mhux

Hey there, I'm a student in Salem, OR with some free time during the week and I want to get up to Hood to climb! (Or ski, even better!) I don't usually have class on tuesdays or thursdays...if you're based in Salem or Portland, or anywhere on the way to Hood, and are interested, pm me. Conditions dependent I'll be going for a ski tour or a summit, if you just want a ride so you can do your own thing (and rendezvous later to drive back), that works too. Whether you want a partner or just somebody to split the gas $ with, I'm game for anything from laps on Palmer to anything but Yocum Ridge...pm me and lets get after it! Max

Looking at the weather and my new skis made me wonder...has anyone had experience with pre-season touring at resorts? I read about it in an Oregon ski guidebook too, a brief mention of october turns at Mt. Hood Meadows. My line of thought was: Groomers are usually grassy fields in summer, with minimal undergrowth, so they would be covered quickly with rocks minimized...right? That and I'm desperate to make some turns...with the current storm I was hoping a little touring at Meadows might be good to go! Any thoughts? Might go and report back regardless

Damn looks like fun! Props for getting deep with it so early...!

Pretty sure that's been ticked in the winter

Yeah its awaiting a direct finish, if I'm not mistaken...

Good stuff...winters coming!

Sounds like a fun way to end the summer! Guess the Nelson book doesn't have the final word on 'classics' after all...

^^Gotta second Ecuador, I managed to get in Cayambe and an epic on Chimborazo (friends climbed Cotopaxi) and Illiniza Norte (not much but its fun) while in school down there. Unless you want to experience the joy of 'expedition bus ride' approaches, I'd go with a guide service

There you have it...so what are you waiting for Oleg!?

Isn't that the definition of Cascades alpine? And Torments' not really that bad, just compare it to JBerg right across the valley. Guess so...at least it's not vertical vegetation. Either way snow and ice would only improve things...

I've got a 3 day weekend coming up next week, trying to do something better than go to Smith...any recommendations for routes (of any sort) with these short days and good weather in that timeframe? Or I'll just give up and realize rain is coming...

Seriously! I was just up there this weekend and Torment's a pile...I'd rather wallow in powder than sketch on loose 3rd/4th

Went up there to give it a shot, the Taboo glacier under Torment was pretty small but a 20' wide berg blocked passage to the SE face, and a sketchy deep moat basically blocked off access to the S ridge...we ended up passing the berg on the right via some 4th class and got onto the SE face with some scary soloing on smooth low-5th class to gain the 3rd/4th on the face. Figured we had spent too much time already climbing Torment, we decided to bail and rap it, adding into consideration the likely glacier/berg problems on the snow traverses, and our lack of bivy gear or experience rapping the east ledges and descending Forbidden in general. Bottom line: I'd wait until next year!

Cool stuff, thanks for the beta MX Be back with a trip report

Awesome pictures! Love that first one, so pnw!

This coming Saturday. Just posted in advance to try and solidify beta...if nothing else I'll have a conditions report on Sunday!

Less pure? Never climbed Forbidden before so we were planning on downclimbing the west ridge...heard the east ledges is scrappy Good advice though, thanks

1 ski??

Thanks Bronco, that's good to know. Ranger station...of course! Good call, I forgot about that resource. Has anyone done the traverse recently with conditions beta? First-hand info would be appreciated...

That's why God created headlamps. It extends the day on both ends as fitness, logistics, and conditions allow. That's the idea...but will the route be in condition? Better conditions= more route in light= less headlamps (awesome or not)

Its a 7 hour drive to get there for me and I've got 8am class on monday...plus it'd be good fun to single push it

I was stoking on the idea of this classic today, but realized most trip reports say 'late season' is late august (maybe early september)...anyone know how it might be in a week or so? I figure the glaciers might be a hassle and the snow traverse will be solid alpine ice, if not melted out choss, but other than that I can only speculate. Also, if any of you have done it car2car in a (long) day and have any tips worth considering, lets hear it!

Nice picture! Especially the last one- mini Colchuck lake!?

Nice work! Just did this last weekend, bummer you missed out on the offwidth but at least you got the one on the fin (looked fun but we were in a hurry!). Funny how you can never do justice to the exposure from the fin in a picture... dave- not sustained, if you can get up the offwidth (physical, but not too technically tough), you can definitely handle some of the 5.8-9 moves on the Fin- I was worried about sandbagging but there's no need to be! Go get it!

Trip: Dragontail Peak - Backbone Ridge Date: 7/26/2012 Trip Report: After weather shut us down about a month ago, my friend Brayton and I got after it on Thursday. First alpine rock route, fun climbing and pretty committing! 22 hours car to car, not bad for a first experience like this but we weren't rushing by any means. A great time in the hills by all means! I've already written it up here, check it out: http://verticalism.blogspot.com/2012/07/dragontail-peak-backbone-ridge-59-iv.html Gear Notes: Borrowed a (new) #5 and #6 for the offwidth from Sol, thanks a ton! Otherwise a medium rack up to 3", doubles in finger sizes. You might want crampons for the snow hike down to Aasgard pass, or maybe just an ax to control your glissade Approach Notes: Straightforward, the only snow is crossing the moraine to the base of the route and coming off the summit col to Aasgard pass Heinous mosquitos from the lake, to the summit, back to the lake- bring as much repellent as you can