diepj

Thank you. A big reason I climb the Hoodwand almost exclusively in the winter these days.

No worries! Also keep an eye on the similar thread in the Oregon Cascades section. Nothing specific there right now but maybe you'll have company up there...

I have thought about this quite a bit. On my recent trip to AK we went with a 60m rope divided about 22-16-22 or so with butterfly knots in between. The thinking on the butterfly knots is the same as stated above. You can't climb out a hole you're both in. The reasoning for 60m and ~22 on the coil is that you're more than likely going to have to climb out on the coiled strand. Even if you don't have butterfly knots the rope may be so entrenched that it would take a ton of excavation (around a loaded rope) just to get it free and clear enough to climb over the lip. We practiced setting up hauls etc and theoretically the coil we carried gives a lot of material to build elaborate systems with the assumption the original line can be hauled on. There are strategies for being able to do a drop loop or some other things on the coil too if you had to. My 2 person thinking has really evolved to focus on arresting the fall (butterflys) and having reasonable ways to self-extract. It's possible to climb past the butterflys but its a pain. The free rope on the coil gives another good option. IMO climbing as a 2-person team means assuming some significant additional risk in that I don't think hauling your partner out (and over/through a lip) by yourself is really reasonable to expect. I think it is good to be prepared to try but you have to be realistic about the fact that its probably not going to happen. Regarding picket quantity, on a 2 person team I like to have 1 picket pre-rigged and ready to go, 1 ice axe in hand for arresting and one more item which is pretty quick and dirty ready to T-slot and back up the picket. In AK this is usually a shovel or spade, it could also be a second tool, etc. I don't like to count on my main axe to make the second piece in the anchor. I also don't like to rely on the random crap like deadmanning stuff sacks or digging bollards in my frontline defense. This means on PNW trips I sometimes carry 2 pickets per person if its a one-axe type of ramble. I also cut a 3 footer in half and sometimes carry the shorty as picket #2. I also often carry a screw. The idea being if you're the one who drops it you might be able to sink it in the wall and get body weight on it for your partner to help make it easier/safer for building your anchor. Not sure if anyone else does that. If you don't need them for the climb I sometimes struggle to justify it. You don't need it until you NEED it kind of thing. Interesting idea with the double 30 thing. (And you could do it by folding a 60 in half...) Main drawback I see is that both strands are probably entrenched in the same slot, so climbing out might still be a problem. Also, topside partner has nothing to work with to try to haul with or rap in on etc. I think each person carrying some coil is still probably a better option.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mthood/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5191108

The cliffs you are referring to (and in particular the traverse) is more commonly known as the Wy'east crux. Although I must admit I don't fully recognize the pic, I'm more familiar with it in winter conditions. I didn't realize it would melt out quite that much this early with so much rock visible. Heading up anything between 1d all the way around to the Wy'east route all will send you through the Wy'east crux. There is a way to split right off of 1c but depending on conditions it cliffs you out and you would have to rap and then join the red line up ahead out of sight in the mellow gully. The split is after where the 1c crux steps form. Thanks for the TR and pics! Way to get out there and do something a little different!

You bummed me out Bill! I don't usually look in partners... And then I thought WOW! Is this a thing!!?! If it revived I would probably try and check it out sometime. I know RB is a total shit hole anyway but is there an established "area for drytooling? (Haven't read the whole thread...)

Oh and watch the weather, if it looks bad or questionable before you leave check the Bend, OR forecast and bring your rock gear for Smith and you might avoid getting completely skunked. That said we've been in a pretty good weather pattern the last couple weeks...

In my opinion you will find all of these mountains in condition. Right now is high season for a lot of routes! IMO you should be able to tackle at least 2 things if the weather is good. I wouldn't go to Shasta unless that's the only place with climbable weather. Rainier I haven't seen any recent reports, but they have mountaineering rangers on staff you can talk to. Give them a call and see what they say. I would expect that ID might be out of condition. Its more of a winter route and become impassable pretty quick. You might be better off researching the Disappointment cleaver. Its a great route to break into Rainier on. Mt Hood you can do in a day and is recommended. Hogsback route is certainly in condition right now with several options and is the standard introduction to the mountain. If you're experienced you might check out Leuthold couloir. Its also easily done in a day and is a little more interesting. Adams glacier is probably in but this is going to take you several days. I.e. you'll probably be left picking between this and Rainier. I haven't climbed the route but I've had it recommended. Up to you but I'm guessing you'll pick Rainier if you have the option. Also this will be the overall most difficult in terms of approach/climb/descent that you have listed. This isn't to discourage but you won't find much recent beta and you probably won't see many other climbers. Definitely higher on the adventure scale that Hood or Rainer. That last statement excludes Olympus but unless you're trying to tick some list off stick to the other peaks. That climb will take all of your week and from what I've heard it's not really that interesting. Baker also should be in and you might be able to find a recent TR. Welcome and have fun!

Wow, I was imaging you off to the right on the actual glacier where you can see some knarly stuff in that photo! No way would I expect anything like that in the vicinity.

Glad you got hung up before you bought the farm! I think we've chatted a bit about it on here and I know I've traded some posts with Water about it for sure but more and more this is why I rope up on the White River and the Reid these days as a default. How the heck is that thing not buried deep right now?? I'm not picturing exactly where you were but I would have probably crossed solo without thinking too much about it, especially close to that big hogsback type of feature that starts up closer to triangle moraine.

Nice work!! Its a fun line and if it was closer to the lodge it would get done a ton. I'll bet it only gets sent by a couple parties a year. With good conditions and confident knowledge of the route a skier could climb the south side, ski it and it might not be too bad working back around to the south side. Would just have to climb from ~7800 on Yocum Ridge back up to I-Saddle.

Water, Our approach has evolved in time. Used to solo on the Reid (and White River) and not really think about it. Took a look at it one time and saw how cracked up it was underneath and started roping up. Last year (2015) was lean and we actually dropped a guy through what was probably a sub-bergschrund (not the main top one) heading up to the main Reid line (Mid Feb I think). He disappeared, right up to the brim of his helmet (Rope caught him). Honestly we kind of knew it was a bridge, but there wasn't another easy way. This happened probably higher than where you would have dropped skis. I also crossed the Reid in late Jan (again, 2015) heading for Sandy and there were tons of cracks we had to navigate. Right now you can't see any of this stuff like you could last year and the chances are really good that its buried deep. I wouldn't say a person was crazy right now if they solo'd it. Its hard to know when to cut it off though. Also we had just had a decent dump of snow at the top was pretty soft and post-holey. Its hard to know in that situation if something is just drifted over, especially at the bergys which tend to stay more open it seems. I like soloing better when there is a nice hard crust on top. I wouldn't say at this time of year there is a right or wrong answer. We rope up because as much as anything else its just what we do. We're not on skis so it really isn't that much of a hassle. And we're carrying rope anyway.

The top pic is awesome!! We followed you up and your TR is spot on. The route was super mellow, the hourglass could hardly be called ice and we didn't have any rock or ice fall. In the past we have traversed lower on the Reid and run straight up the couloir from a lower point, rather than traversing in so high. Given the fresh snow I think you took the best approach for the conditions. If you downclimbed a chute with no tracks in it then it was the Mazama chute. By the time we got over there there was only 1 set of tacks in it - the main bootpack was in the old chute.

We should have held a CC.com pub club event up there. My wife and I were camped at I-saddle and heard Catstack and MTHorman go by. We ran into Bedell on the Queen's chair. Awesome link-up! I think that might be the best approach to the Eliot. Leuthold might be OK too, a little more distance, a little less vert. Catstack - thanks for the booter on Luethold!! Definitely made things a little easier for us in the snow. We decided to carry everything over for "training" and appreciated the tracks.

Icefall of that variety seems to be a fact of life on the headwall routes on Hood, at least in my experience. Seem to always have pellets and a few fist sized ones coming at you on any of the routes with substantial rime formations above and around. Doesn't seem to have rhyme or reason with temps, sun exposure, wind, etc. it just happens. Maybe we're crazy but we just kind of got used to it. Sucks to take one on the hand or shoulder but I mainly only get concerned if a microwave flies by. This seems a lot easier to avoid using typical metrics for avoiding the hazard. Also have learned to avoid the small stuff better by climbing in the margins rather than right up the gut of the little runnels, to the extent possible. Often there is good ice right in the center though! Nice climb! I love Reid and have always done the left exit. I am looking forward to giving your variation to the crater rim a go for something different.

I don't know for sure about Powers 5-piece specifically, but give Portland Fasteners out in NW a call. They have tons of stuff and if not the Powers something else appropriate for your application. If you're wanting a 5-piece simply because you're familiar with it from climbing know that the construction and engineering community has moved beyond these for structural applications, particularly when fastening to concrete.

I was up there mid-winter last year on a real nice day and someone lifted an apparently pretty nice new snowboard right off of the hogsback while the owner was on the summit. It was apparently dug in pretty well and very unlikely it got dislodged and slid away...

No problem. Are you maxed on the long bars? Might be a cheap fix if it made the difference.

I have found a good fit between Mont Blancs (size 45) and Petzl Sarken. I've found the Petzls to be pretty versatile. They're a little heavier/overkill for snow and summer routes but they're lighter than a full-on ice/mixed pon like a G14. I've climbed WI4 and easy mixed with them. While I've found them to be a one crampon does it all item, I'd probably prefer at this point to have a G12/Vasak for alpine and G14/Lynx for more technical terrain. And a light Alu pair for the summer. So I'd think about your climbing goals/trajectory before committing to a crampon right in the middle if you think you might want eventually to get into more technical climbing. Lot's of opinions out there, mine is that there is no upside to stainless on a crampon and I avoid the BDs as a result. I'll second the idea to try moving the rear bail attachment to the other set of points. Also maybe try it again with the lower bar set a little longer than you think you need. I've sometimes found a good fit with a little more of a gap between the boot heel and the rear stop tabs. I'm not sure there's anything wrong with a gap there if the fit is otherwise solid.

Also if you have the time and inclination there are some pretty good resources online about sewing your own. Google MYOG Pyramid tent and you'll get a good start. I've been thinking about trying it but haven't taken the plunge yet.

What sort of beta? I think the route descriptions floating around are pretty good. Early May is a popular time and should be OK generally speaking. How is the fitness of your group? Its a long route (not as bad if you wait for the road) which may speak in favor of a bivy at snow dome. With Newbs consider a car shuttle and descend the south side rather than down climbing Cooper Spur.

That's pure Bullshit.

My browser stays signed in so long I need to reset the password whenever it kicks me out after guessing at all the usual suspects. I occasionally get other random errors which make the site unavailable but I just come back another day and everything is working fine...

How big of a print? It looks like the doc is only 8.5x11 and many of the pics aren't full page size to begin with. If you blow it up too much it might not look good anyway. I'm guessing you could crop and try an 11x17 to begin with.

We always stay at the Western Heritage Inn. It's convenient and close to MT Ale works. Call and talk to the manager Stephanie and you'll get a better rate than if you book online. Highly recommend Mackenzie River Pizza. Good pizza and beer, their cobb salad is a man meal.