Conditions on Hood SS?

[Plaidman]

Looks good from here!!!

 

Plaidman

[LeTiger]

For anyone interested: From today, we were worried about avy danger as well (probably worse tonight, but too late for that now...) did about 1 dozen "box" tests, and the snow seemed to be doing just fine, of course more rigorous methods might have shown something different. Either way, it was an amazing day to climb, and if it repeats Tonight/Sunday that would be superb.

[img:center]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/4590493671_9fc7f9764b.jpg[/img]

 

[img:center]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4590491947_9ee748d320.jpg[/img]

 

I believe the Mazamas turned around at the bottom of Hogsback, don't know why, didn't ask. My group was one of the first few on top, and put the trail in to the right of Hogsback (don't know the name), then up the first couloir towards the left of the "V".

 

Full sized photos can be found HERE

 

Edited May 9, 2010 by LeTiger

[Maine-iac]

Are the Gates skiable???!!!???

[Plaidman]

Looks good from here!!!

 

Plaidman

 

Reality sucks. Failed on Mt. Hood today.

Equipment failure. First time skinning up.

It is a lot harder than it looks.

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

I think I may be crippled for life.

 

Plaidman

[Maine-iac]

What happened?

[Lucky Larry]

you sound like me PM

[LeTiger]

Are the Gates skiable???!!!???

 

Unless you are very confident with your abilities, I wouldn't say they are skiable right now...

 

The Mazama shoot is definitely doable, as well as the one lookers-left to it, but Pearly, not so much.

 

Let me know how it goes if you manage to pull it off though! It really would be fantastic to see that.

 

- G

[prussik1]

Skinned up South Side on Saturday to Hot Rocks in middle of the crater. Experienced 5-10cm powder on top of variable ice crusts and small bollards above Palmer Lift. At times, bollards were exposed making it a challenging skin in some areas, and a very controlled, cautious ski down. A quick snowpack analysis of an approximate 40 degree south facing slope at 10,300 yielded a Q2-3 CT 28 at 7-10cm. However, evidence of a 10-15 cm crown fracture on West Crater Rim was present, making other aspects suspect. Reporting parties on the mountain indicated knee to waist high post-hole conditions through the pearly gates, as well as a 15-25 foot mixed water ice and rime pitch on this route.

Christopher

[sefton]

4 of us climbed Devils Kitchen Headwall on Saturday, postholing 90% of the way from mid thigh to mid shin deep. Short 15 foot crux of waterice with a large , suspect , peeling rime hanger above us as we climbed through and then more postholing on towards the summit. Great day , but postholing made it hard work!~ Good times! )

[prussik1]

nice meeting you all on hogsback! take care!

[gyro]

Anyone have any first hand conditions on Hood? Leaving this afternoon to do Leuthold Wednesday.

[xhen]

Anyone have any first hand conditions on Hood? Leaving this afternoon to do Leuthold Wednesday.

 

We've talked about doing Leuthold, but we're going to probably just do standard route before Memorial Day rush.

 

Be interested to hear what Leuthold is like right now.

[PaulO]

No idea on Luethold but Friday night is looking good. Clearing and light winds by midnight 9K freezing level

[Maine-iac]

Was up on the main devil's kitchen route today and it was awesome. Somebody put in a trail yesterday and made my day 10x easier. Thanks a lot for whoever did that!!

 

There is about half a pitch of fairly nice ice about half way up the climb. It took 1 or 2 screws and then you were out of trouble. Great climb and it will now become my standard south side route because it was so fun!

 

Pearly Gates (right) are very straight forward. a 2 ft step up in the middle, easy for down-climbing. Almost skiable!!

[Holk]

Good info on here, thanks all. Going to try and do WCR Sunday or Monday morning. Depending on conditions I may just repeat the Chute.

[rbw1966]

You have been watching the forecast, right?

[sefton]

yeah that was us -took us a while with the postholing , lol - fun day out tho!!!

[Holk]

Yes, I am keeping close tabs on weather and all. My plans are loosely based and I've already got my summit for the year, so I'm not hungry for that, either. Depending on how it all goes I very well may spend my weekend lounging with beer instead.

[PaulO]

Saturday morning was PERFECT walking. Best conditions I have ever seen. Awesome styrofoam snow on the cat track. Perfect crampon conditions from Crater Rock up the Old Chute. And a nice fairly easy variation to finish the chute to the right and avoid the short exposed piece of the summit ridge. Going down to the hogsback was nice and firm and then perfect for plunge stepping all the way from Crater Rock to the parking lot.

[payaso]

bump

 

Any current word? It looks like a lot of snow recently.

[Julian]

Anyone checked out the Black Spider recently? I presume that the season for alpine ice there is over, but just curious.

[xhen]

We're looking to do in on Thursday. NOAA is calling for small amounts of snow over a few days, mostly cloudy. Forecast went from an inch a day to less than an inch a day.

[Water]

was up at timberline with some out of towners on sunday--there was a fair amount of fresh snow. if a path hasn't been put in it (doubtful), there would be some work to get up there. The climbers register had perhaps 10-15+ people who went up, almost entirely south side, this past weekend. whether they summitted or not is another story. more than snow i would say biggest deal would be hiking/climbing in white-out/fog--personally i skip those days 9 out of 10. but 1 out of 10 it seems you can unexpectedly climb above it if the ceiling is low

[Wesley Laws]

Anyone know what the conditions are looking like for this weekend? Is it worth driving from Seattle to attempt it?

[Water]

noaa conditions