The Cascade Kid

If you've never skied in the backcountry before, than be sure to learn about managing avalanche danger by taking a Level 1 avalanche course and making sure that you have appropriate gear. If you've already done that and were just wondering about Hood, then I can assure you, the best skiing on Hood is not in those sorry ski resorts.

Friends, after being approached by both a guidebook company and an app maker last year, both of whom wanted to recruit local expertise to create a paid guide to Mt Hood's backcountry terrain, I decided that it was in the public interest to make that information available for free. After significant personal investment, a free guide to Mt Hood Backcountry is now available: MtHoodSkiMap.com Of course there will be griping from some about giving up 'secret' spots or facilitating beginner access to the backcountry, but in this age of GPS and 4G, both of these things are inevitable. I would rather that users discover the backcountry as I did-- using moderately imperfect information from a trusted source as a basis for personal exploration and learning. All of the information that I've provided is available elsewhere, but it's inconvenient, poorly written, or hard to find. By compiling this guide, I'm hoping to follow in the tradition of similar websites, like Run the Volcanoes (RIP), that serve as a touchstone for those entering this sport and the Mt Hood Backcountry with fresh eyes. Features: The Map: Based on Caltopo and marked with common routes, features, and roads, so you can change layers, zoom, pan, print, and apply slope gradient maps. -The Short Guide: A primer to the peculiarities of skiing in the Hood. -Weather/Forecast Links: Easy access to NOAA, NWAC, and more. -Backcountry Ski Routes: A detailed guide to common Mt Hood backcountry routes with photos, printable maps, and notes from personal experience. Please share this guide with friends, email me through the Contact link if you have corrections/contributions, and get out there to enjoy the 2017-18 season, which is already off to a good start. -Patrick Fink

Trip: Mt Hood - Newton Clark Headwall Ski Descent Date: 5/29/2017 Trip Report: Finally tagged this one with Tom. Dropped in at 730 for perfect conditions, 3:14 car to car. Lots of folks starting up at 815 were gonna be in for a slop fest. Highly recommended for the steep skiing crowd. http://mountainlessons.com/skiing/newton-clark-headwall [img:center]https://scontent-lax3-2.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/18723133_264480994027653_7281330006200942592_n.jpg[/img] Gear Notes: Crampons on the Wy'East face, and race skis on the way down. Approach Notes: Snow to the lot at meadows still. Barely enought to skin the whole way on vista ridge.

Down white river? It depends on the year. Most likely into May if you know where you're going, but it's more likely that you'll ski bulletproof/frozen avy debris at the top and slop down low.I skied it last year april 11, but we had much less snow last season.

Trip: Mt Hood - Pearly Gates w/White River Ski Descent Date: 2/11/2017 Trip Report: My girl and I needed a nature break before our wedding in a couple of weeks so we headed up to Hood to take advantage of the weather. Where were the rest of you on Saturday?? We were the only folks on top Saturday via the Pearly gates. Met some nice german/austrian folks on the hogsback (sorry if that's the wrong nationality) who bailed with snow safety concerns. We found largely safe snow conditions and easily avoided the new wind-transported snow by hugging the rime towers on the descent. The hordes tested the snow safety directly on saturday. On Sunday, we skied white river from the headwall to the highway. There's a fine 6000' descent for you, provided that you know the way down. Again, pretty good conditions and great weather. Congratulations to the couple who were married at I-Rock on saturday. PM me for more photos of your wedding party. More photos and complete TR on the blog. + Reid headwall/leuthold's are looking good, with consolidated snow. + I-rock is thoroughly rimed, though some was falling sunday in the sun. Gear Notes: Two tools nice but not mandatory. No screws. Used a 30m rope per partner preference, but not needed if comfortable on steep snow/rime. Approach Notes: Skins to below crater rock, crampons thereafter.

What are you carrying in those things? ;-)

Trip: Mt Baker - Easton Glacier Date: 6/22/2016 Trip Report: Taylor and I enjoyed an awesome ski in a tight but gorgeous weather window last week. Volcano season is in FULL SWING right now, so go get the goods before all the snow bridges get droopy. TR: http://mountainlessons.com/skiing/mt-baker-easton-glacier-ski-descent Gear Notes: Skis. You'd have to be crazy to want to walk both up and down this thing. Atomic Ultimate 78s with mohair race skins. No ski crampons. Real crampons optional for skiers depending on time of day. Approach Notes: A bit of snow on the trail yields to dry hiking up the railroad grade. Higher camps weren't melted out so we camped in the highest trees and were happy for it.

When I read that line about dropping a big gala apple, I immediately thought that was some clever way of saying that someone took a dump in the bootpack. Then you ate it, and I felt differently about my initial impression.

there's dirt walking only for about a half a mile of trail. There's some sun-cupping and melt lines in the lower elevation band around treeline, but not much above the crescent glacier.

Trip: Mt Adams - SW Chutes speedski Date: 6/6/2016 Trip Report: The weather is so good right now! Slid out of Portland last night and made it up to the Cold Springs TH around 10:30 pm. A 7:20 am start and easy skinning/booting had me on top in 2:57. Quick video edit . The entrance to the SW chutes was ripe and the bottom was over-ripe by 10:30 am. The low traverse out required some shennanigans/scrambling/booting/skinning, but the travel was still quick and I made it back to the car in 4:23. TR: Mt Adams Speed Ski I met a bunch of nice folks up there. Hope y'all had a good ski as well! Gear Notes: Light is right. Atomic Ultimate 65 with Plum race bindings. 1L H2O and 2 tubes of shot blocks. Approach Notes: Standard. Dirt trail becomes continuous snow after about 15 min walk.

Were you able to drive to the trailhead?

Trip: Talkeetna Mountains AK - Bomber Traverse Date: 4/22/2016 Trip Report: From April 16th to the 21st of this year, my now-fiance Taylor and I made a circuit of the classic Talkeetnas ski loop, the Bomber Traverse. The loop itself is no huge effort, with 20-some miles and 6000' of gain interrupted by three huts. It's been skied in a day by plenty of folks, but going a bit heavier we spent 6 days in the range skiing great snow under blue skies. I've written up our trip, including a pdf with beta to complement Joe Stock's guidebook, and an annotated caltopo map. There are a lot more photos than I can possibly share here. The post is in two parts: Skiing the Bomber Traverse: Part 1 Skiing the Bomber Traverse: Part 2 Skinning up the little susitna on the first day. Taylor climbing backdoor gap between the Mint and Bomber huts. Taylor skins below the Snowbird glacier Nunataq. The Bomber hut at moonrise. Harvesting the Alaska-grown. Gear Notes: Lightweight gear means more room for beer. Purposely brought the Free Range Big Medicine pack for some detailed testing. Short review: awesome. Approach Notes: If you can see it, you can ski it.

Trip: Mt Hood - Ski Circumnavigation Date: 5/7/2016 Trip Report: Taylor had a big birthday to celebrate and wanted to do something epic. I've been around mt hood on skis many years ago, but this time was a bit different. In later season, the route was a bit more complicated, with some open cracks requiring navigation, and sagging bridges on the Eliot called for roped skiing. FULL TRIP REPORT (more photos/beta) Still, with good weather and a pretty casual pace, we finished it up in 8 hours and 40 minutes in pretty good style. It's a good way to earn yourself a big pizza dinner. Tight Whips Seracs on the Ladd/Coe Faint ski tracks across and down the Eliot Final traverse across the White River. Gear Notes: Atomic Ultimate 78s with speed superlight bindings, race skins. 25m 7mm rope, light crevasse rescue kit. Race packs. Alu spikes and axes. Approach Notes: 1:45 from Timberline lodge to Irock Saddle

Nice work. Looks windy as nuts in your video. Why so early?