[TR] Mt Hood - Old Chute 4/14/2012

[Ovr40]

Trip: Mt Hood - Old Chute

 

Date: 4/14/2012

 

Trip Report:

Easy hike to top of chairlift. Followed by blowing spindrift and chilly wind. Summit was fairly sheltered. Here are some of the climbers on the mountain around 8:00 to 10:00 AM, and one cheesy summit self portrait of me.

Lon

 

Gear Notes:

Sweet rolls and cold pizza.

 

Approach Notes:

A spot of black ice on road below Timberline could have ended badly.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Ovr40

[123tom]

Thanks for the report hope to be up there soon

 

[B Deleted_Beck]

What was the snow all like?

 

Did you climb back on the 7th?

[Ovr40]

Hey Ben

These are the snow conditions I saw: At the hogsback and below, there was a layer of soft powder, wind deposited up to a foot deep in places and scoured off in others. It was still blowing around a lot, and would fill in boot tracks in less than five minutes (so each climbing party got the privilege of breaking thier own trail :-).

Above the hogsback the snow was a little less powdery, but still very soft. Going up and down the old chute one had to be sure to kick through the soft layer to find solid footing underneath. Also, plunging almost the full depth of one's ice axe was necessary to get a secure position.

 

I didn't climb on the 7th. I was hanging out in Lincoln City that weekend.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Ovr40

[Ptown_Climber1]

thanks for the description and photos! We were up there early on the 14th also, but turned around at the hogsback.....had a couple newbies with us, and conditions were pretty brutal....was told it was 17 degrees, and -3 degree wind chill. That, with the soft snow made it incredibly hard going.....was wondering if it improved in old chute, but it doesn't sound like it did much....nice effort getting up on top through that though!

[donniedarko]

I happened to be riding at Timberline that Saturday.