[TR] Mount Hood- Reid Glacier 5/13/2006

[SRydin]

Climb: Mount Hood-Reid Glacier

 

Date of Climb: 5/13/2006

 

Trip Report:

I knew we were going to have a great climb when we arrived at T-line at midnight and you could see all of Mount Hood in the moonlight. With headlamps stowed away in our packs, we made our way up Palmer in a spectacular setting!

 

Because of the great weather (and full moon) many were attracted to Mount Hood, particularly the South Route. I even saw a guy at the top of Palmer wearing blue jeans and a cotton T-Shirt (not recommended attire). Fortunatly, we had our eyes set on Leuthold, so we bid the crowd (and Cotton Man) adieu and moved toward Illumination Saddle.

 

We could not have asked for a better night - full moon, clear sky and minimal wind. The snow was perfect and the traverse across Reid went well.

 

Hood's Shadow at Sunrise

 

Reid Glacier Traverse

 

However, the weather was a bit too nice, and upon arriving at Leuthold, we were met with quite a bit of rock and ice chunks whizzing by. Realizing it was only going to get worse as it got warmer, we moved over to Reid Glacier HW. We began our ascent, only to be met with more rock and ice. This, however, coming from a party of 5-6 roped up ahead of us and not making very much progress. (We watched them for about 20 minutes with no apparent movement)

 

It was now about 7:30 am, and we decided to check out a few of the crevasses on the glacier and then head back down.

 

Crevasse at the base of Leuthold

 

Although we didn't summit, it was still a great day on the mountain. Oh, and if you've never climbed Hood on a full moon, get it on your itinerary ASAP!

 

Gear Notes:

Crampons, Helmet, Ice Axe, Rope, M&Ms and Smoked Almonds

[jaee]

Hey,

That was us above you. We had one person along that was on her first serious alpine climb. So we were putting in way to many pickets at that point. When you came by we were just in the process of reeling everyone in to exchange pickets. But yeah, there was a lot of standing around at that point.

 

We got moving again soon after you left and chugged it out. The icefall was minimal and route in great shape with a couple spicy sections at the top of the left gully.

[rbw1966]

Hmmmm. . group of 5 or 6 with no signs of upward progress? Must have been the Mazamas.

[jaee]

Hey, I resemble that remark.

 

At least we got up it.

 

Stay off Sandy or suffer the same fate this weekend.

[SRydin]

Mystery solved! I'm glad to hear that you got up - I'll bet the view was great!

 

Enjoy Sandy!

[jaee]

Will do. Now, the burning question, high traverse or low across Yokum.

[rbw1966]

LOW!!! That bergschrund is getting big.

[jaee]

Thanks for the tip. I was gonna roll the dice on the upper, but I took 20 steps down from the saddle and ran away. It was very warm and wet. My crampons were balling at 4:00 am and it had started to rain lightly.

 

We bailed up into the first gully on Devil's Kitchen. We contemplated the first stiffness for a few minutes when the first of a couple batches of spindrift goodness attempted to flush us out. At that point we downclimbed and headed for Hucks.