[TR] Mt. Hood Backcountry Ski - Up Pearly down Old Chute 4/2/2016

[Atomnic]

This isn't letting me post my full report?? Skied up at 2:15 - summit at 6 - back at car by 8. Felt like I cheated starting at T-line, planning on doing it again from Govy this wknd... let me know if you want to come along!

 

Video:

 

Pearly Gates

 

Waiting for the sunrise

 

skiing down the old chute. Very chunky.

 

Mt. Jefferson to the south.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Atomnic

[The Cascade Kid]

Nice work. Looks windy as nuts in your video. Why so early?

[Atomnic]

It was probably 20-30mph winds at times, not too bad. Love getting up to the summit for sunrises - and I was heading out on a boat Saturday afternoon so I wanted to get back early!

[caverpilot]

What's Pearly like these days? Looks like a two-tool job? How much of a step? Sweet sunrise!

[Water]

caver, it's easy as pie, left gate (west) at least. whippet territory. though a standard axe probably nice. no step, just narrow for a spot, maybe a few degrees steeper.

 

dunno about right gate (east).

[Atomnic]

Indeed - took just 5 minutes from base of pearly to the top - the party behind must have run into something as it took them upwards of 45 mins... One ice axe with crampons would be no problem, an added whippet just made it a cake walk. Only downside of pearly is the congestion - hence why I came down the old chute.

[caverpilot]

That's awesome; last time I was up there (2014?) it was still a ~6-foot ice step, and I'm not up for doing that with an ice axe and whippet! (my usual for such endeavors) - can't wait to get back this summer!

[Ptown_Climber1]

Yeah, the gates seem to have reverted back to their pre-2005 or so good naturedness.....curious if this is a long term change or not...the hogsback may have shifted some too, so perhaps the 'old chute' will be soon living up to its 1930s era name again, we'll see.

 

I climbed up the old chute last Sat, and down the left gate....as Water says, it's pretty easy. There's even a big snow berm at the base, protecting the run out of a potential fall.

 

I've climbed Hood every year at least a couple times since 1998, and this may be one of the finest condition years I've seen in quite some time.

[Atomnic]

Skied up again today - this time from Govy camp (my legs are not happy) Went up & down the old chute due to a party of 20+ people going very slowly up pearly. Practically everyone from last week and today have been going up pearly and then down the old chute due to the narrowness of pearly only allowing one way of traffic.

[ScaredSilly]

What's Pearly like these days? Looks like a two-tool job? How much of a step? Sweet sunrise!

 

The Pearly Gates have never needed two tools. Yeah it can be steep but it is a short step. Folks need to up their skills.

[Ptown_Climber1]

Hey Atomnic, Well this is cooly strange; I was watching your video and it just occurred to me the guy topping out on the summit ridge looked familiar...it's me! (in the orange jacket, red helmet)

 

That was cool....I recall seeing you silhouetted on that rise with the sun behind you, and was gonna take a pic, but you moved too fast. What a great morning that was!