Hood, W crater rim?

[Ricardo_Montalban]

I haven't been up this route in a long time and pretty much forgot what to expect. I remember up the face and to the rim, but from there to the summit...

beta anyone? been up there recently?

also thinking of descent, how's the snow? sketch factor (ice, not slope)?

thanks!

[iain]

You just follow the crater rim to the summit. It is easy but you have a good view down the north side which can wig some people out.

 

Note there is a secondary maximum for avalanches in the Oregon Cascades in spring, where storms can still roll in but the sun puts out a lot more heat during the day.

 

The last avalanche-related fatality on Hood was on the WCR route in May, 1998, where a group was caught on the route too late on a hot day after a storm. It is also a pain in the ass to posthole up that face so it is one to hit earlier than later.

 

It is also an excellent ski if you are so inclined.

 

The walking descent is the South Side route.

[Hal_Burton]

The walking descent is the South Side route.

 

Currently should read "The postholing-to-the-knee-thru-breakable-crust descent is the South Side route."

 

I suspect going up WCR would be about about the same right now. Need more melt/freeze for all the accumulation from April.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

thanks iain, i read a tr not too long ago about a ski descent down the old chute / w. side and had to remove skis when they encountered ice in the chute.

 

"Need more melt/freeze for all the accumulation from April."

i'm hoping this week will help some.

[TheOldHouseMan]

Two of us skied it earlier this year in February. We had planned to climb the Old Chute but at the last minute oppted to climb through the Pearly Gates.

 

At the time when we did it there were chunks of water ice sticking out of snow that was just soft enough to get an edge in. I'm sure the conditions have changed since then.

 

Aaron

[iain]

i read a tr not too long ago about a ski descent down the old chute / w. side and had to remove skis when they encountered ice in the chute.

 

This seems to change on a day-to-day, even hour-to-hour basis. I have skied it on fairly hard, featured ice one day, then gone up literally the next day and it is butter.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

"Need more melt/freeze for all the accumulation from April."

i'm hoping this week will help some.

 

was i ever off base!

 

thanks for the tips, all!

[robk]

Any info on current south side conditions? Particularly West Crater Rim? Will be @ Timberline on 5/20 with a small group.

Edited May 18, 2005 by robk

[Gaper_Jeffy]

Skis.

[Gaper_Jeffy]

Skis.

Ops I was halucinating again.

 

I'd use caution on the steeper routes on Hood this weekend. The recent precip translates to new snow up high, and it's suppose to heat up this weekend (freezing level 15k?). Things will be coming down if it gets hot. It may take a lot of self-control to mitigate play on the fun stuff on the first fully sunny wkend in several weeks. YMMV