Hood North Face Access?

[Braydon]

Anyone have any updates on the road? Still closed?

[ivan]

no way it opens till the normal time next summer (and who knows how long after then)

[Braydon]

how much difference in approach time does the closure make?

[DPS]

Braydon,

 

As I recall it took us about 6 hours to make the approach from the gate to the first ice pitch. Bear in mind I am old and fat. Someone young and fit could do it faster I am sure.

 

Dan

[Farrgo]

Have i missed something isn't the area closed to anyone... not just the road to cars?

[ivan]

just the burnt out area, not the mtn above timberline!

[Farrgo]

Well ya. So this talk of walking of the trail is "ninja-style?" How bad is it to approach from Meadows?

[ivan]

i've never done it, and i'm not certain just how far the closed area extends either - the bottom line seems to be that doing the n face this fall is not really a 1 day affair

[kadyakerbob]

Doing the approach from meadows would be a huge hassle. Starting at the Tilly jane trail head and walking will still work just fine. The fires that happened over the summer and the closed areas will not affect this. As for the time to climb the route including the hike in? a fit party should have no problem going car to car in 12 hrs. i have done it in as little as 8 but we had no snags and had previously done the route quite a few times.

[Chad_A]

Ok, not to beat a dead horse, but this has been well covered. All the access trails are closed as of now. There is NO access via foot or vehicle from that area. The Tilly Jane trail is officially closed, as well as the Cloud Cap Road. It sounds as if once the snow falls and the fragile soil is covered, things will lighten up a bit, or so let's hope.

 

Here is the statement, from October 10th:

 

Due to rehabilitation activities and sensitive resource conditions associated with the Gnarl Ridge Fire, the area shown as ‘Closed’ on Exhibit A is closed to entry. This closure includes the following campgrounds, trails and roads:

• Tilly Jane Campground

• Cloud Cap Campground

• Cloud Cap Road #3512

• Cooper Spur Trail #600-B

• Polallie Ridge #643

• Wagon Road #642

• Tilly Jane Trail #648

• Tilly Jane Trail #600-A

• Tilly Jane Trail #643

The area shown as ‘Restricted’ on Exhibit A restricts use of motorized vehicles within the area excepting use on Forest Road 3511.

 

ALSO:

 

Order No. MH-2008-11

AREA CLOSURE

FIRE

MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST

HOOD RIVER RANGER DISTRICT

ORDER

Effective at 0001 hours on Friday, October 10, 2008 and pursuant to 36 CFR, Sec. 261.50 (A) & (B), the following acts are prohibited on the area shown in “exhibit A” and including sites as described in “exhibit B”. This is designated as the Gnarl Ridge Fire Closure Area and remains in effect until rescinded.

1. Being in or upon a closed area. [36 CFR 261.52(E)]

2. Use of vehicles off National Forest System Roads [36 CFR 261.56]

Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50 (E) the following persons are exempt from these prohibitions:

1. Persons with a permit, waiver or contract specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission.

2. Any Federal, State or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.

This order rescinds and replaces Order # MH-2008-10 signed on September 29, 2008.

Done at Sandy, Oregon this 9th day of October, 2008.

______________________________

GARY L. LARSEN

Forest Supervisor

Mt Hood National Forest

Violations of these prohibitions are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both. (16U.S.C. 551, and 18 U.S.C. 3559 and 3571)

 

Here is the map:

 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood/news/2008/gnarl-fire/10_08closure.pdf

 

 

 

 

[Braydon]

holy shizzle sticks...I can't stand seeing hood's weather forecast knowing you can't even climb the north face.

[John Frieh]

Illumination rock. Topo is on Wayne's page. Have fun

[MtnHigh]

It has been too wet and too warm for much of anything to set up on Hood. I-Rock, NF, whatever. The temps forecasted for this weekend are not any better. Night time freezing levels above 10k. Be patient or climb on crap.

 

 

[Braydon]

do you think leuthold or reid or sandy could be in condition?

[ivan]

both luethold and the reid are worth checking out - if it's warm they'll be raining shit though, so be ready to bail back to the south side

[Braydon]

what the south side descent like this time of year? Do you have to rap? off what?

[DPS]

what the south side descent like this time of year? Do you have to rap? off what?

 

I did the North Face a couple of years ago around this time of year. We made an easy descent 100 yards skiers right of the Pearly Gates. Pearly Gates were steep and icy.

[ivan]

iain and i had a very spicey descent nov 1 a number of years ago on bullet-proof black ice, but it went - at any rate, if you can get to the summit, i'm sure you can get back down again. be careful on the west side - in warm conditions the shit that comes down it is often no-joke.

[billbob]

...not to mention the crevasses at the bottom of the W side, prolly not filled or covered yet. Definitely requires the serious alpine start to minimize objective hazards.

 

Temps at TLine were below freezing yesterday and last nite, warming a bit today, should freeze again tonite. We are heading up the SS tonite/tomorrow for a bit of ice climbing above the hogsback.

[Frikadeller]

Well, among all this trash talk about fires and restricted access to the NF of hood, I felt the need to travel up there my self this Saturday.

 

Well, me and my partner in crime arrived late and with minor hangovers at the TJ ski trail around 10 this morning. Hmmm... There where already five cars in the parking area...

 

Heading up the trail, it's obvious that people are hiking the trail regardless of restrictions. There are no notices or signs at the TH stating any kind of restriction as far as access is concerned.

 

The burn area is impressive..

 

 

The amount of burned area is actually pretty awesome, and most if not all of the scrub is gone. This year is going to open up some really fun new ski lines below the Tilly Jane area.

 

 

 

 

The FS has strewn hay and straw all over the hills, apparently in an effort to curtial erosion.

 

 

 

All in all, a nice day for a hike...

 

Edited November 16, 2008 by Frikadeller

[ivan]

f'n'a - awesome beta gatherage! so sounds like good cruising?

[Frikadeller]

The trail is easy access. The blow-down factor is pretty minimal. No excuses for access to the NF. There is a fully stocked load of fire holtz at the TJ cabin too!!

 

 

BTW, the gate is locked closed for cloud cap road.

Edited November 16, 2008 by Frikadeller