Mt Hood area winter camping?

[QITNL]

I'm headed up to Portland March 6-20 (roughly) to give my mom a hand, a quick surgery and a night in the hospital for her if all goes well. Knock on wood. If we're lucky I'll have some spare time to wander around.

 

I spent a lot of time up & around Hood when I was a kid in the late '70's, ouch. Haven't been back since. Might try to hike up the southside with an old climbing buddy if his schedule permits and the weather is benign, that would be nice

 

I'm thinking I might like to stay a night or two up there, too. Been checking through the forest service sites (and dredging up memories) but figured I'd like to ask you guys for recommendations.

 

One caveat will be a rental car, no chains, gotta park it in a safe place. Car camping would do. But I have no fear of sleeping on snow and snowshoe slogging in, to attach a view to my room.

 

I remember that Alpine site below the Lodge - but that's locked up for the winter? Trillium Lake, but I think I'd rather be higher. Lolo Pass is closed, I'd think, and my wheels probably wouldn't reach the east side. Any spots hike-able from the Lodge parking lot? Nor am I fixated on Hood, as I seem to recall there's a whole lot of stuff around PDX that is nice.

 

Thanks for your help and a very nice site!

[sweatinoutliquor]

Welcome! Just a couple of suggestions... If it's nice you may consider trudging up to the illumination saddle... Sounds like that may be more than you are looking for, but it's a pretty cool spot. For something a little closer try contouring east out of the dirt lot at timberline over towards whiteriver canyon. You wouldn't have to go too far to get some really nice views and be away from the hubbub of Timberline.

[rbw1966]

Tilly Jane

 

 

[Mtguide]

Second that, Tilly Jane is great, not far in, great skiing once you get there.Another one not too far in is Elk Meadows, good view of Hood, and there's an old log shelter there. Another nice spot is Paradise, you can skin up and over from Timberline down to Paradise Park and back out the next day (best if it's good weather so you don't have to deal with navigation difficulties, but it's pretty straightforward.)It's about twice as long as going to Elk Meadows. You can also ski or snowshoe up Newton Creek to the base of Gnarl Ridge/Lamberson Butte. Great upclose look at Hood, fairly sheltered camping, no cabin or shelter structure. You can also get there by simply continuing up the Ganarl Ridge trail from Elk Meadows.

[QITNL]

Thanks for the response. That's real nice info to follow.

 

EDIT: next time I get up here.

 

Mom's surgery - the true purpose of this visit - went perfect today. Awesome. Cheers and much respect to Kaiser Sunnyside and Kaiser Permanente. 5 star shit for 250 bucks. She earned it. Puts things into perspective.

 

Good news, I get to spend Saturday night in a tent. Bad news, weather's going to be sloppy. Just might point the rent-a-car from Beaverton to the ocean. No chains, no mountains. Maybe saddle up some coast peaks. Who knows, who cares.

 

Not often us cali dudes get to snowshoe near the ocean. Awesome. I'm not really a cali dude - that's just what the plates read - i just play one. In my dreams. In the movies.

 

To life and to mom. And Whitney.