Mt. Hood Approach, Snowshoes?

[illbelayya]

In winter and/or early spring do most people use snowshoes or skins on the mountain? I know crampons are recommended towards the top, but I am most curious about the slog from Timberline Lodge towards Pearly Gates, Leuthold Couloir, and Reids Glacier. Thank you very much.

[Arc]

Well, let me see how I can put this without making it sound like you asked a silly question.

 

Use what you want. What may be good for one person, will not always be best for the other....Simple.

 

I prefer skins because I like to ski and get down quicker and enjoy my beer at home sooner........Just personal preference on my part.

 

BTW.......You will not belay me.

[illbelayya]

My main objective is to avoid post-holing up this mountain. So I was wondering if the section up from Timberline is typically hardpacked/settled due to grooming/and or nature. Again, I know that conditions vary, which is why I said 'typically'.

 

Thanks for the advice, even though your retort is silly.

[Redoubt]

Not a silly question at all. Typically you would not need either snowshoes or skins to climb the South Side, Reid or Leutholds routes from Timberline in winter and early spring. Up to the top of the Palmer lift you can hike up groomed slopes or cat track. Above that conditions are usually firm on all of the routes you mentioned. As you seem to be well aware, recent snowfall and temps can make flotation a good idea, but I would definitely say that flotation is not the norm. You'll see lots of folks on skis not because they need them to ascend, but because it's really nice to ski down instead of slog down.

[Arc]

You'll see lots of folks on skis not because they need them to ascend, but because it's really nice to ski down instead of slog down.

 

 

[Arc]

Email me for a free lift ticket.......Might make it easy on your "climb".

[manboy]

Depending on when the last snow fell, you should be able to climb up to the top of Palmer without using snowshoes. Just to the right of the lodge you should find a snowcat trail that leads up to Silcox hut. From there I usually head left till i reach the ski lifts. There is usually another cat trail there that is nice and compacted all the way up to Palmer. From palmer to 9500 heading towards the pearly gates there are several ridges which usually afford cramponing or less postholing. Heading towards illumination rock might entail some deep snow as you will need to cross the glacier.

 

[Arc]

Cool deal..........

[illbelayya]

Thanks for all the good advice. Is November usually too early to think about climbing Leutholds?

[cluck]

Never too early to think about climbing, but actual climbing on Leuthold's is best in winter/spring. I guess if we got a ton of snow in the next month it might be a reasonable climb. But unless you're specifically looking for a challenging ice-dirt sketchfest (and since you're posting in the newbies forum, I assume you are not), wait until January.

[OrganDonor]

In my opinion take a splitboard or skis and skin. I had snowshoes before I got my splitboard and I've found that skinning is much more efficient than snowshoeing. Depending on terrain.