b-rock Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 n98947 said: We are thinking of a hike up to illumination rock, then to crater rock, then to the summit via the old crater variation route. Now do tell! How many people do you expect I would see other than my climbing partner. Keep it coming this shit is crackin' me up! Quote
iain Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 guaranteed there will be at least 10+ hard-core liberals on that route this weekend. start trundling and make a break for it down cooper spur Quote
CrazyFlattlander Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Man this is a tough crowd around here. I don't claim to know anything about the Cascade's. This will be a first time trip out that way. I just know what my climbing partner and I have talked about. We have 2 days to cover a lot of ground up there. So, who knows where we will end up. Maybe we will forge a new route...the Chicago route. TR to come. LOL Quote
Ursa_Eagle Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Good luck at finding a new route on that mountain. The route you described earlier is West Crater Rim, and it's not exactly an unpopular route. People see Southside is crowded so they do that route instead. If you want something really hardcore, perhaps you could take the snow cat up to the top of Palmer. Quote
CrazyFlattlander Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 I was thinking I would take it all the way to the base of crater rock. Quote
iain Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 West Crater Rim is a fine choice for someone with some basic skills looking for a sampling of Cascade volcano climbing w/ miminal risk. Be sure to evaluate snow conditions and air temps carefully. May 1998 saw an avalanche fatality on WCR in extrodinarily dangerous av. conditions. There has been considerable warming over the past few days so much of the hazard should be mitigated at this time. A rule of thumb might be if you are postholing in over your knees, might be time to re-evaluate your choice. This obviously is to be taken into consideration with all other data available. Good luck. Quote
CrazyFlattlander Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Thanks, an honest eval is much appreciated. Quote
Alpinfox Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Number guy, The "route" up to illumination saddle is essentially the south side route. You will see LOTS of people. There were some pictures of the hordes from last weekend posted on this site somewhere... expect similar hordes. I think this is the first time I have ever seen a thread drift from Spray to actual climbing beta. Wow! Oh wait... Hood southside isn't really climbing... Quote
Ursa_Eagle Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Alpinfox said: Oh wait... Hood southside isn't really climbing... Well, it's a good conditioning hike that can be done before going in to work... it's also a good consolation prize for when you have to back off of DKH because the snow conditions on the upper part of Wy'East are total crap. Climbing it on a weekend this time of year would scare me... too many people who have no idea what they're doing parading all over the route. Quote
Ursa_Eagle Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 n98947 said: Thanks, an honest eval is much appreciated. you never asked for beta in this forum, you just claimed you were planning a "big climbing trip" and "no one will be climbing where I am" "I'll be pioneering the Chicago route" Quote
MysticNacho Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 (edited) n98947's trip report: Drove to Mt. Hood. Never broke the speed limit, because I am an upstanding citizen. Realized as I was driving over the rockies maybe I should be climbing there instead, but they looked scary, and everyone and their mother climbs Mount Hood, and I like to follow the crowd. I was making the trip in honor of our national hero, the greatest president on the whole entire continental planet Earth, George "da man" W Bush! His words of wisdom inspired me to make the trip, as we were trying to "put the pitbull on the pantleg of oppurtunity" and "make the pie higher!" We arrived at Timberline after only seven days of driving, getting lost, and wandering around mightily frightened of the real world. Above Timberline, we were VERY surprised to find liberals climbing the mountain.... I had thought that they couldn't afford to go climbing. Typical, out climbing instead of getting a real job and striking it rich in this great country of America! We met Dan - and his dog, who was busying himself hooting and yelling while walking up the mountain in sandals. We passed him thankfully, whereupon he threatened us, but luckily I was packin' my second amendment on my pack strap and showed him a little "what's up" Chicago style. After spending a half hour of hiking, we wished we could have taken the ski lift as this was a lot of work and Mt. Hood seems to be a lot bigger than those hills we have in Chicago. I sucked up my patriotic pride, remembered the words of my president, and kept going though. We bivyed in a snow cave at the top of the chair lift, and seeing as we had already made great progress, I exchanged some patriotic banter with some passerbys lest they think I was unpatriotic, and reminded them that even if they wanted to make laws in their state, George W. and John Ashcroft know whats best for them. To sum up, we summited after a strenuous 4 days of effort and hiking. Everyone seemed to be moving faster than me, somehow, but it doesn't matter because they probably weren't as American as me. After summiting I fired my gun into the air, and sung "God bless America" ten times over. I left a copy of the constitution at the summit, just in case anyone forgot that they lived in America. Edited May 29, 2003 by MysticNacho Quote
CrazyFlattlander Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Your right about that AFOX...I was more speaking of past crater rock where people get in line to go up the hogsback. I counted over 60 people in one photo of people on the hogsback last weekend. With more coming up. NO thanks. I don't imagine that there will be too many folks on the WCR or anything else on that side. It sure would be nice to live somewhere that it is not flat. For a first climb of the season, I will take Hood...then off to St. Helens. I figure I will do things that have some prominence. Also, Tim will get around to changing my name someday. Me LocoFlattlander. Be afraid, very afraid. I crack myself up. Quote
MysticNacho Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 n98947 said: Your right about that AFOX...I was more speaking of past crater rock where people get in line to go up the hogsback. I counted over 60 people in one photo of people on the hogsback last weekend. With more coming up. NO thanks. I don't imagine that there will be too many folks on the WCR or anything else on that side. It sure would be nice to live somewhere that it is not flat. For a first climb of the season, I will take Hood...then off to St. Helens. I figure I will do things that have some prominence. Also, Tim will get around to changing my name someday. Me LocoFlattlander. Be afraid, very afraid. I crack myself up. Sigh.... God bless middle America. Quote
CrazyFlattlander Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Oh yeah, Bush still Da Man...you crack me up too Mystic. This forum certainly is good for a few laughs. Quote
Ursa_Eagle Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 n98947 said: I don't imagine that there will be too many folks on the WCR or anything else on that side. Quote
MysticNacho Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 n98947 said: Oh yeah, Bush still Da Man...you crack me up too Mystic. This forum certainly is good for a few laughs. Ah, what a good sport. Good times, good times. Quote
CrazyFlattlander Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 How about this one take by Thol last weekend. Quote
Alpinfox Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 You think that is impressive? Here is an artist's impression of what the crowds will probably look like around Crater Rock this weekend: Quote
Ursa_Eagle Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 how many of those people roping up are actually using protection? didn't people learn anything from a year ago? Quote
AlpineK Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Ursa_Eagle said: how many of those people roping up are actually using protection? didn't people learn anything from a year ago? Looks like none of them...chain reaction Quote
iain Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Alpinfox said: Oh wait... Hood southside isn't really climbing... While many (do I say the majority?) of people on this board consider the south side a slog there are many who read this who are just getting into mountaineering and read these jeers as beta. I think it should be stressed that exactly one year ago on Friday 3 people died of massive trauma and 4 others were injured on the route. Many, many people have had their collective asses kicked by weather on the route and it claims by far the most casualties of any way up the mountain. It should never be taken lightly, and the mountain deserves your respect every time you set foot on it. Doesn't matter if you climb 5.13 in flipflops or whatever, it'll still kick your ass with indifference if it chooses. I think the amount of trashtalking on this board could get people into situations they might not be ready for. The route is a cakewalk otherwise, just remember you are never in control of the situation up there. Just ask a high-end climber on this board who tried a Glacier Pk. walk-up last year. Quote
chucK Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Right-o Iain! And by the way, they should set up a big long butt-glissade trough down that thing like on Shasta and the Interglacier. That would kick ass. Quote
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Alpinfox said: You think that is impressive? Here is an artist's impression of what the crowds will probably look like around Crater Rock this weekend: Wow. That's going to Mecca big traffic jam on dat mountain, yuh huh! Quote
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