Snowdome Skiing?

[ropegoat]

Did anyone use the beautiful weather last weekend to ski on snowdome on the north side of Mt. Hood? Thinking to hit it this Sunday with some friends... also- beta on crossing the Elliot- my normal inclination would be to rope up cause I've seen some big cracks there and it's been warm- recent conditions?

 

Thanks

[old codger]

It's been awfully warm. Bring the rope in case you need it. You might be one of the first to ski it.

[letsroll]

You don't need a rope. link up the flat spots and you will be fine. if you get that falling feeling don't ignor it, you might actually be falling.

 

really, you should be fine with out a rope. i have done it in late season with out a rope and have been just fine.

 

go blueribbon gapers

[boyzinthehood]

Did it yesterday 5/28 - on the way down by 12:30 from the top and it was getting very sticky below 7000'. Have to hike up throught the ash on the TJ trail until about 5600' right now. No ropes needed, Elliot is still closed. See my post on the Elliot Glacier route.

[Frikadeller]

You don't need a rope. link up the flat spots and you will be fine. if you get that falling feeling don't ignor it, you might actually be falling.

 

really, you should be fine with out a rope. i have done it in late season with out a rope and have been just fine.

 

go blueribbon gapers

 

But, I have done it in early season, and had to pull out a partner on the "flats". Good thing we roped up.

 

We where not the only ones roped up that day.

 

[Jonathan_S]

But, I have done it in early season, and had to pull out a partner on the "flats". Good thing we roped up.

Just curious, did your partner break through a snowbridge while on foot, or on skis? And if on skis, while skinning up, or skiing down?

 

The first time I skied Snowdome we did not rope up: late June, hiked on dirt (/ rock / kitty litter / etc) straight to the snow, avoiding the Elliot. (This was before that route got destroyed by the floods.)

 

Last year, we did rope up, mainly for crossing the Eliot, although I felt that we were being super cautious and that most parties probably would not have roped up:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jshefftz/May26Snowdome

[Frikadeller]

But, I have done it in early season, and had to pull out a partner on the "flats". Good thing we roped up.

Just curious, did your partner break through a snowbridge while on foot, or on skis? And if on skis, while skinning up, or skiing down?

 

 

We where on foot after decending on splitboards. We where crossing an area that looked solid, but turned out to be a snowbridge that was completely covered up (no signs of a crevasse)...

[Gaper_Jeffy]

You don't need a rope. link up the flat spots and you will be fine. if you get that falling feeling don't ignor it, you might actually be falling.

 

really, you should be fine with out a rope. i have done it in late season with out a rope and have been just fine.

Will - Are you referring to Snowdome itself or the crossing of the Eliot glacier via the first bench to get to the base of Snowdome? A lot more people now cross the Eliot to get to the base of the Snowdome then did three years ago.

 

The crossing of the Eliot is pretty crevassed and I think warrants a rope if you are going to walk across it early in the season. Snowdome itself has crevasses, but a lot less than crossing the Eliot and they are in spots where you would expect them.