Elife

Nevermind...Joe at Oregon Peak Adventures hooked me up and we spent a great day training on Hood. If you're a newbie looking for a friendly option and small class size, I recommend them. www.oregonpeakadventures.com Thanks, Joe!

Thanks gentlemen. My friends and coworkers be damned, I'm getting something to protect this addled brain. Good point on the headlamp situation, I'll choose wisely.

Some would debate whether or not my brain is worth protecting, but I was hoping for advice nonetheless. If my plans are for mountaineering exclusively (no rock, hot weather), could I use a snowboarding/snowsports helmet like those from ProTec, etc.? Other than insulation and ventilation, what are the differences? Thanks much! Eric in Portland

I'd like to find a more affordable option for a few hours of basic instruction on mountaineering if they exist. Everything I've seen runs anywhere from 150 per person on up to 300 for a full day lesson. I was hoping to find like 3-4 hours of instruction with a medium or large group somewhere for 50-75 if possible. I have most of the gear and can rent what I lack. Also, could anyone recommend a good location to practice the skills once acquired? Something on Hood or within a 2-3 hour drive of Portland? As it is I'm thinking of heading to Cooper Spur to play on some of the lower elevation ice/snow I ran in to a couple of weeks back. Thanks guys, this is a great site for info and the posts are pretty sweet and useful.