Mt. Hood Solo?

[Mi nombre]

I'm heading to Portland next week and wanted to bag Hood if possible. I'll be alone and wanted some advice/suggestions/cautions on soloing Hood.

 

I've tried to research the best that I can, the easiest and best route to the summit and how difficult it is, however real time advice seems to be more applicable and useful to me.

 

I've soloed many a mountains higher than Hood, but few if any in the snow.

 

Let me know what ya'all think.

 

Thanks

[summitchaserCJB]

What routes have you done higher than hood? Do you have actual mountaineering experience? If not I wouldn't do it alone for the first time. The south side is pretty moderate but in bad weather it can kill you.

[ivan]

first time i climbed hood there was a 9 year old girl who got up there b4 me

 

i've seen dogs up there too

 

w/ or w/o a rope, if you get killed on the s side of hood, we the people reserve the right to have a good healthy gut-laugh over it

 

that said, if the weather is good and you're there near the weeked, it's impossible to have a true "solo" experience

 

enjoy!

[Water]

colorado summer 14ners are all "thousands of feet" higher than hood. higher altitude than hood counts for little though, if its just rocky scrambles under the sun.

 

if you have no crampon and ice ax experience.. don't do it alone.

 

if you are competent with crampons and self arrest, proper footwear for crampons, clothing/navigating 'winter' conditions (what its been lately), then probably fine.

[Water]

w/ or w/o a rope, if you get killed on the s side of hood, we the people reserve the right to have a good healthy gut-laugh over it

 

solo with a rope on the south side would be entertaining to watch

[billbob]

For real-time conditions you might check out Timberline Lodge Conditions

 

The T-Line webcams are nice. Under "Other Resources" see also the current telemetry data from 7,000 Elevation - Top of Magic Mile. Not a bad idea to scan the 6,000' data for comparison as there can be a temperature inversion with lots of falling ice above.

 

 

 

[YocumRidge]

i've seen dogs up there too

 

And some dogs are certainly doing better than humans on the dog route.

Oleg's dog runs Hood at 4 hrs C-to-C while I am not even close.

 

[Mi nombre]

I wouldn't say I'm an expert but I've done a few snow-packed climbs, including mt. elbrus in europe (for any of you who have done that and could compare the climbs) but I've never done a snow packed mt alone.

 

I guess I'll give it a shot...and hope for others including a few dogs and a cute single woman to keep me company.

[Joe_Poulton]

Also, make sure you can function on sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and a fine assortment of other lethal gaseous elements possibly methane too from other climbers. This stuff can shut your system down....that is if you linger in the south bowl too long...be quick about it or take the West Crater Rim or the Wy'East if the snow is good and you know what you're doing...the vents are pumping out more gas now then in previous years.

[Couloir]

...the vents are pumping out more gas now then in previous years.

 

Sounds fascinating. Source?

[prussik1]

I have climbed hood a handful of times solo. Know the conditions, know the route, be prepared for a winter climb and to be self sufficient for several days (including the tools/knowledge to navigate in a whiteout and shelter building), and have a backup plan (which would include, among other things, a reporting party to dial 911 if you are overdue.