ScaredSilly

For ceiling info call for airport weather.

You can use copyrighted music - just need to pay royalties .

Good camera work but, ditto, on the music. I quit watching because it. IMHO many of todays outdoor videos are ruined by music that appeals to only a very small segment of climbers, skiers, mtn. bikers, etc. I am not into the grunge music, hard rock, or what ever it is called. For right moment in a video it is fine, but not for the whole video.

If you have done the courses you list above that is more than most who try and climb Hood. Most accidents unrelated to weather on the south side are due to a fall - typically rope teams that can not self arrest and ultimately fall into the bergshrund. That can often be avoided - especially as most are using the old chute. Those related to weather are more problematic - if the weather looks like crap do not try and climb.

Bad ending: http://www.katu.com/news/local/121585699.html RM: It was a party of four skiers/climbers. They may or may not have had gear to haul someone out who was only slightly injured. My guess they were unroped and the skier went in hard and obviously had considerable injuries. At that point additional help would be necessary.

I would suggest that you skip staying in Portland your first night, bring all the food and gear you need for Hood, and drive to either Gov. Camp or Timberline for the night and start getting some acclimation. That will give you an extra day. You can stop in the town of Hood River for more food which is on the way to Adams. As for Hood, many, many people climb the south side unroped. With the Old Chute there is not a problem with bergshrund which is what causes problems for the Hogsback. If fact for that time of year, if a weekend, and good weather there will be hords of people in various stages bumbling their way up the hill. I would probably skip the slog to Muir. It really is not all that great. I would suggest something like running up MSH (if you can get a !@#$% permit). That will save you a bit of driving.

You are correct about the time factor. Sunshine would be quicker. We actually thought about that last July after doing the North face Gully. But with the number of cracks we decided coming around via Newton Clack would be safer. Early season when colder and more snow Sunshine would probably be a good choice. One gets clear views from the approach However, in the fall it gets some good steep icy sections as well.

Possible but the Sunshine would be preferred then crossing the Elliot lower down. Of course then it is late afternoon and one has to deal with a fair number of cracks. Also the Sunshine can have some avy potential as well. Oh yeah, that was the time, mass assaults with long staffs. When I was on the route in the early 90s I found some of that old fixed line. It was 1" twisted hemp. I pulled a few pieces out of the ice and watched them slither down the slope and drop on to the Elliot. I wish I would have kept a chunk of the rope.

I do not think the PNW has had it's spring warm up. As such, I would be leery of the headwall until that happens or at least a series of good freeze thaw cycles, so to get stable and consolidated snow conditions. As such, having a Plan B would be have another route and climbing itineraries in mind. Especially as the weather in May can be all over the place.

I would say that it is the finial 800 feet -1000 feet that are the most dangerous as the left side of the spur blends into the rock. At that point, to stay on snow one is forced on to the right side of the spur which puts one into the fall line of the Elliot Glacier. I soloed the route in October and it was hard snow and ice so was forced right sooner than one would be in the spring. I suppose one could belay the upper sections but I would be more tempted to take a bunch of pickets so that the group could keep moving - thus removing the need to belay or at least not stop and exchange gear as often. When we did the North Face Gully last July we found we could get pickets in reasonably well and typically put one in each rope length or so.

Pickets, would be your best choice. The biggest issue with going up that route with a couple of newbie's is that you are going to want to use pickets frequently - otherwise you might as well just solo. You are correct the upper part is steep but the fall line is the concern. However, you can hedge your bets a bit by sticking to the climber's left for as long as possible. At least there the run out is a bit better than on the right side of the spur. Also for descending consider going down the south side and traversing around the hill or descending to T-line and shuttle back. BTW - Last year the road to Cloud Cap did not open until 1 July.

Getting way OT but speaking with limited participation at a trial, a jury does not (rarely) get the "whole story" either. As for Loretan, et al. They pushed a frontier like Messner and others. Some of those frontiers have yet to have been repeated. That says a lot. And like all of us we are not infallible, we are human, we make mistakes. Mistakes that we live with forever, whether living or dead.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Murray&sts=t&tn=Scottish+Himalayan+Expedition&x=0&y=0

I do not know those gloves perhaps too warm for the lower 48. But in general I buy glove shells that have a removable liner. I typically have one shell and different liners, one thin one thicker. I vary them as needed.

Cool experience though you were being eyed with being a diner guest ...

Funny, I am in Chamonix now and we ended up going to the awards last night. Interesting gig - kind of long and boring. The best part earlier that afternoon when they showed "Mountain of Storms" which was Chouinard, Thomkins, Dorworth, Jones on Fitzroy. Classic. Of course seeing Walter Bonatti was cool.

Yes, Jeff ran Latok.

Actually, Jeff did not do the designing on the packs but his brother Greg was the designer. Greg also did the design of the Lowe hardware.

Good info on the approach - would have said about the same as Mark, start left, move center as the valley narrows then stay right. We stayed right past the ice fall as we were headed up the Cassin. But really follow your nose. Whatever, you plan do not head in after any significant snow fall. One comment on your plan of going into the West Buttress first to acclimate. You might consider just going to the Rib directly. The rib has a fair amount of horizontal to it as such one can reasonably acclimate on route. Though the initial col from 11k to 13k can be a bit harsh with extra weight. Many many end up carrying a load. Also note that the vast majority people who go up the West Butt to acclimate never get on their proposed route. i.e. you might just get up the 14k camp and say bollox and just do the butt or the upper rib - which many say is the best part.

In addition to the day, note the year of the posting ...

Are you sure it was a girl and not some internet perv:

From early on Jeff has been very very good about documentation - you can see his passion in the interview. While in the big picture climbing history is small I have to admit it is sure fun to dive into it.

Most of the camping will be closed until it warms up. Especially, as there is still snow on the ground and when melted it is rather soggy. IIRC, most of the poaching sites are in the woods which will probably still be snow covered. You are really better off at hostel or a Gite d'Etape (my favorite is La Tapia). Besides you need some where to ditch your crap while up high. Leaving crap in a car is not a good idea - unless you want someone to take it. BTW the camping is up valley from Cham. and IMHO and pita unless you have a vehicle or like to hop the train back and forth. Temps in town can be found via weather.com, weather underground etc. As for some thing fun in town, I usually hit the bars or get a good bottle of wine and relax. The other if clear is to take a walk and see something that you will not be climbing, like the Dru. Or make a day trip and ski the Vallee Blanche.

Bummer about your friend's ankle. I can see the desire to get even with the stump by taking it out. However, while one may think that a stump is a sign of a dead tree - not always as the root system may be alive and well. The root system is what is often holding the ground together. So removing the stump just may well start a chain reaction of erosion. At which point your solution may just make things worse. My suggestion is to use it as an opportunity to better learn how to spot and use crash pads. The woods are not a gym, there are hazards.

Ben Gunsight is an entirely different peak. There are skiable lines on: Lakes Lookout - pictured above over CC's left shoulder (right side of the picture). Lees Peak - pictured above over CC's right shoulder (center left side of the picture). Angle Peak - partially pictured and on the very left side of the picture. Gunsight - not shown but further to the left.