Trip planning help for late may/early june 2017

[NHAlpinist]

Hi all,

 

I'm an experienced climber and not looking for advice about mountaineering skills. Just looking for some help on logistics for a fun little trip I'm doing with a buddy next year.

 

We are going to hit mt adams and mt hood next year. We will probably do adams first to acclimatize for a couple days and take our time, enjoying the mountain. We are coming from sea level.

 

Google maps shows timberline lodge as about a 2 hour drive from the adams area. We will be looking for a small town with reasonable and clean motels or lodges we can stay in for 1 night between climbs to get a good night of sleep and a good meal. I'm sure a shower will be needed too. I'm thinking under $100 for the night, so like $50 or less per person.

 

I'd be fine with nice campgrounds too if they have showers. That might be preferred actually since it would be much cheaper.

 

The only other question I have that I'm sure I can answer with more research is the glacier situation on the hogsback route of hood. Other than the berg, what's it like at lower elevations. I've climbed Rainier unguided, so I know crevasse travel and rescue skills. It looks like it follows beside a ski resort for the first couple of hours, so I'm guessing no real danger down low?

 

Wanting to be on mountains as much as possible because it's dope, and to get in a good alpine start to avoid hazards as things soften later in the day, we would want to camp on hood as well. Would we do that just above the ski area but below devils kitchen?

 

Thanks in advance everyone.

[DPS]

Google maps shows timberline lodge as about a 2 hour drive from the adams area. We will be looking for a small town with reasonable and clean motels or lodges we can stay in for 1 night between climbs to get a good night of sleep and a good meal. I'm sure a shower will be needed too. I'm thinking under $100 for the night, so like $50 or less per person.

Hood River, Oregon is a very nice town to hang out in. Reasonably priced motels, good restaurants, art galleries, brew pubs. Nicely situated between Mt Hood and Mt Adams. I got stuck there on my way back from Mt Adams when my truck broke down. Not a bad place to cool one's heals for a day or two.

 

The only other question I have that I'm sure I can answer with more research is the glacier situation on the hogsback route of hood. Other than the berg, what's it like at lower elevations.

I assume you are referring to the South Side of Mt Hood. There is no real crevasse/glacier risk other than the bergschrund on the South Side. You do want to hit Mt Hood early in the season, perhaps earlier than the road to Mount Adams melts out. Keep that in mind.

 

Wanting to be on mountains as much as possible because it's dope, and to get in a good alpine start to avoid hazards as things soften later in the day, we would want to camp on hood as well. Would we do that just above the ski area but below devils kitchen?

Again, assuming you are talking about the South Side route. Camp at the Illumination Saddle. Period. Relatively short summit day, but rad place to bivi.

[Alex]

Wanting to be on mountains as much as possible because it's dope, and to get in a good alpine start to avoid hazards as things soften later in the day, we would want to camp on hood as well. Would we do that just above the ski area but below devils kitchen?

 

Again, assuming you are talking about the South Side route. Camp at the Illumination Saddle. Period. Relatively short summit day, but rad place to bivi.

 

 

That, or the only other "sheltered spot" that might also have a little flat ground would be a bivy by the ski station at the top of Palmer. The South Side of Hood has essentially no sheltered bivy spots, nor many really flat spots, and isn't a particularly long route, so not many ppl camp and you'll be camping just cause you want to.

[NHAlpinist]

Thanks all. Yes just camping because we want to hang out on the mountain as long as possible, it's why we're flying west after all. ;-)

 

I'll check out accommodations in that town and check out info on those 2 bivy spots.

 

Thanks!!