Theodore Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 Trip: Mt. Hood - Standard/Old Chute Date: 6/23/2011 Trip Report: Nothin special/new, but a few nice pics... Newbness is obvious here, first time in the Cascades. On Thursday 6/23 I climbed Mt. Hood in OR with one really good friend (Taylor), one new friend (Ryan) and an awesome guide (Tico) that made sure he did what he could to keep us from screwing anything up. I've done a fair amount of climbs in CO, Taylor has summited Hood 4 times before this climb and this was Ryan's first time on a snow climb. All sorts of experience.... Taylor is on the board with the American Lung Association up there and has done their fund raising climb a few times - called To the Summit. They have a pro photag go with them, John Waller. We started ahead of this group and got in some of John's photos. You'll be able to tell the quality, they are awesome! Here's his trailer from his production company of the climb for them, I'm in the still at the start of the video, guy in back with the red backpack. View of the summit from Timberline's upper level. This was my first time on a glacier, or on consistent steep snow, so Tico was a good piece of mind to have around. Ryan and I did a few hour skill review lower on the mountain on Wednesday morning, going over crampon technique, ice axe usage, basic anchor building, roped travel, stuff like that. Here's us heading back to Timberline Lodge. Tico on the left, Ryan in the middle and me on the right. We grabbed some lunch, the headed back to the cabin just below Gov't Camp to rest up for the climb. I've woken up at o dark thirty quite a few times for 14ers, but this was a different experience for me. We woke up at 10pm threw our gear together and drove up to Timberline. Ready to get goin... Taylor and I at the climbers hut at Timberline We ended up taking a snow-cat up to the top of the ski resort, part of the guide fee. Felt like cheating, but I'd never been in a snowcat before, so it was kinda cool. Saved a boring slog. When we started out, we were solidly in the marine layer. Dense clouds, some rain and visibility of about 50-75 feet. Thankfully during the 20 minute ride we emerged just above the layer and had a sky full of stars above out heads. Fortunately, we had a pro photag in the group behind us! First rest area: Looking towards PDX: Looking up the Hogsback: First time on a volcano, was surprised at how much sulfur-y goodness the mountain puts out. Not so good smelling. We stopped at the hot rocks, roped up, ditched our poles and out came the ice axes. We got to the top of the old chute area and Tico took us up a fun direct finish that went up a steep couloir that was about 55 degrees with one short 10 foot section that was about 65-70 degrees. Tico leading the steep pitch. Ryan, Taylor and I in the couloir waiting for our turns: In short order we topped out on the summit ridge and made our way over to the summit. Myself and Taylor on chilly summit... 45mph winds and 15 degrees... made for a windchill of ~10F. My face and nose were getting COLD. Fingers didn't want to be out of gloves for very long either! Tico and Ryan: We summited just after 5 am, just in time to watch the sun rise on the horizon. With a layer of clouds below us, the summits of the high peaks around us stood like islands. Much cooler summit experience than anything I've had in CO (outside of getting engaged on Elbert)! Looking back down the summit ridge: We didn't have much time on top due to the wind, so we headed down after about 10 or 15 minutes. We made it down to the Hogsback, stowed the axes, out came the poles and started the slog back down. Here's the last pic that's worthwhile... looking down at the clouds from the Hogsback. The slope stayed relatively firm until we got to the top of the ski area, then it turned to slush. We ended up making it back down to Timberline around 8am... Start of most people's day and it felt like 6pm for us. Weird sensation for a Cascade newb! Gear Notes: Same ol stuff. Approach Notes: Rumble rumble Quote
B Deleted_Beck Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 Great pics.. Most guys are depleted, dehydrated, soaked with sweat and chilled, and would summarize the feeling as pretty much "exhausted" by the time they get off the resort and onto the raw, ungroomed glacier at 8,500'. You were warm and rested and bushy-tailed at 8,500'. It felt like cheating because it most definitely was. Don't take this as huge criticism or animosity, which it probably reads like, given the typical response of venomous contempt you can expect to find on the internets... I'm simply setting the stage for my POINT, if I'd ever get around to making it: You've stood at the top, but you still haven't climbed Mount Hood. So get back up there and finish the job! -Ben Quote
sobo Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 You've stood at the top, but you still haven't climbed Mount Hood. So get back up there and finish the job!Aw hell, Theodore. Just go back n' hike from the lodge to the top of the lift and call it good. Say it took two days instead of one... Quote
YocumRidge Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 Congrads on your first Hood climb! I really would like to see this delivering the desperate souls to the north side, especially through verglass covered loose boulders of the Eliot gl. Oh, and also a bar in the vicinity. Quote
YocumRidge Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 with wodka... ...and Bloody Mary mix... Yes, and I have a team of 12 in mind (all in helmets BTW) ready for the adventure. Quote
Theodore Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 It was a good intro to glacier climbing and the Cascades in general. I'll definitely be back for a proper summit. I was hoping to hit Rainier this summer but my partner backed out on me. Working on some back up plans, but if those fall through, a return to Hood is the most realistic plan. Hoping for a route that is a little steeper and sustained. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 Most guys are depleted, dehydrated, soaked with sweat and chilled, and would summarize the feeling as pretty much "exhausted" by the time they get off the resort and onto the raw, ungroomed glacier at 8,500'. Chilled and soaked with sweat possibly, but "exhausted". I guess I'm not as old and out of shape as I have recently been thinking :-) Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 Congrads on your first Hood climb! I really would like to see this delivering the desperate souls to the north side, especially through verglass covered loose boulders of the Eliot gl. Oh, and also a bar in the vicinity. Ha! I road up to the top of Timberline in that suckah one Birthday climb. We had a turkey, 2 gallons of oil, and a deep fryer we hauled to the summit. Unfortunately...the birthday boy got AMS, then a guy from another party got knocked out by a rock, then we had to call in a chopper, then the weather came in. Still, the rest of the party managed and wound up serving fresh, hot turkey to summiters that day. Quote
kevbone Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 You've stood at the top, but you still haven't climbed Mount Hood. So get back up there and finish the job! -Ben Ben, one could say that about anyone who starts at Timberline Lodge too! Quote
B Deleted_Beck Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 You've stood at the top, but you still haven't climbed Mount Hood. So get back up there and finish the job! -Ben Ben, one could say that about anyone who starts at Timberline Lodge too! There are no rules in climbing, just degrees of good or bad form. I like I tried to express to the OP, I'm NOT dogging on him hard, just flicking a little motivational shit. Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 That Milky Way headlamp pic is fwahkin keeewl Quote
billcoe Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 It was a good intro to glacier climbing and the Cascades in general. I'll definitely be back for a proper summit........... Hoping for a route that is a little steeper and sustained. That was a great plan hiring a guide. You don't say what gear you own or skills you have, but a potentially good followup climb to evaluate, now that you know the way down the south side heh heh, is to climb the Cooper Spur route on Hood's NE side. It's steeper and more sustained but much, much more fun. Take 3 days. (seriously) Day 1, hike up to tie in rock with all your camping gear, maybe a couple of pickets (optional, I've never used them even guiding beginners on this route) and a credit card. Plop your ass down and set up camp at the 8500 foot level or so. It's obvious if it isn't whited out. Tie it all down solid, you saw the winds up there. Day 2, practice and refresh your self-arrest skills and boot axe belays. The slope is right there next to the tent and is steep enough for this. The route is real clear and obvious from here too. Have your buddy tie and drag yer ass down the slope while you dig in and stop him. Reverse it and you drag him. Practice, practice practice. This shit isn't innate, we all have to learn it and practice it. Get close and intimate with the snow and the conditions. You'll be tired, go to bed early. Stay hydrated. Day 3) "SUMMIT OR PLUMMET". Leave your excess crap right there in the am and climb. Remember that this route has a lot of accidents, usually on the descent. It can be done safety. You'll have a feel for what the snow is doing from the previous day. You can pick the time you want to wake up and fire it based on your earlier observations and your own conditioning and speed. People start up the S side at midnight....I think that's way too early. In June you'll see sun at @ 4:30am and the sun will normally warm the slope as the say progresses. If you are coming down and the snow has softened a lot, no worries, plunge your axe shaft deep into the snow and walk down backwards if you're scared or concerned. Freedom of the hills details this, called"Self-belay". It's damned effective. No reason to trip and slide over the N face cliffs below. If conditions change to total whiteout or shit and you are unsure, head down to Timberline for an evening of paradise. Then talk someone to driving you to your car after a great breakfast the next morning. You can do this route in a day if you are squeezed for good weather conditions. Also, if you are coming all the way out from Kansas, even if it's shit weather, you can still have a hell of an fun adventure just going up to tie in rock and camping. If the weather is worse than total crap, staying in the trees below would be safe and fun. Whereas if you are on Rainer and the weather goes bad, it can (will and has) knocked down Mount Everest 4 season tents and you can't even stand up in the wind. Some folks missing up there now under 4 feet of snow. Ranieer is a great mountain, but 2 steps up in seriousness. If you had a couple guys with skills and good gear, go there. You don't really say. Thanks for the great photos! ps, riding the snow cat to start your climb is no big deal and nothing to be ashamed of. I've ridden it when on rescues and it's fun as hell. Quote
goatboy Posted February 1, 2012 Posted February 1, 2012 It might also be appropriate to consider learning self-belay, team arrest, and other fundamental skills on climbs where making a mistake does not entail plummeting to the Eliot Glacier as many have done. In my mind there's a difference between learning new skills and relying on those same (new) skills to save your life or your partner's life (likely, both if roped together on the Cooper Spur). Perhaps you should consider a progression of climbs where you can learn the skills outlined above, and apply them on increasingly challenging climbs where the consequences of failing are not quite so ... irrecoverable. Great photos, and thanks for the trip report. Quote
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