[TR] Mt. Hood - Reid Headwall 1/25/2014

[ChrisFreye]

Trip: Mt. Hood - Reid Headwall

 

Date: 1/25/2014

 

Trip Report:

A buddy and I finally got out this season after a long hiatus. We decided on Reid Headwall as a good outing but were worried about conditions. A TR about leuthold sealed the deal. Thanks guys!

 

We drove to timberline the night before. With minimal sleep, we were up and walking up the hill at 2. We got to illumination saddle at 4. We sat down and rested for ~45 min and then proceeded on our way. (We wanted sunlight since neither of us had ever done the route)

 

The traverse across the Reid glacier is super icy and quite steep and it does't matter how high or low you go.

 

And that's when it all went to hell...

 

We managed to not go far enough along the glacier and ended up climbing a couple pitches of ice to nowhere. After deciding that we were definitely on the wrong route we went down and headed further along the glacier. A lot of wasted time. We finally found the entrance. The bergshrund has a nice snow bridge over it. We were finally on track. The first coulior was merciless and pelted us with rocks and ice but once we were out we didn't see anymore ice or rock fall for the day.

 

Being super skilled we went the wrong way again. Make sure you go left! Hard left!

 

It was okay though because we got to climb 1000 ft of very nice ice. We soloed all of it. On average it was AI2 with sections of AI3. Very solid. Then we hit another wall. We realized down at the top of the second coulior, we should have headed left. oops We roped up finally and I led two 40 M pitches of questionable steep ice with some mixed climbing thrown in. It was very sweet. We emerged on the West crater rim even with the top of the bottom of Hogsbacks. We decided against summitting and called it a day. With the sun going down we headed down the mtn. Back to the car at 6. Not to bad for a 16 hr day.

 

Notes:

 

Dont bring skis! Though I am new to skiing, I can tell you that conditions are miserable. Pretty much anything above palmer is ice. I imagine skinning would suck as well.

 

Though we didn't actually do the correct route, I would say conditions were perfect on the part that we did. The ice was super firm and there was minimal ice/rock fall

 

Gear:

 

We brought 6 screws, 2 pickets, 40 M rope, two tools, and the usual. We didnt use the screws or pickets on the route until the very end but screws would have gone in great on all portions of the route. If we had pitched it out or simuled it, I would probably have brought extra screws. Soloing was extremely fast but induced major calf burn.

 

Go get at it!

[ScaredSilly]

Do not feel bad, last spring during a solo on the Reid I missed a left turn up high and did a lap before going up a rib that finished at the very top West Crater Rim. So you are not the first party nor will you be the last to do a few laps on the Reid.

 

That said it sounds like your first lap brought up towards Castle Crags, vers Route 14b in Jeff's book. Your second lap sounds like Route 14a in Jeff's book which brings one to the top of Castle Crags and West Crater Rim.

 

 

[JasonG]

That sounds awfully familiar! My first time up the Reid ended on the West Crater Rim as well, and not the summit. Next time you will have it dialed, nice work!

[ChrisFreye]

What is the Jeff book that you're speaking about? I've heard multiple people mention it now

[ColinB]

What is the Jeff book that you're speaking about? I've heard multiple people mention it now

 

Oregon High by Jeff Thomas is the book. Out of print, but Powell's usually has a copy or two. If you're in Portland, you're welcome to borrow my copy.

[ScaredSilly]

As said above Jeff Thomas' book Oregon High. Though long out of print really the best guide to the Oregon volcanos. Can be hard to find for a descent price:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0962904201/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used