Dharma Bum

Very good. Thank you again for lending your thoughts.

Thanks for the recommendation. Any other recommendations for routes of a similar range, but perhaps less crowded? I'm thinking of heading up Monday or Tuesday.

The clear, calm streak of weather we're having here in Oregon got me thinking that I'd like to take a climb up Mt. Hood. I'm a relative newcomer to Portland and haven't ever had a chance to get up the mountain. I've been itching to do so for months, but have been mostly advised that climbing Hood in the off-season/winter is unnecessarily risky and generally unwise. So, I thought perhaps this bit of clear weather could be enough to change that advice, but as a rookie in the area and a newcomer to the mountain, I wanted to get some feedback. I was hoping you could offer your thoughts on winter climbs of Mt. Hood, if weather was the primary danger, what else I might want to factor in as far as dangers, etc. I'm a moderately experienced rock climber of several years and have been on a handful of mountaineering trips and have basic mountaineering knowledge and experience in self-arrest, and in ice-ax and crampon technique. Still, as I mentioned, I know little of the climbing on Hood and didn't want to get way over my head by attempting a winter climb. I'm a new member of the board, so I appreciate you all taking the time to read my post. Any and all comments/insight would be greatly appreciated. Hood has been tempting me for a while now. Thanks again, take care.