Crackman

Shred, Nice work! Glad to hear you went for it. Sounds like you enjoyed the route. I'll have to check out the rest of your picks sometime.

Ivan, With all the snow all the N face routes are much less technical. I'd say the going would've been slow -- sinking quite a bit with each step kicked. There were occasional areas where we traveled that were hard enough to warrant crampons -- I'd guess you might find more neve higher up on the steeps. Avi danger might be the limiting factor. Depending on how fast the snow stabilizes after this next big dump is over. I'm eager to get back up there too!!!

I had this problem last time with the file server. Try saving this entire thread page "Save As" to somewhere on your hard drive and then opening it. Seems to work then ?

Pete (MtnHigh) and I took advantage of the weather on Sunday to do a little recon up on the north side of Hood. We left the trailhead at 7am and found a nice packed trail up to Tilly Jane -- slogged the rest of the way with minimal postholing. We reached the base of the Coe Ice Fall approx. 8,100ft around noon. Most of the Elliot and Coe was packed pretty well with snow (see below). On the way back down we found some exposed ice on the Elliot to play on. Was nice to be up on the mountain again. Oh yeah, I also found out Pete is an endurance maniac. He obviously wasn't getting enough exercise breaking trail most of the way. So when he found a nice heavy rock he wanted for his collection, he tossed it in his pack on the way UP . Some photos from the day... Or see them all at Ofoto Link From the Cooper Spur Ridge Coe IF Go Pete Go! Honest, no camera exageration on the angle

Well done guys!!!

Nice work Chris -- making the most of the weather window. Sometimes I too wonder why such suffer-fests are fun -- but usually once it's over I've minimized it and am eager for the next one. Probably should get therapy or better yet medication

We had 4WD and chains and still got stuck once briefly. At 1.5 there is a a slide that cannot be crossed except by snowmobile. Fortunately most of the steeper grade is over by then.

For those of you not able to see the pics -- here's a link to where they (and a few extras) are posted web page

Here's some pics from our trip Jarred at the first footbridge My first ever glimps of dragontail Jarred on the on the step below the hidden (1st) coulior In the hidden couloir Pre-sliced and packaged Horsecock The ice runnels between 1&2 The 2nd couloir Summit with Stuart in background Back at the lake

Well done guys!!! I can't believe you found that glove. Here's to you and the Reid HW

We did it! The route and setting was fantastic. Couldn't have been better. I'll post a TR and some pics when I get a little more time.

Thanks for the encouragement - it pushed me off the fence. I'm getting packed and heading up there Fri am. We'll let you all know how it goes.

I'm trying to decide if it's going to pay off making the drive and approach to TC this weekend. Not very familiar with the area, in fact never been there yet, but my thinking is the route should be in shape with the recent warm days-cold nights. Any beta from those familiar with the route/area conditions would be appreciated. I'll probably go check it out anyway.

Climb-on Tex! Nice TR. Glad you got the route while the gettin was good. I've got a good picture of Donnie on that climb -- we'll just paste your mug shot on it and presto you'll have pics.

Nice climb Iain -- a very cool line. I saw you guys up there Friday. I was taking a friend from South Africa up the SS for his first time on Hood. What a beatiful day. I kept telling him how lucky he was to get such conditions on his one and only attempt. Thought we'd meet up with you on the summit but we must have just missed you. We enjoyed the windless summit for almost an hour before heading down and running into those Mazama masses at the Hogsback. Anyway, I've got a couple pics of you guys on the lower part of the route. I can e-mail them if you'd like. I'd add em to the post but am technically challenged .

Yeah, can anyone tell me how to get those links to display as pics? I messed with it awhile last night with no success.

Fantastic climb !!! Sorry we missed you guys on top and especially at the bar. Had to hurry back home.

Drove up to Timberline Fri night, wondering if I would get up Hood before the weather turned sour. My track record on Leutholds was dismal, 7-9 attempts (I’d lost count) over a 20 year period without a summit. It looked like the weather might win again. What was it with that route. At the parking lot, caught a generous 1.5 hours of sleep in the back of my truck. No sign of Jarred and Sarah, so at 2am I began skinning up the mountain solo. I wondered if they were still making the trek from Hemiston or had decided to wait for more favorable odds. I was enjoying the rare solitude on the mountain, pleased to be well ahead of the large parties still swarming about the parking lot and in the day lodge. The stars were bright and the wind calm to the top of the mile. Then the clouds began to form around the mountain. By the time I reached the top of the Palmer, it was a total whiteout and starting to snow pretty hard. I decided wait awhile and hope things got better before proceeding to the Saddle. After a half-hour a pair of headlamps popped up to join me at the lift station. Sure enough, Jarred and Sarah. So now three of us waited. Another ½ hour or so passed and the snow began to let up. It was too cold to stand around any longer so we decided to set out for the saddle and call it from there. Since it was still socked in when we arrived we dug a shelter from the wind and hunkered down. Another long period of waiting, until once again the cold forced us into a decision to get moving -- either up or down. We decided on up and began traversing the Reid as the sky began to lighten. The clouds also seemed to be thinning and as we turned up the Coulior, we were greeted by this beautiful sight. There were still some occasional flurries but things were definitely looking up. The route was in great shape. The snow was soft in a few spots but for the most part perfect for footwork and plunging the shaft. No trouble with rock or icefall coming down. At one point, just past the hourglass, I ventured out on the right for some spicy mixed climbing on thin rime, apine ice, rock, and snow but traversed back into the shoot when it exceeded my comfort zone. I think we saw the five climbers who got trapped overnight as they were crossing the Reid below us??? Glad that turned out ok. We topped out around 10am thrilled the weather had cooperated. It was pretty windy so we headed right down and immediately ran into the masses heading up and down the Pearly Gates and Hogsback. By the time I got back to the truck, the clouds were beginning to envelope the mountain again. We had been fortunate with our timing.

Climbed Leutholds Sat am before the weather hit. Ran into Sketchfest & FunGuy as well at the top of Palmer. Didn't recognize them at first w/o a beer in one hand. Also considered turning around at the Saddle but then things cleared up with the sunrise. Route was in great shape!!! Will post a TR & photos when I get the time.

Leaving for Smith tonight to climb with Jarred. Maybe see some of you CC'ers there... Hope to be back in the Mts. soon!

The sun is out, momentarily. Not sure what routes might dry out but I need to get out. PM me by 11am if you want to join me in a desperate search for dry rock this afternoon.

Help a pub club newbie -- where is this place?

MntHigh & Co. Congrats on an super climb! That is the line we had intended to take. I'm glad someone got to it in that prime condition. Thanks for the TR with the awsome photos (got to learn how to do that) .

Can you plan random drinking? Would like to make the next PDX pub thing. I'm meeting up with some climbing buddies Wed night at the Lucky Lab to send one of them off in fine fashion back to MN. Not sure if I can get away with two nights in a row of If you meet this Thur, I'll try to make it - would like to meet some of the local cc. Next week would definitely work better though.

Excellent TR Chris! Took me right back to when my friend Steve and I climbed Jeff in early June this year. It was actually “plan B” after Hood was shut down due to the Helicopter crash fiasco but ended up being one of the best climbs ever. At that time the knife ridge and summit pinnacle were still encased in rime ice although the knife ridge also contained a lot of soft snow and wet rock. I had the same experience of having to back down the ridge after one full rope length when my partner didn't feel comfortable with continuing. Fortunately, we were able to detour up the gully along the left side of the ridge and climb a couple short vertical pitches before gaining the ridge leading to the Pinnacle.