Mt. Hood guide book

[ivan]

i wouldn't be climbing on rainier if i thought that the cooper spur was too much - sure it's got a lot of exposure, but it's easy ground - slow n' steady n' w/ a 2nd tool and you're a god - once you get off the bad fall line down the n face you can bomb down it like a crazy man too!

 

there really is no beating the crowds on the s side - if the weather's halfway decent you'll have plenty of friends

 

if you havne't climbed hood b4, the s side's cool - but if you want to spend a night or 2 out and really see the mtn from its best side, the n or w sides are where its at

[brettinnj]

What does coming from the east coast have to do with what route I climb? We have ice here too. I was just wondering if one route was used more for a descent route. I will get down. I'm a union ironworker. My life depends on me paying close attention to every single step I take.

[ivan]

i for one wasn't doubting you - i came from the wrong coast too

 

hood and rainier are far more extreme snow slogs than ice climbs

 

dude's comment may have been a result of the fact that a few non-locals (including a new jerseyite) have gotten the chop on the hood-wand lately, perhaps because of vacation-pressures and inexperience with the area - i doubt he meant offense

 

enjoy!

[brettinnj]

I don't think it's too much. I was just looking for some beta. I'm not looking to take the easy way up. That's not my style. (I think I would rather fail on a hard route than cruise an easy route) Besides, I'm in no rush to get off the mountain and back on a plane to come home to the daily stuff.

[ivan]

in that case, if you do end up on hood, def do the n face or reid or sandy headwall

 

the nisqually icefall on rainier looks super cool and there are tr's here on the board for it, but you'd want a partner b/c of the many crevasses

[bobinc]

If conditions are good (that is, well-frozen) getting down CS is straightforward. There have been some fatal accidents (and near-misses) on thsi route over the years. Typically what has happened is that a party has descended later in the day on softer snow and lost their footing due to balled-up crampons. Rope teams have gotten badly banged up on the rocks close to the summit and/or some unfortunatel souls have taken a long ride onto the top of the Eliot Icefall and perished.

[stevetimetravlr]

If you are going to climb the Nisqually icefall on Rainier, best do it at night in somewhat chill temps. Its a scary place to be once the sun hits it. Everything starts moving and creaking and groaning and you're right in the thick of it saying "Holy sheep shit what was I thinking".

[brettinnj]

I've climbed a few frozen waterfalls that "talked" to me the whole way up. One I was really nervouse about sinking a screw in. Major horizontal cracks. I got within 6' from the top and fired in one screw just before I stepped onto the snowcrust.

[YocumRidge]

The media can move right into 4 star quarters as if on vacation then step out into the howling wind and sleet for the dramatic 2 min. broadcast about the unfortunates lost on the mt, then walk right back into the bar and warm up with a hot toddy.

2nd most climbed Mt in the world they say, behind Mt Fuji in Japan.

 

Yep, just like on Eiger in the recent "North Face" movie. The train to the summit is missing though.

[LostCamKenny]

 

Yep, just like on Eiger in the recent "North Face" movie. The train to the summit is missing though.

 

WOW! that was a rather inaccurate movie in many ways!!! still entertaining, though...

 

woooops... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay of the thread there...

Edited February 14, 2010 by LostCamKenny

[MrClam]

Actually there is a guide book! Someone beat you to it Bill, 70 years ago!

 

 

Just in case your local book store is out of copies here's the cooper spur route description. (aka Route 2)

 

Don't forget to bring some grease for the sun!

 

And bring an extra tobacco pipe in case you drop one in a crevasse.

[Joe_Poulton]

Crazy that they fixed a rope each season on the Spur. I really like that crevasse crossing technique.

[Pilchuck71]

Here's some general guidelines for you:

 

That is really cool.

Thank you for posting this Bill.

 

[ivan]

fascinating blurb about the spur - i've climbed it in very melted out conditions (skeeery!) and passed an immense pile of rotten old rope up there, undoubtedly what it's referring to!

[billbob]

Don't forget to bring an extra apple, Mr Clam

 

My research finds there have been 18 lives lost on Cooper Spur, starting with Barbara Drum, Sept 3, 1924, rockfall. Most fatalities have been on descent, contributing factors being soft snow, high winds, ice & rockfall. All have occurred during late Spring through late Summer. That said, thousands have successfully done the Cooper Spur route. Many recommend descending the SS, a few prefer return via the Sunshine route. Be damn sure of the weather and double-damn sure that you can find the start of your chosen descent path in a cold windy icy white-out.