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My concern with rapping off a double rope when using one side to pull gear is the (admittedly small) potential for one half of the rope to move through the ATC at a faster rate. I've never experienced this (at least not that I was aware of, but if there were contaminants (dirt, ice, etc.) on one side and not the other I would be concerned that I might be pulling down the knot side and slowly beginning the process of retrieving the anchor while still rapping. Admittedly this is pretty far-fetched for a single rope that has been doubled, but it becomes much more likely if rapping off two ropes of unequal diameter tied together. This is not what has been shown in the diagrams, but it is common practice for some (from what I've read in other posts). I can see how one might extrapolate the above ideas to the latter instance, which would be a mistake. The potential for this goes away completely, of course, if you rap off a single rope tied to a pull cord (not rapping off the pull cord as well).

Well the actual rappel won't take any longer, but yes, of course the retrieval will take twice as long if nothing gets jammed. If the biner/figure eight gets jammed then it could possibly take far less time to retrieve, compared to not being able to pull that setup back up to unjam it. My concern with using the EDK (other than my unfounded concern that it just looks scary) in this instance is that most of the research I've seen is based off the assumption that both ropes are equal diameter. I would want to know that an EDK tied with 5mm cord and a 10mm rope was bomber. I'm also unsure about rapping with both ropes in a tube type belay device when one of them is 5mm cord. I have no experience with this, but it seems sort of funky to me. How many of them will even work with 5mm cord? Have you done it? How does it work? You are right - several advantages to the EDK, not the least of which is that it is far less prone to jamming when compared to that complex arrangement in the photo.

accident analysis here

No one has mentioned this and I haven't tried it (yet), but it seems like it might be useful, if rapping off a single rope and using a tag line setup for retrieval as shown in the photo, to tie the opposite ends (hanging ends) of the tag line and the rap rope together with an overhand knot. This would allow you to pull the larger rope back up and possibly aid in unjamming it, in the event the combination biner/figure eight gets hung up during retrieval with the tag line. The process would thus be to haul the rap rope down first with the tag line, remove the biner and knots, then haul the rap line back up and down the other side of the anchor via the other end of the tag line. The overhand knot is much less likely to jam during that process. Extra work for extra insurance. Anyone see a problem with this arrangement?

REI has both BlueWater and PMI kernmantle cord.

That depends on your skill level and your mental aptitude for being on the side of a mountain in a winter storm. If you are new to winter mountaineering then I would wait until high pressure moves in and stabilizes. Then wait at least two days for the snow to stabilize and watch the NWAC report. Then don't go unless you feel confident about your ability to evaluate snow stability. If you are experienced and accustomed to winter mountaineering then you can pretty much go up almost to Crater Rock and be safe regardless of the weather as long as you are prepared to either navigate your way down with altimeter and compass in a white hurricane or dig in and hole up for days if you get into a string of storms. Beyond Crater Rock you face the potential for avalanche during and immediately after a storm, and also during warming trends. I don't see a high pressure window in any current forecast. Don't get me wrong, I've made many trips up to Crater Rock for skiing this time of year, in unstable weather like we have now, but it is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced. The weather can turn on you in an instant, and then turn back to bluebird 15 minutes later, or not. If you are new to this, my advice is to cool your heels and wait for high pressure, or plan a ski/boarding trip up to Crater Rock, but no further, and be prepared to navigate down in a whiteout. Here is how I think when I'm descending south side Mt. Hood in a whiteout. If high pressure moves in and stabilizes, go for it.

Yes, it can appear confusing. It is skier's right of the lunch counter. There are a series of gullies that merge into Morrison Creek. I went down that way in late June and it was a blast to ski. There was enough snow on the drainage to ski all the way down to the RTM trail and then it was just an easy 20 min. hike back east to the Cold Spring trail. This makes for a shorter day than doing the SW chutes because the trip back to the CS trail is much shorter and easier. Yes, you are correct. It's what I thought you were referring to because it's the steepest region on the south side.

Here it is. You can avoid this while going up by traversing more to the east below lunch counter, but it's too hard to explain if you aren't familiar with the area. It's only a short section, but there are rocks at the bottom. There was a fatality in this area last year. Go slow, be careful, and you will be fine. If you are uncomfortable downclimbing this then remember where it was and don't go down into this area on the way back. Stay to the east instead.

I was wrong then. I've never encountered this. Thanks for the heads up.

Exactly, it happens with trees, but not with boulders. It's a region of loose, unconsolidated snow under the tree branches. Falling in feet first is an enormous inconvenience at best. Falling in head first can quickly be fatal as the snow caves in around and suffocates you. This is a big reason why you should always ski with a buddy if you ski trees. Even that is no guarantee of safety. Three years ago a snowboarder died at Mt. Hood Meadows when he fell in a tree well right under a lift line. He was with friends, but it took them and others 15 minutes to extract him and by then it was too late. Deaths from tree wells are common enough that they have their own acronym - NARSID, for non-avalanche related snow immersion death. Back to boulders, another hazard to skiers is skiing into a "blow hole" when visibility is poor. On big flat areas like Zig Zag Glacier on Mt. Hood these boulders get buried during the winter, but the hole created by the wind blowing around them persists and can be an ugly trap that is hard to see in flat light or whiteout.

You can see several from that point, but yes, the Eliot is by far the largest and most obvious and the one they'd be staring at.

Impossible to get to 26 in one day unless they were practically going down the Timberline ski area. Most that get disoriented coming down the south side go too far north and end up heading towards 26, but they never make it because they go down Zig Zag Canyon area or Mississipi head and get cliffed out. Much easier to get to Hwy 35 via White River Canyon and easy to do in a few hours.

Just thinking about this scenario... If it was that cold I wouldn't have my feet dangling over the edge. I'd be trying to hold a fetal position - all that more miserable a night as there was no comfortable place to rest my feet, which were freezing... This makes my knees and back ache just thinking about it... You would probably have caught this, but since I did here's a typo for ya.

Do you recall conditions? time of day?

If you are looking for alpine climbs with more altitude, but no crevasses, I would suggest looking at Colorado 14ers. If you do Mt. Adams south side, it would be a shame not to take skis if you are a skier. Once the road to Cold Springs Campground is open you can do the round trip in one day if you ski down the same way you go up. 6,500 feet of vertical is nice payback for a long slog in the snow. Otherwise I think this will be an underwhelming experience for you.

"Filming for these scenes will be 1-2 days March 1..." Good luck with that... What NOAA says about Mt. Hood at 7000': Sunday Night: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 12. Wind chill values as low as -11. Windy, with a west southwest wind between 37 and 39 mph, with gusts as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 23 to 29 inches possible. Monday: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 13. Breezy, with a west wind between 21 and 29 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 23 to 29 inches possible.

Nice one in Washougal for $75... http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/spo/2200976704.html

Fun times! Thanks for the info - very helpful.

minus the "Sweet Blue bomber ice"!

My wife and I were on Hood in '83 when Mt. St. Helens happened to blow a minor steam eruption right while we were on the summit. That was fun!

It is a great noob climb! My only point is that sometimes (like the hard ice that was present earlier this week) I am not comfortable with just my crampons and an axe because I'm not convinced I could reliably self-arrest a slip on the steep section above the bergschrund, which is currently open. And, of course, weather aside, there are other times everyone should turn back from all approaches - avy danger, spring/summer/fall thawing, etc.

Thank you for the great TR. I love Snowdome! Your video answers some of the questions I had about the short version of the SW 2-man tent. If you don't mind, can you answer some others please? How much lighter is the shorter version? Do you have the double wall version? I assume those flaps with the ties that cross inside are the optional wind stabilizers? Do you have the side window option and if so any comment you care to make - how useful, etc.? Many thanks.

I hope that dog has his blue bag with him!

The crux of the south side is the steep section at the Pearly Gates. This is where many people get into trouble. It's a short section and when the weather's great and the snow is good, it's a walk in the park - like Alex says. People have run up and down it in tennis shoes. To me the steepest section appears to be about 50 degrees. To vertical ice climbers it doesn't seem steep... To scramblers like me with an axe it seems steep, especially when it's frozen hard. I've turned back here twice because I was concerned that I would not be able to self-arrest. Others will continue on. The approach in winter (watch the avy report) is usually not ice, which makes it very doable with crampons and axe only. Here's a trip report from last week though... "Both" references the two common south side approaches, Pearly Gates and Old Chute.

There is nothing steep about the south side of Hood... "steep" and "hard" are relative to your ability level. Just because you aren't comfortable doing something doesn't mean everyone else should feel the same way. I'm surprised at the push back to my post. The ability level of the original poster is self-admitted "new to alpine climbing". My post was an admonition and a reminder that you can't just purchase the "right gear" and then assume you are covered. You have to know what is possible with that gear, given current conditions and your ability. The poster was asking if axe and crampons were sufficient for south side Hood. I used this question to make my point - by pointing out that in current conditions (based on reports now several days old) I didn't believe they were. I'm not suggesting "everyone else should feel this way". I'm suggesting, however, that someone new to alpine climbing should. Would you recommend otherwise? I'm also curious, and I mean this in a sincere and respectful manner, do you believe you could self arrest reliably with just an ice axe on hard 50 degree ice?