Holk

My guess is you'll get plenty of use out of your skis on the west side, if not all of elsewhere. As 111 said, "the snow this year is off the charts!"

The photos seen in this post were taken using a Canon G11, which is more of a Point n Shoot/SLR hybrid and is rather convenient for shooting without really ever stopping. However, I need to get it together and take my DSLR from now on, which is a Canon 7D, because it shoots absurdly higher quality imagery.

True. I should have mentioned my awareness of such and factored it in. I was simply stating where the crevasses are; not that they are of much, if any, threat right now.

I traversed the middle sister from south to north late last summer and descended the hayden glacier. I recall crevasses to the south a ways - definitely off your path - but also a few lower down on the glacier that were barely to the north of the glacier ridge. Check the last image: Directly below Prouty Point and the glacier ridge crevasses are slightly visible. Not the small one in the foreground, but mid-frame.

Well done ol' smokey-craft, and good maximization of your time while in the Cascades. Any images?

Gonna bring the ghetto blaster and strap it to my shoulder next time - blast it real loud - avalanches triggered before I even get there. Tried and true. What style of music have you found to be most effective at this? :-) First you startle it, then you saturate it, finally you serenade it. Something like this: Sparta - Phil Collins - Miles Davis

Gonna bring the ghetto blaster and strap it to my shoulder next time - blast it real loud - avalanches triggered before I even get there. Tried and true.

Intentions and realities differ quite often and you do tempt me. However, I don't know if I care to head up that side of the mountain for a little while. Thinking Cathedral Ridge instead.

Thanks for the information Millsb. I don't think that's preachy at all, and do expect to hear some from others. I fully agree that it was way too dangerous there, and knew at the time even that we were luckier than we figured. I've read enough about that route to understand it's instability at any temperature above freezing. I admit we should not have attempted the route given the immediate signs of danger entering into it, plus our late start, because there really was no room for error or back tracking, such as we did. Had we entered the proper couloir we would've made it out of there in time, but just barely. So like I said in the report, no more attempts until next year when things are solidified. Thank you again for the update on the route and the serious reminder of just how treacherous that area is! Glad you made it safely and were successful.

Thanks. We were back on the saddle just past 11:00.

Trip: Mount Hood - Leuthold Couloir Date: 5/20/2011 Trip Report: Sigh ... Sorry to throw yet another Hood report up here. However, I want to eat my cake too. My brother Isaac and I made an attempt at Leuthold on Friday. Unfortunately our start came later than intended by a couple of hours and in turn we paid the price for it with ice/avy danger later that morning. Everyone seemed to want the summit that day - seeing hoards of climbing teams in the lot frightened me - so it was quite nice to immediately deviate from the standard path to ascend over the Zigzag glacier up to Illumination saddle. Traversing the Reid Glacier below the bergshrund's was choice and there was a solid boot pack to follow as well. At this point zero ice had fallen from the rime covered crags above and the snow continued in good shape, although it was clear we had entered a dangerous region as recent avalanches were obvious. The moment we began our ascent of the Couloir our ears could pick up the sound of small trickling ice. At this our ascent quickened. Too rushed for protection we opted to short-rope up from there. At a point just prior to the hourglass our route deviated up a narrow gully that came to a dead end. First thoughts brought us to believing we could climb up and over the rime ice, but as the slope increased to near 60 degrees and with the rime to climb being yet even steeper we opted to back out. Had we have continued our path would've led us up the Reid Headwall. So, at this point we're quite tired, the sun wasn't going to stop rising and our terrain was worsening by the moment. My brother and I both decided it was best to downclimb asap and be off the glacier before the imminent instability led to our deaths. Upon our descent, as we neared the glacier once more, an avalanche came roaring off the top of Castle Crags to our right and hurled deadly sized hunks of ice down toward our traverse path. Smaller pieces of ice flew past us and it was much help having a helmet, since otherwise there would be several dents in my scull. Our pace quickened. Half an hour later and we had returned to Illumination Saddle. In the end, I know that we would have been fine had we climbed up the correct point within the hourglass and not gone astray. That said, I have no intentions of attempting this route again until it's well below freezing, that is to say, next winter. Oh right, and from what the other reports have to say, I'm actually quite glad I never made it to the summit ... no sharing of the west side to be had. With the exception of an awful "1940's baseball mitt" sunburn across my face all is now well. How my heart soared that we were climbing Leuthold this day! Isaac roped up at the summit ... err, I mean Illumination Saddle. Jeff in the background/my next target. Saint Helens and lower Yocum Ridge looking freakin' rad! Isaac crossing the Reid Glacier with Illumination Rock and a semi-full moon behind. The beginning of the couloir atop old avy debris. This is after our downclimb of the 55+ degree crumbling off chute. Quite deliriously happy to be out of there. Seldom seen views of Leuthold for the time of day. Happy to have it, happier to have not. No lingering happened here, trust me. Photo taken while on the move. The end. Gear Notes: cramps, venoms, munchables, 8mm 30m glacier rope, unused pickets, HELMET!! and so forth. Approach Notes: Climber's left is nice & full-ish moon meant no headlamp!

Thanks Water! The sweater was an old Dale from my late grandpa and it alongside a couple of icebreaker base-layers and my Norrona shell made for a perfect getup. Unfortunately the shell tore badly along the zipper seam somewhere during the catwalk, but backcountry is going to refund me my full monies! Those are the Lowa Mnt Exp boots. Excellent boots that are very comfortable, but the toes do eventually get wet in the slush. However, so long as you keep moving they stay insulated. Overall I'm happy with them. Jard and Bryan climbing what I assume everyone considers the beginning to the "wineglass/hourglass"...?

No problem. The route I mentioned will be a longer approach, but it's literally straightforward. If you're going to ski in it's the best bet as the elevation gain is spanned out and the trail doesn't do a ton of switchbacks, like Thielsen's trail does. Good luck on that pinnacle! Let me know how things go?

I descended the West Face Gully, but it was a little early in the day to glissade down that route and thus it was quite painful. Regardless my crampons were already off and without them I couldn't walk down as it was too icy, so I would glissade 100ft sections at a time and rest my arms/chest/hip ... etc. before having another go at it. At 10,000ft I traversed back over to Casaval Ridge and was back near the small 4th class rock section noted in the route image. The ridge above 11,000ft on its Eastern aspect: Here I am feeling pretty beat up and happily at camp:

Gentlemen, I thank you for the information. Ptown, I believe I will be following in your footsteps, quite literally, later tonight. Thank you.

I had originally posted a large reply, but found it more appropriate as a stand alone. TR is here: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1017389#Post1017389

Trip: Mount Shasta - Casaval Ridge Date: 5/8/2011 Trip Report: Note: originally a quick reply to a forum post, i decided to post individually due to multiple requests on casaval beta as of late, and thus it isn't too extensive. I just soloed Casaval Ridge May 8th/9th and conditions couldn't have been more favorable! I believe it will be plenty good in shape come memorial day weekend and an excellent south route to miss the crowds. Nothing seemed much steeper than 35 degrees unless you were intentional about climbing it, and then you could encounter up to 50+. I passed two gentlemen, Jard and Bryan, camping below the usual spot and I myself camped up atop that first ridge/toe (9,800ft). There are some dugouts currently, but the wind will keep you awake unless you carry some earplugs. The 4th class rock annotated is easily avoidable, but it made for some fun with the crampons and tools (only about 30-40 feet high). High camp is well sheltered and gives you a nice glimpse down into Helen Lake, but you would have to carry your gear up to 11,000ft. The bottom photograph is taken from a video still when I was on the first catwalk - this is where you'll find the greatest exposure - it too is avoidable if you so choose. Gear Notes: Ditch the snowshoes. A second tool (venom's) was pleasant, but not necessary. No pro needed. Still loving my Canon G11 over the SLR. Approach Notes: Bunny Flat

If the snowpack is still dense, which I'm sure it is starting at 5,000ft, I would suggest taking the Howlock Mountain trail to Thielsen Creek trail and back down the PCT before heading up the mountain. Or you could ski the Lathrop Glacier remnant on the NF if a summit isn't what you're after? I called the resort about 10 days ago and they reported the pinnacle is still covered in rime ice, so be prepared for that. I personally just want to check out/climb the gully heading up just a pinch south of Thielsen's eastern face. I'm thinking of heading down there the first week of June or so. Diamond Lake Resort: 541-793-3333

Planning on heading that way tonight. If you did do it last night/this morning would you mind giving a quick conditions report on icefall and whatnot?

Or you could mix things up even more and drop down just a tad toward the Reid Headwall and purposely climb to West Crater from there. Although you may as well climb the Headwall or Leutholds at that point, assuming they aren't already raining ice.

Ahh, thanks, you're too kind. The photos you've been taking as of late inspire me quite a bit to get out, so I thank you and many other CCers for the above images.

Was up last Tuesday with a misty downpour below us and yes, the ice was freakin' sweet. However, my ankle was not, nor were my brother's knees. I was eager to try out the venom, but alas, as Mitochondria put it, I wasn't comfortable with the terrain seeing as how I am still a novice. We bailed at Crater Rock.

In that case, you could have skied real fast on Tuesday. All by your lonesome too!

Please feel free to use any or all, just let me know? And Billbob, thank you for that amazing perspective on Reid and Leutholds! Silverstar Mountain range/Pyramid Rock viewpoint - Feb. 2010: Dog Mountain viewpoint - Dec. 2010: Hamilton Mountain viewpoint - Feb. 2010: Devils Headwall from the Hogsback - June 2010: Cathedral Ridge from Mcneil Point - Nov. 2009: Sandy Headwall and Yocum Ridge - Nov. 2009: jamesholk.com

Oregon's weather is often rather unpredictable and you really cannot go off of what the current forecast has to say about it. I cannot say much about the mountain for the upcoming year, but can relay some information about this year and past. The last four years in Portland (how long I've lived here) have yielded a nice weather window in mid-late Feb. - about 2+ weeks - and although most people forget this it seems to happen every year. During this time the crowds are fewer and the Avy danger typically seems to be minimal. However, keep in mind it is a LOT colder and you still want to be off the mountain early to avoid ice fall hazards. I also made Hood's summit in mid-June this year, but found that I'd much rather take the 40mph/-8 windchill over potential debris from crowds. Many of this year's later season climbs were also halted due to extreme Avy hazards, albeit it was a rather intense Spring/Summer. Good luck to ya, Emit; I like Emit better.