Ed-the-Ted

BTW a great TR. I’ve always wanted to take your route as it leads so directly to the summit and obviously the longest line on the HW with the most ice. Well done!

I’m uncertain if this variation of the headwall has a name but the route photo shows exiting the headwall to climbers left in a wide open chute closer to the summit than the wallace-Olson chimney. The wallace-Olson exit is in the center of the final cliffs through a narrow weakness and when dry or boney truly feels like a chimney. There are some nice photos in prior TR’s; and I think there is a photo with the final chimney pitch in the background in my partner’s CC TR a few days later on 2/18/22. And here are a few more photos I have collected from friends over the years showing it in various different conditions. In the overview photo I think the wallace Olson is approximately at the green arrow. Yellow arrow I think marks the route in this TR.

Eliot Headwall numerous ascents on last 6 weeks: Uncertain if ice conditions high on Mt Hood are of interest in this forum (long time listener/reader; first time caller/poster); but as it’s only a 4-6 hour walk up the south side and back down to the base of the headwall on north side… friends of mine found good ice (relatively speaking: it is the alpine after all) and successfully climbed mcjury/Leuthold (right cirque) 1/24, the ravine up to cathedral spire col and then up the north ridge 2/13, and pencil #2 on 2/26. my partner and I climbed wallace/Olson 2/18 and found much more ice there than was even reported in April 2021 when that route was felt to be quite fat and saw almost continuous ascents (please see the 2/18 TR). We then climbed mcjury/Leuthold on 3/6 finding somewhat less ice than our friends did in January. i also see there is a TR from what appears to be Eliot Headwall left cirque on 2/13 but is mislabeled as wallace/Olson. please be aware of the large avalanche on upper Eliot thought to have released around 2/28. You can see it’s crown in bottom left of photo. We found the slopes still very unconsolidated and wind-loaded on 3/6 first photo: “ current” appearance of #2 pencil and the ravine on 3/6 second photo: “current” appearance of mcjury/Leuthold exit on 3/6 third photo: zoom in of wallace/Olson chimney on 3/6. We didn’t go over there but looks like there could be a hole in the ice compared to our TR from 2/18. Note this is taken from base of mcjury/Leuthold notch and so is at an odd-angle and probably not how it would look from below.

Sorry so few photos. It was REALLY cold. Got barfies just trying to shoot a pic. you can see the toe of the buttress lit up by sunlight in the upper right of photo of face. We traversed directly to this point moving completely horizonatally from a point even with it on the sunshine route above queens chair. Also note that in the same photo at lower left you can see the recent avalanche crown. has anyone ever climbed the awesome ice on the steps to left of notch? These are the steps immediately to the right of the wallace/Olson chimney. I think they are sometimes climbed in lean years when the W/O chimney isn’t protectable.

Trip: Mt Hood - Eliot Headwall right (Mcjury/Leuthold) Trip Date: 03/06/2022 Trip Report: On 3/6/22 My partner and I traversed in to the eliot headwall and climbed three pitches through the right exit notch after climbing the south side (pearly gates left) and then descending to Queens Chair. Our original plan was the ravine route but we found 24+ inches of wind loaded snow on the typical crossing. Leaving queens chair ~8:30am we had traversed about 1/3 of the way to the tongue of the headwall (where the center cirque route “typically” starts) when we noted dramatically deepening unconsolidated snow. There we dug two rudimentary snow pits with our tools and my partner found two 1x1 foot blocks spontaneously released at about 18 inches of depth. Given the atmospheric river of the week prior and the obvious crown of the recent eliot avalanche (as reported on NWAC), we aborted the ravine plans, and decided to try McJury/Leuthold. This would allow us to stay off the wind-loaded regions. We returned to queens chair, ascended ~200 feet back up sunshine route and again traversed east across steeper slopes. This part was excellent neve and ice, with the occasional spooky step consisting of unconsolidated snow on ice. We quickly reached the base of the right-most buttress of the headwall. We set up a belay there and made a gradually ascending but mostly eastward traversing pitch around a corner that placed us on the main face (45m). Again a few spooky footholds at times but otherwise straightforward climbing mostly in daggerA second pitch took us up and left to base of the notch in the cliff (50m): even better ice, mostly daggering. The third pitch (50m) took us to through the crux headwall to the top of notch with excellent water ice at its base, beginning, and end except for a 6 foot section of rotten ice in a tight chimney while moving through the two crux bulges. I found it awkward and not finding the stem options I had hoped for, climbed it slowly. However it was well protected with 13-16cm screws above and below. I suspect it would go fast and cleanly for a more experienced leader. Although we did find LESS ice than friends did 5 weeks prior. Being a relatively new leader I sewed it up and even placed a stubby in the crux although it probably wasn’t necessary. I did not find any rock pro options although I know others have found placements in the past. we simul climbed another 30m up steep snow topping out just west of the top of old chute. it was a great day out. Only our second time on this face. Great screws for the most part and able to use 16s throughout except above the crux. 19cm was also used at anchors for pitches 1 and 2.. Above the notch/3rd pitch the good ice vanished quickly and instead of setting up a belay I placed a single 13cm and We chose to simul-climb to the rim, although I think I could have found two 13cms to work here for an anchor with a little effort. Much colder than we had predicted based on Timberline parking lot temps, and it was much windier than any of the usual forecasters had predicted (UW Time-Height; Mountain Forecast, NOAA). Despite this we did not see any ice or rockfall. im glad we aborted our initial plans to cross the loaded slopes to The Ravine. Northerly winds were moving a lot of snow, and by evening were causing spontaneous releases in Leutholds where an accident and tragic fatality occurred later this same day. Gear Notes: Carried 10 screws: 1x 10cm (found a placement but a stronger leader would probably have kept climbing), 5x 13cm, 3x 16cm, 1x 19cm. Carried small rack of rock gear and a few pieces of iron which were unnecessary. Had a picket, didn’t need it. Approach Notes: From Timberline, up south side, with some deep wallowing on way to hogs back as we were first party up that day, then dealer’s choice but we used pearly gates due to a great boot pack. Then dropped down sunshine route to queens chair before traversing under the headwall (4.5-5 hours to reach base).

Hi jens. I am interested. Where are you located. I’m in Portland: 619-994-5322. And question: is your tie in for umbilicals a secure point in the shaft? I have heard of people dripping the griprest off by falling on a tool but I think it was with the newer nomics with the spike on the bottom... love petzl gear and wa shrinking I would get a pair and then place a tie in on top of handles grip, but wasn’t certain how that was going to feel in the hand. I like where you have yours.