Name: Mt. Hood
Start: 2013-05-02T00:00:00-07:00
End: 2013-05-03T23:59:59-07:00

Past Activity

Mt. Hood

Start date: 05/02/2013
Start time: 12:00 AM
End date: 05/03/2013
End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Carpool from Eugene on Thursday, May 2. The climb will follow the standard South Side/Hogsback route, beginning early in the wee hours of the morning of May 3.

Event Leader: Brian Hamilton
Event Leader Phone: 541-343-6550
Event Leader Email: red.gray@comcast.net
Assistant Leader:
Event category: Climbs
Area Type: Mountain
Departure Location: See Trip Description
Rating:
Roundtrip total drive miles: 320
Season: 2013
Permits Required:
- Wilderness Area
Event Status: Passed
Supplies and Equipment Required: Crampons & compatible boots, helmet, ice ax, harness, (2) locking ‘biners, (2) prusiks, belay device, food & at least 2 liters of water for 12 hours, plus extra emergency food, 2 pairs of gloves, 2 sets of socks, warm & waterproof clothes for all weather conditions, emergency shelter (small tarp should be okay), headlamp & extra batteries, compass, sunblock, lip balm, & sunglasses. Optional but recommended equipment: Ear plugs to block out parking lot noise, gaiters, shovel, avalanche probe, avalanche transceiver (can be borrowed at UO Outdoor Program), snowshoes, trekking poles.
participant prerequisites:
Conditions:
Total Distance: 6.3
Member Fees: —
Elevation Gain: 5360
Non-Member Fees: —
Committee: Climbs
Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

We started climbing from Timberline parking lot at midnight under clear skies and with the temperature at 40 degrees. We leap-frogged with a dozen Mazamas for the first few hours. The temperature dropped rapidly as we ascended. By the time we reached the top of the Palmer ski lift, the snow surface was icy enough to require crampons. By 6:00 AM, we reached the hogsback at around 10,500 feet, where we planned to rope up before traversing west to the Old Chute. A strong, cold wind had picked up, sucking the warmth from any of us who were not adequately bundled up. The wind came in from every direction and there was no protection gained by dropping down on either side of the steep hogsback ridge, so we descended to warm up next to a crevasse with sulfur fumes spewing out at the base of Crater Rock. With the bitterly cold wind and hard, icy surface to face if we continued, we decided to call it a day and descend back to the trailhead. We kept our crampons on until we reached the groomed ski runs. We returned to the parking lot by 9:30 AM with the hope of a summit attempt on another day soon.