[TR] Mt. Hood - Steel Cliffs South Face 4/1/2016

[JamesMtn]

Trip: Mt. Hood - Steel Cliffs South Face

 

Date: 4/1/2016

 

Trip Report:

Don and I decided to climb on the steel cliffs after debating between that and the Wy' east route. We figured if the ice wasn't in at the base of the cliffs we could cross over. Got up around 1:15 AM and started walking at 2AM. We made good time but went to high on the standard route slopes before heading over to cross the White river glacier.

 

Got to the base and saw the ice was in. Don took the lead for the 20 feet or so of WI2 to gain the cliffs. Was able to place a stubby in the ice without bottoming. After the ice it was mostly 60 to 65 degree snow and small sections of low angle ice. We brought a 40m rope and pitched out the lower traversing part and then simul climbed to about 2/3 up the face. We unroped until we topped on the slopes that connect with Wy' east.

 

We continued up the ridge noticing abnormally high temps for over 10,000 feet. We discussed how to ascend the Wy' east crux and made a plan to pitch it out because of the 60-70 traverse with soft snow. Got half way through the crux and realized the snow probably wouldn't hold any pro and our footing was getting worse the higher we went. We made the tough decision to down climb belay the two pitches we had just climbed and traversed at 12:30pm.

 

Feeling Defeated by the poor conditions we walked down the Wy' east and re crossed the White River glacier. In the end I was happy to have done the steel cliffs route instead of the Wy' east (mostly) slog route.

 

 

Gear Notes:

Glacier gear, 40m 8mm rope but should have had a normal climbing rope to pitch out the lower sections of the cliffs

1 technical axe and 1 standard axe each

3 pickets

1 snow anchor

4 ice screws

 

Approach Notes:

Don't go to high before crossing the The glacier. Don climbed the pearly gates the next day and reported much colder temps, just unlucky with the weather.

Edited April 9, 2016 by JamesMtn

[ivan]