Cooper Spur, Mt. Hood, What gear?

[OffTheSteppe]

Wondering if those who have done this route could comment on the need for extra team gear (pickets, screws, flutes) that might be needed on a mid. June climb (this summer). I was wondering if i could use a few short pickets to protect us....

 

I have been up 4x by the south side route but not by this one. I will be going with two others who have had a snow school but no summit experience. I understand it is pretty steep at the top and the fall line is one of the worst on the mtn.

 

Thanks,

 

[ScaredSilly]

Pickets, would be your best choice. The biggest issue with going up that route with a couple of newbie's is that you are going to want to use pickets frequently - otherwise you might as well just solo.

 

You are correct the upper part is steep but the fall line is the concern. However, you can hedge your bets a bit by sticking to the climber's left for as long as possible. At least there the run out is a bit better than on the right side of the spur.

 

Also for descending consider going down the south side and traversing around the hill or descending to T-line and shuttle back.

 

BTW - Last year the road to Cloud Cap did not open until 1 July.

[Water]

are you carrying over?

 

I've done it once but would like to again when conditions and wx get together. Personally for me mid-june seems late, most esp. if descending it. unless it was a colder day than normal--just it gets first sun which in mid june.. means light on the face starting at 5am more or less--most accidents there seem on descent from my reading

 

when we went we brought pickets which we didn't use, it was just good snow and step kicking. depends on people's comfort and confidence level but i think the southside slope is a good place for newbs to get a feel for being on a steeper slope, while not nearly as committing of a slope and the run out isn't fatal by default. the steepness kind of creeps up in a fun way, though towards the very end we veered slightly to the left and it eased a bit, and the final 200 ft to the top was a touch more moderate as well. really fun climb though!

 

probably don't need to say it but if roping up, of course place the pro, otherwise don't bother--i would not want to be roped on that slope without something in, though lo and behold you see and hear of people doing such.

 

 

[OffTheSteppe]

My idea here was an early start with the near-full moon. We hadn't decided which route to descend on.....but perhaps if we reached summit early, descending the spur wouldn't be too bad. If the road is still closed then getting up there early probably isn't going to happen.

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Pickets, would be your best choice. The biggest issue with going up that route with a couple of newbie's is that you are going to want to use pickets frequently - otherwise you might as well just solo.

 

You are correct the upper part is steep but the fall line is the concern. However, you can hedge your bets a bit by sticking to the climber's left for as long as possible. At least there the run out is a bit better than on the right side of the spur.

 

Also for descending consider going down the south side and traversing around the hill or descending to T-line and shuttle back.

 

BTW - Last year the road to Cloud Cap did not open until 1 July.

 

How many rope lengths is the steep part at the top with bad exposure? Just wondering if you could belay newbs from the top to get them reasonably out of the dangerous part?

[Water]

meh.. i can't say how many rope lengths it is but if i was planning on a fixed belay of newbs on cooper spur i probably wouldn't take them there in the first place. that said if it was really icy or something then i see the merits, but that likely means later season (in my book) soi wouldnt be there in the first place.

[ScaredSilly]

How many rope lengths is the steep part at the top with bad exposure? Just wondering if you could belay newbs from the top to get them reasonably out of the dangerous part?

 

I would say that it is the finial 800 feet -1000 feet that are the most dangerous as the left side of the spur blends into the rock. At that point, to stay on snow one is forced on to the right side of the spur which puts one into the fall line of the Elliot Glacier. I soloed the route in October and it was hard snow and ice so was forced right sooner than one would be in the spring.

 

I suppose one could belay the upper sections but I would be more tempted to take a bunch of pickets so that the group could keep moving - thus removing the need to belay or at least not stop and exchange gear as often. When we did the North Face Gully last July we found we could get pickets in reasonably well and typically put one in each rope length or so.

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

meh.. i can't say how many rope lengths it is but if i was planning on a fixed belay of newbs on cooper spur i probably wouldn't take them there in the first place. that said if it was really icy or something then i see the merits, but that likely means later season (in my book) soi wouldnt be there in the first place.

 

What about just descending the Elliot?

[YocumRidge]

Better yet, bring lots of booze and set up a 1000' fixed line.

 

It is not for nothing Cooper Spur used to be the main dog route on Hood 100 years ago.

 

 

[luvshaker]

Love that picture....

 

I climbed that route in May a couple of years back after most of the steep portion had slid. The normal security of a kicked steps was absent for about 1000', just the front points. It was so hard it took some work to just chip out a horizontal foot placement to rest. Probably Zero chance to self arrest a fall under those conditions. But i'm sure pickets would have sufficed if we had brought them.

[ScaredSilly]

What about just descending the Elliot?

 

Possible but the Sunshine would be preferred then crossing the Elliot lower down. Of course then it is late afternoon and one has to deal with a fair number of cracks. Also the Sunshine can have some avy potential as well.

 

Better yet, bring lots of booze and set up a 1000' fixed line.

 

It is not for nothing Cooper Spur used to be the main dog route on Hood 100 years ago.

 

 

Oh yeah, that was the time, mass assaults with long staffs. When I was on the route in the early 90s I found some of that old fixed line. It was 1" twisted hemp. I pulled a few pieces out of the ice and watched them slither down the slope and drop on to the Elliot. I wish I would have kept a chunk of the rope.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

What about just descending the Elliot?

 

Possible but the Sunshine would be preferred then crossing the Elliot lower down. Of course then it is late afternoon and one has to deal with a fair number of cracks.

 

That's what I meant - the Sunshine Route. :-) Descending the Hogs Back and traversing around to C Spur, or car-shuttling seems to be a slower/longer way to do it. I've never been on that side of the mountain, so I was just curious.

 

 

[ScaredSilly]

You are correct about the time factor. Sunshine would be quicker. We actually thought about that last July after doing the North face Gully. But with the number of cracks we decided coming around via Newton Clack would be safer.

 

Early season when colder and more snow Sunshine would probably be a good choice. One gets clear views from the approach However, in the fall it gets some good steep icy sections as well.

[OffTheSteppe]

Thanks for all the info... After thinking about the possibility of the road being closed in June, the early sun the route gets, and the exposure above Elliot, I am leaning toward Leutold Coulier. I have always wanted to do that. Access from Timberline Lodge. And Yes, I will take several pickets and perhaps a couple of long screws.

Edited May 10, 2011 by OffTheSteppe

[Maine-iac]

Dooode it is just under a 3 mile walk from where they gate the road to cloud cap. Takes a couple hours to do, but if you are looking at the north side of the mountain what's a couple extra miles? I did the Spur at the end of march last year and it was fantastic. We soloed it and came down the sunshine route. We brought a tent up to the stone shelter which made the day a little more manageable. It would be very long car to car, or cloud cap to cloud cap (esp. for a beginner).