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[TR] MT. HOOD - Devils Kitchen Headwall 03/10/2019


kadyakerbob

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C3007589-CCF0-4D07-9302-23C1E1C0E590.thumb.jpeg.2fc4878caea03004540e6f8f7039a0fc.jpeg381C2A9E-90D7-47DF-B85D-B8986C22B18E.thumb.jpeg.41b2c9d201f5e86f321bc0d1319d3762.jpeg2C7B9AF7-5721-4B1E-9FCB-E04827738EB8.thumb.jpeg.90b60c408c0254415463a1cdb10c527b.jpegTrip: MT. HOOD - Devils Kitchen Headwall

Trip Date: 03/10/2019

Trip Report:

 

(please forgive my subpar writing ability) Mike and I started up from Timberline at 5am on Sunday with our eyes set on the Reid headwall.  As we headed up the groomers to the top of palmer everything was going smooth.  Once above palmer we slowly made our way over to illumination rock, breaking trail in some good old thigh deep powder.  One would think that this would be a pretty good sign that the Reid headwall is probably not in, but we were both too stubborn to call it.  We stopped for a quick second once we hit Illumination rock to put our crampons on and then headed down to the base of Reid headwall.  CXByFcJDSy20clZcE1DQLg.thumb.jpg.e45cd78551c2fd4c3cacc5463af2a13b.jpg

 

The first 20 feet started out as really nice hard packed snow and them quickly turned into thigh to mid chest deep powder.  We managed to make it about 70% of the way to the base before we decided that it would take us a week to wade through the snow to the base.  At this point we had two options, option A) head home, option B) slog through the thigh deep snow back up and over to the Devils kitchen headwall.  Naturally we went with option B)5c86a692975b1_qbbLOzZcSDmABs9oriqw.thumb.jpg.68a423396dac2088218b354c135ed9df.jpg

After a good effort to get up to DKH we ran into another party down below that was aiming for the DKH.  On any other day with snow conditions not so unforgiving we might have beat them to the base of the route.  Not today though, these smart guys were skinning up like the rest of the smart people on the mountain.  As we followed up through the deep snow we were faced with another dilemma.  Do we follow these guys up the regular DKH route or give them some space like good humans and find another route.  Once again we went with the second option and decided to head up to the DKH Variation on the right.  bU2sIdkrTvKstY31t0crPA.thumb.jpg.e48f2e7aa8029bff15493460d95db2bd.jpg

As we headed up the snow was just getting worse, but we kept going optimistic that maybe we would find some ice or firm snow.  XT396Oq7QXOalWLxqk6GPg.thumb.jpg.08381811d47ff2dc6f8915d57385bbfd.jpg

Once we got to the beginning of the first step in the DKH variation route it quickly became evident that this was not in.  To really confirm this i headed up the first step to see what the snow was like above.  To my surprise it was total shit.... Now what do we do? Give up and finally call it a day? Definitely not! So we headed back down and waded through the snow once again over to the standard DKH route thinking that the two guys in front of us must be more or less off by now.  5c86a69edcd8b_jQA04QoQZCYPMw9niEWA.thumb.jpg.59f5f897a32153d9df7fdd0a098b3eeb.jpgBingo! finally some decent climbing conditions.  

o7PsEVevTfCpfmWZ7ghpIQ.thumb.jpg.37de78bdccbd548aae1d65e7b0b48bd9.jpgLooking up into the main couloir.  

5c86a6a2515c2_VfpGxZXRmyPQOrqY9ZLEw.thumb.jpg.e8cf579400d259bee257c8fa15a2b11d.jpgMike climbing up the first Ice step. 

9kzM3xfPSSuhuYylGBhCFg.thumb.jpg.967ea77296ddf5046383b6d35dfd60c0.jpgLooking up the Second ice step.  Conditions were really good on this and the Ice was thick.  93DF9WveQ8iXJtoaJMaoAg.thumb.jpg.cc638c77e39f096c5454320122e24e0a.jpgMike at the bottom of the second ice step.

5c86a6aca8b69_NAmJrnrBSsGByZEE1Dxmg.thumb.jpg.d35fb5d6038769a0533d3271a11c7de5.jpggetting the rope organized below the second ice step. 

ivmyt88XQ6O0suPgSHKudQ.thumb.jpg.cc1de75935e0a8f38c86c3484a027a1a.jpgMike topping out the second ice step. 

 

5c86a6b33f9a1_gD3NtJSKOw5iDqL1LbtA.thumb.jpg.97a10a55df4548dbe94273b3d3ac5f3a.jpgIPUfzVCCQOO4PXxR9GMHsg.thumb.jpg.553bdc22bc246701b2daf9eeb0c333db.jpgLooking up towards the final slopes to the summit.  The climbing was really mellow from here on up.  5c86a6b90a0cb_nGYMrC7oQu0b0P4MgfC7Q.thumb.jpg.130a473b1a5bce51aad29c25949b9fda.jpgmike coming up the last little bit before the summit ridge

5c86a6bb0d5e0_ZpRsIilKTRGVttl3Svmcg.thumb.jpg.9d78cf03db371fb948ba46268061e8ca.jpgSummit ridge finally! 5c86a6bd21291_X4tOYCxrTvy3CZx8nWbGA.thumb.jpg.696461dfb30170d7493e61f1ec247740.jpg

All in all our day was longer than usual but we finally managed to climb something!  DKH is definitely in good conditions right now.  Ice is fairly thick and does take screws nicely.  No need for really anything other than a handful of short screws right now.  

Gear Notes:
3 Ice screws

Approach Notes:
Thigh deep powder

Edited by kadyakerbob
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Way to hang with it, despite that snow pack! That's deeeep! Looks like you really earned that quality ice with your wallowing down low. :very_metal: I'm guessing there's been some consolidation since your pictures, but here's hoping the warm temps over the next 10-14 days don't up the avy danger or ruin the snowpack otherwise - planning a visit at the end of the month.

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