-face-of-northwest-ridge-nfnwr-06262011 My intention was to climb the North Face Couloir. https://imgur.com/a/aPEHYwd showed good snow coverage over the rock bands. I’d watched the radar in the middle of the week for South Sister when it was forecast to get 7.5 inches of snow and it seemed like it rarely got any. My brother’s old skiing and climbing friend skied Mt Bachelor on Friday and said there was 1 – 1.5 feet of new snow on top of a solid base. One day of sun, Friday, was surely not going to consolidate that. Brother skied Mt Hood on Saturday and said there was decent climbing conditions. Hmm, well, it was forecast to warm up on South Sister in the next week so I figured I may has well try now as it probably wasn’t going to get any better the rest of the season. Drove down Saturday afternoon and was on the trail by 9 PM. Started out in a sun hoody, warm gloves and an ear band, added a hat an hour in, fleece top three hours in and then finally a thin wind jacket after getting out of the trees. It was cool with little wind. The approach from Pole Creek was the normal dusty trail for the first few hours with lots of logs and a few downed trees giving way to snow and non-dead trees later. The lower snow was compact and easy to walk on, the new snow, higher up was, as expected, not consolidated. Most of the way over this was fine, nice to have some cushioning when walking in mountaineering boots. As I climbed out of Camp Lake the unconsolidated snow got deeper, maybe six inches and I put on crampon. It was still very dark, new moon that morning, when I checked Gaia to find I’d slightly overshot the turn to start climbing up to the route but was able to go up a bit and traverse left to get there. Heading up the canyon, the snow just got deeper and was still not consolidated. I stabbed the axe down to the hilt with my right hand, pushed the blade of the tool as deeply as I could with the left, kicked in hard and pretended things were going to be fine even though nothing was solid but the snow was holding my weight. Getting up the first rock band was no problem and to the bottom of the second, not much more than traversing right and left to take the best route. The start of the second band required getting over a couple of, not too large, rocks. To my surprise I was able to get a solid tool placement above the rocks and hoisted myself up while pushing off another rock. The upper part of the second band was a different story. The rocks were bigger, steeper and partially covered in ice. I swung the tool hard twice into the exact same spot on a rock covered in ice and got nothing more than an inch-wide divot, no penetration at all. I tried a couple of other spots and reaching around the rock to see if I could hook something but it was too large. Looking up at the final rock band, I resigned that even if I could get above the immediate rocks, there is no way I’d be able to climb to the top this way. My original hope was that the snow just to the right of the final rock band face wouldn’t be too steep and I’d find a way up. Not a chance, there was hardly any snow on the rocks, just a wall of rock and boulders covered in ice. After down climbing a bit, I traversed left, staying close to the rock cliff, and went up the Silver Couloir. This was as advertised, a straightforward steep snow climb. The last 10 feet were very steep and kicking in was more like kicking in my entire lower leg. The lower angle slope to the summit ring had a bunch of unconsolidated snow too but there were areas that were actually firm. After talking to the only group on the summit, I headed southward along the rim and started heading down. The snow was now sticking to my boots and gaiters making massive clown shoes. Not too long later I see a guy on the summit ridge in a Grivel helmet. He says he just climbed the Silver Couloir too. He thanked me for making steps and asks to exchange info so we could do the N Face Couloir next year. Any other time I would be like, heck yeah, that sounds great but I’m completely defeated and want nothing to do with that thing and think no one should climb it without a top rope or years of ice climbing experience. Shoot, I was way too literal in my thinking and missed the chance of finding a great climbing partner. He even offered to makes steps down the North Ridge which he did and I followed but he was long gone by the time I got over there. The walk back to Pole Creek TR was like experiencing a dream where all my movements were slow and painful. I just tried to keep moving and think I’ll get back eventually. The thought of chocolate covered almonds made the idea of driving 3+ hours home bearable. I’ll remember this one for a while. Maybe do a route on the Prouty side next? Gear Notes: Helmet, crampons, axe, 2 tools (only used one) Approach Notes: The normal dusty trail for the first few hours with lots of logs and a few downed trees giving way to snow and non-dead trees later