Mt. Hood Conditions

[tele turnin]

Looks like the weather might finally start to take a turn for the better. I am thinking about trying the southside of Mt. Hood this Thurs (5/19), so if you have been up recently or have any info on route/snow conditions let us know. Thanks.

Edited May 16, 2011 by tele turnin

[Amymac703]

May be heading up this weekend. If you go Thurs and have any info on conditions please post.

[ivan]

it's death to go up there!!!!

[Karl_S]

South side had great weather Saturday 5/14/11, notwithstanding the crappy forecast. A little windy, but sunny. Berg open some. Easy skirt to right. Small shallow crevasse 50 ft downhill and a little left of center from gate tower face. Right gate had a steep section in center. Went up left Pearly Gate. Left gate was a narrow steep tunnel through rime ice barely wide enough for shoulders. No water ice, yet. Most climbers going up the Old Chute with a variation shortcut to the right up through a chute to avoid the knife edge ridge. Best sled ride ever using kiddie snow sled! Left the Triangle Morrain 9500' and in 30 minutes without getting out of the sled once ended up 100 yds from parking lot!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

How is the snowpack looking (stability, consolidation, etc)?

[Karl_S]

On 5/14/11 the snow conditions at the Hogs and above were firm 2" crust over soft sugar. Before 9am it supported your weight. After that many places broke through resulting in post holing above the berg. Wasn't around long enough in the day to see it soften up high. I imagine its pretty consolidated by now and ava free even late in the afternoon until a very warm spell or more new snow.

[Ptown_Climber1]

Am heading up Leuthold tonight...will report back.

[Water]

nice-great weather and probably few on the mnt.

*stabs at M-F cubical life*

 

[tylertervooren]

I'm headed up the south route tonight with a team of two others. At the mountain right now actually, and the weather is great. Almost no clouds and only mild gusts.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I'm headed up the south route tonight with a team of two others. At the mountain right now actually, and the weather is great. Almost no clouds and only mild gusts.

 

I hate you. :-)

[Holk]

Am heading up Leuthold tonight...will report back.

 

Planning on heading that way tonight. If you did do it last night/this morning would you mind giving a quick conditions report on icefall and whatnot?

[tele turnin]

Jut got home from climbing Hood today. This was my first time to the mountain and conditions were excellent and as one person stated "you could light a match on the summit and it wouldn't blow out." We, and most everyone, did the variation of Old Chute that was mentioned above by Karl_S. I saw two teams that were taking the Pearly Gates on the right hand side. All in all a great day, the only thing I would change is hauling a kiddie snow sled (per Karl_S) as the slog back to the lodge got really old really fast.

[Ptown_Climber1]

Climbed Leuthold this morning.....great, successful climb, but was a pain the ass...deep, grainy snow...wind was blowing it everywhere. Will post a couple pics later. Hourglass was in good shape.

[Holk]

Gentlemen, I thank you for the information. Ptown, I believe I will be following in your footsteps, quite literally, later tonight. Thank you.

[aaronce]

The last two seasons I didn't need to use snowshoes up or down. You guys have to use snowshoes at any point?

[tele turnin]

The only snowshoes I saw were a pile of around 6 just above where the cat-track ends.

[DrCaterpillar]

Any updates on need for snowshoes, would love to do without if its all hard packed...

[Ptown_Climber1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dhrmabum]

Nice pics, Ptown!

[rmncwrtr]

Enjoyed the pics, Ptown. Working on a new story set on Mt. Hood. Exactly what I needed to see this morning. Thanks for posting them!

[cartomat]

I was gazing fondly up at Mt Hood post alpineglow this evening, noticing how far North the sun must be to create those interesting shadows when I saw a large avalanche on the Reid that started a few hundred feet above the saddle. I couldn't believe my eyes but I saw it like a large dark stain flow down.

 

It looked like quite a bit of debris. I wish I had time to check it out tomorrow and I hope no one's up there.

[tele turnin]

anybody going up this weekend? i am thinking about going early saturday morning but am a little put off by the forcast saying that there may be some thunder.

 

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=45.35407536661815&lon=-121.70516967773437&site=pqr&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

 

Edited May 27, 2011 by tele turnin

[cnealey]

I was going to go up there early Sat. morning too but NWAC says

 

"It is the time to make objective decisions and to focus on the snow-pack and weather, neither of which should be particularly pleasant or safe for the remainder of the week ahead"

 

If I go I will be climbing the popular swine slog. Is it unwise NOT to heed this warning?

[tele turnin]

Yeah originally we wanted to do something other than the standard South Side, but with the recent weather we decided it was the best bet. I am somewhat new to the area and the lightning/thunder is what worries me coming from an area where that has been a real problem on mountains in the past.

[xerkie]

Trip planned for this Wednesday-Friday. Weather not looking good though... We were planning on getting up to about 9k ft, camp out and practice a few recue techniques if weather was less than optimal. Anyone else going up this week? Looks like we're gonna be the south side.