[TR] Mt. Hood - Pearly Gates, right side 5/15/2010

[jlawrence10]

Trip: Mt. Hood - Pearly Gates, right side

 

Date: 5/15/2010

 

Trip Report:

Real quick update on Pearly Gates, right side.

 

Solid and obvious bootpack all the way up Hogsback and across to the bottom of the gates, with no sign of the 'schrund for now. The bootpack takes you to the "crux," a fairly minor ice bulge about 5 feet tall, with a crazy fin of ice cutting into it from above and to the side. (Watch your head and pack.) This required some solid axe and foot placements, but was never uncomfortable. Above that, more bootpack straight up to the summit ridge. I would guess I saved myself at least 45 minutes from Hogsback by heading straight up through the gates. I looked up into the left gate, but it didn't look to inviting. Very jumbled and kinda steep. After hearing about the ice bulges in the gates, it was actually a little disappointingly easy... The biggest challenge was worrying about the folks behind me following me blindly up, not knowing which route they were after or where they were.

 

Amazing morning up there, hit the ridge right as the sun came up over the horizon. Didn't carry a good camera, but snapped this iPhone pic of my shadow and halo atop the mountain shadow out above the Old Chute.

 

 

Gear Notes:

One axe. Probably wouldn't have used a second tool even if I'd carried one. Not really any ice to speak of, mostly soft snow with deep ace plants for self belay.

 

Approach Notes:

Bum a cat ride so you can be the third one to top out and the first one back down. Good snow all the way.

[davidk]

Nice shot - brocken spectres are rad, and a pretty rare sight

[denalidave]

Really cool self-portrait.

[Water]

jlawrence,

 

nice pic..we got some of the brocken spectres as well. i think you took our picture (gal and guy up there a few minutes after you). The pic with the flash turned out great! perfect conditions for sure.

[YocumRidge]

Nice to see Josh you are getting out after your surgery.

[jlawrence10]

Yep, that was me. Glad the pic turned out. Sorry I killed your battery. Heh...

 

This one is kind of cool, too. Shows a little more depth... Crazy how the shadow changed sizes or apparent distance. Almost knocked me off the north side when I saw it.

 

 

 

[jmahoney]

How do you bum a cat ride? I was told you have to buy tickets but I cant even find out where to do that?

[Bob N]

Sent you a private message about snowcats.

[Pitts]

I wouldn't mind getting some info on the snowcat scene myself. I figure I've payed my dues slogging up to the top of Palmer only to get shut down by weather enough times.