[TR] Mt Hood - Cathedral Ridge 04/03/2021

[adventure43]

Trip: Mt Hood - Cathedral Ridge

Trip Date: 04/03/2021

Trip Report:

 

Images https://imgur.com/gallery/qoDJPvE

 

10:00 PM Climbers lot at Timberline
12:00 AM Top of Palmer
01:10 AM Illumination Saddle
02:40 AM 7775 feet at Yocum Ridge crossing
03:30 AM At bottom of Cathedral Ridge ramp 
05:20 AM At top of ramp and on ridge
06:30 AM 9345 feet
08:30 AM Past crux pyramid rock tower
09:45 AM 10540 feet
10:50 AM Summit

Climbed Cathedral Ridge on Saturday on foot from Timberline. A little bit of breakable crust but not bad from Palmer to Illumination Saddle. Downclimb onto the Reid was easy. Across the Reid had mostly semi firm nice snow. No crevasses in sight. Crossing of Yocum at 7775 was easy. Ran out of energy in the middle of crossing the Sandy Glacier. Only had a single bar to that point, not that my stomach would have like more.

Sounded like a river of small ice pieces was coming down from the cliffs to the left of the ramp up to Cathedral Ridge. Also, there was a ~4-foot-wide rock that had recently fallen down off the ridge sitting on the Sandy. Not good signs but oh well. Went up the ramp. The right side was getting a good bit of ice fall. One barrage had several 2-3-inch sized chunks and one football sized or larger. Seriously contemplated turning around. Staying to the left kept me out most of it, was hit only once and not too bad. Got up into the rocks on the left side of the ramp and around something that I though might take me to the ridge but was a dead end / cliff on the left. Traversed right back to the route and then up to the ridge proper and was able to stay out of any icefall. In the future, if I try this again it will have to be where there is a better freeze. Freezing level this morning was only forecast for 7800 feet.

Getting around the gum drop was super easy, barely noticed there was exposure on the right. The crux pyramid rock tower had good snow and the lower part was easy to climb. About half way up traversed left and then climbed that side. Seemed a whole lot safer than down climbing out on the Ladd Headwall or whatever it is called on the left side even though it is much less steep. One slip and that’d be it. Another option would be to stay at the same elevation and climb through the rocks - a bunch more work and still have to climb up later in maybe worse conditions. Went on hands and feet along the knife edge traverse though it was still better than expected. 
 

Gear Notes:
Crampons, 2 tools, helmet

Approach Notes:
Normal slog up cat tracks.

MtHoodCathedralRidge.gpx

Edited April 4, 2021 by adventure43
Added DPS route

[chrisc88]

Awesome!  Thanks for the beta, looking to get out there too

[Nolan E Arson]

Strong work! What a great solo day out on the lonely side of the mountain. And it sounds like the conditions were keeping you on your toes. 

Thanks for the great info—you’ve got me psyched to go explore this route. 

[nonbasketless]

Nicely done! Been itching to get up this route specifically, sounds and looks awesome