[TR] Mount Hood - South Route - Hogsback & Old Chute 5/19/2014

[rbenfield]

Trip: Mount Hood - South Route - Hogsback & Old Chute

 

Date: 5/19/2014

 

Trip Report:

Four of us had the mountain to ourselves all day (on a Monday). Saw nobody else or any other footsteps all day until we were descending back below Palmer Lift.

 

Left Timberline at 2:30am, reached summit approx 9:30, and back to Timberline by 1:00.

 

4 of us (2 on skis). First summit for me, others had been up before. Conditions were poor at first (snowing, 22 degrees, blowing ice from start to a little above top of Palmer Lift), then cleared for most of the rest of the trip (until some light rain near Timberline on descent).

 

Went up Hogsback, veered left before the Bergschrund, and up Old Chute. At summit we couldn't see anything very far away, but was fairly sunny with thin clouds out.

 

There was some recent snow above Palmer Lift from Sunday's storm. No sign of ice. The two skiers left skis around 9500 ft elevation. The two non-skiers put crampons on above Palmer. Got out the ice axes at Hogsback.

 

A great first ascent. I'll be back!

 

Ron

 

Gear Notes:

Crampons, ice ax, helmets.

[mthorman]

It was fun climbing with you Ron, and looking forward to Rainier! Here are a couple pictures from the trip showing the current conditions. It was nice to see a little sun even if it wasn't in the forecast!

 

Looking down the "Old Chute" from just below the summit ridge.

 

Looking up the "Hogsback". Notice the large open bergshrund already.