JeffreyR

Wow! That looks pretty cool. I will have to go check it out some time (except the ice is probably all gone by now with the rain). were you top roped?

Nice! Any pics?

That is the only evidence I have ever seen of a recent ascent. Let me know how it looks. It will be interesting to see what it is like in these abnormal conditions.

Has anyone done that Lake Angeles Cirque route (II, 4) mentioned in the latest edition of the OMR climbing guide? There is almost no information available elsewhere...

Skied up by source lake on Saturday. There seemed to be tracks leading to the the SE side of Chair, but I don't know if anyone made a summit attempt.

I have been on and around the mountain several times and seen many pictures of different aspects and have never actually seen any evidence, possibly due to snow cover. The Olympic Mountain Rescue climbing guide mentions wreckage on I believe the NW aspect (I will need to double check that). There are reports of aircraft pieces all over the Olympics. I read on NWHikers about Jet wreckage somewhere in the upper reaches Hayes River or Godkin creek (can't remember which)

Summitpost is good so long as you avoid the main page and forums, have adblock plus, and are not looking for the most current route conditions. I have found a good bit of quality beta about Washington mountains but a lot of garbage as well.

At the very worst it maybe could be fermented, which is not such a bad thing...

Glad everyone is ok! It sounds like that other group was being a bit irresponsible. How did the overall avy conditions seem? Did natural triggers seem like a possibility? I am planning on climbing in the olympics on saturday, so I will keep this in mind.

They are not ideal, but would probably work with some heavy weight wool socks. http://www.rei.com/product/664970/rei-merino-wool-expedition-socks are what I use (bring an extra pair of them too!)

I would think your mats would be fine for July.

I would think getting up there saturday morning would be just fine. I have done Adams car to car in a day, but I think your plan will be much more enjoyable. Have you looked into getting a permit yet? I believe there is a quota for climber on each route on a given day. When are you planning on climbing? If you go any time before mid august I would imagine most of the lunch counter will be under snow. Getting a good pad will make sleeping on snow more comfortable. Make sure it is a full length pad so all of your body is off the ground. I usually use one of the non-inflatable closed cell foam thermarest pads which work great for me,

I got a 70 L ALPS pack on clearance at REI and have been pretty happy with it. It is definitely not high end, but it is comfortable, large, doesn't have too many pointless pockets, and it gets the job done on my unemployed college student budget. Mine has survived a year and a half of SAR getting beat in the worst possible bushwhacking.

I always avoid aluminum as it is not very durable. Even for snow slogs, you are bound to come in contact with rock which will destroy aluminum. What are you thinking of climbing?

From the NWAC: Be careful in the next couple weeks especially on the south side routes!

I don't see why it wouldn't be a good ski in stable avy conditions. Until the Valley of Silent Men melts out the approach could be a bit of work but still doable.

You don't pay for military rescues. The military regards civilian rescues as training and would be flying regardless. I have personally checked these facts with acquaintances who fly with Whidby Island Navy SAR.

+1

I believe paying anyone other than a certified guide may be illegal (so beware of anyone asking for compensation). There are guiding services on the mountain, so if you have the cash and are willing to pay, it is probably your best bet.

This is a very good point. I think most people underestimate the dangers of this "walkup".

After you become comfortable with self arrest, put on a pack and get used to the added weight. The added weight and changed center of mass can really throw you off if you are not ready.

Hopefully I will be able to get some time off work to climb... Tick list: 1) learn to lead trad 2)Climb in the Valhallas (Olympic Mtns) 3)Go backpacking with my dad

I would recommend waiting longer. The roads will be snowed in below 5000 ft that early in the year adding many miles to the approach. The main hazards of the south side are weather and navigation. quite a few people get lost every year in whiteouts on the descent, but if you know compass navigation you should be fine. Be prepared for winter weather. I climbed that route in mid August and it still snowed on me. Do you have any experience with an ice ax and crampons? They can really add to your safety if you have the proper skills.

Mt Adams is a much better (and safer) bet for an introductory volcano climb. Hood takes a bit more experience than most people think. You can definitely get away without plastic boots on Adams. A good pair of hiking boots with strap on 10 pt crampons will work just fine. As for an alpine start, it might help with the snow conditions, but is also nice to cut down on the crowds (not to mention the sunrise is beautiful from the top!)

This has been discussed before on this site in the MRNP thread. Link but did not receive a huge amount of attention.