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 climbing mount hood - south side route july 3, 2003 sorry, but this page will load very slowly on dial-up!
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click photo to enlarge Mount Hood about 3 hours before the climb click photo to enlarge  The twilight of dawn shows the Crater area click photo to enlarge  Two rope teams ascend the Hogsback ridge click photo to enlarge  An up close view of the Bergschrund crevasse click photo to enlarge  The shadow of Mt Hood covers the countryside click photo to enlarge  The rope teams reach the Pearly Gates chute click photo to enlarge  The Washington Cascades from Mt Hood's Summit click photo to enlarge  Matt stands on the 11,239-foot Summit click photo to enlarge  Descending back down to the Pearly Gates click photo to enlarge  A typical traffic jam on the Hogsback click photo to enlarge  A rope team crosses the Bergschrund click photo to enlarge  The first sun light hits the inside of the Crater click photo to enlarge  Descending to Triangle Moraine at 9,600 feet click photo to enlarge  Timberline Lodge and Mount Jefferson |
The Mountain: The main climbing season on Mount Hood is generally recognized as May through June, but people do climb the mountain year 'round (if they know what they're doing). By early July, it may be tough to find decent snow at lower elevations and the route to the Summit can be treacherous due to higher temperatures and/or obstacles such as rock fall and open crevasses. Since the weather in Oregon can be sketchy during the main climbing season, many people still attempt the easier Mount Hood South Side route in late June and early July due to the generally better weather patterns. On a day with high pressure over the Pacific Northwest, one can a long way...to Cascade Range mountains like Mount Rainier (102 miles away) and Diamond Peak (130 miles away). The South Side route is very interesting - in that you see rope teams using running belays and solo climbers - all in the same area. There are everything between first time climbers trying for the lofty Summit and long time veterans looking for a good workout. The Route: This being the first July climb of Mount Hood for me, I found the route to be slightly different than the Winter/Spring route. Normally, climbers leave Timberline near the overflow lot and follow the West edge of Salmon River Canyon up along the Ski Area boundary. However, the lack of snow there forced me to follow the Sno Cat path from the Lodge up to Silcox Hut (7,000 feet) - considerably West of Salmon River Canyon. This forced a right turn at the Hut and a traverse back to the Eastern Ski Area boundary where is meets the White River Glacier. Dodging the snowboard ramps and hills of the Ski Area's "Skate Park", the route goes straight up to the top of the Palmer Snowfield. View the climbing route! From the top of Palmer at 8,540 feet, climbers make their way up the snow that dissects the moraines of the upper mountain. Taking a break at Triangle Moraine (9,600 ft) is standard procedure before ascending the steeper terrain into the Crater. Once passing Crater Rock (on your left), climbers reach the Hogsback - a snow ridge that leads up to the Summit. In Summer, the Hogsback is steeper and presents a significant obstacle in the Bergschrund crevasse, not to mention the log jam of climbing teams trying to use the same small footpath in the snow. Depending on the temperature, the "steps" in the snow may be firm or completely degraded. If they are firm, the trip up the Hogsback to the Summit can be just like a slow walk up a long flight of stairs. Otherwise, it can be a nerve racking experience of blown foot holds and rock and ice fall. The Bergschrund crevasse is usually completely open by Summer and is only crossable to the extreme West or East. Each of these routes can present rock fall hazards, but they are the most popular routes anyway. Ascending this before 7:00 in the morning is recommended to reduce the hazards. Once making the slow journey over the remaining snow bridges and up through the Pearly Gates, the Summit is an easy trip. The actual 11,239-foot Summit is snow free by this time of year, but that is not an issue. The footing is fine and the view is still incredible! The Climb: The July 4th Weekend was quickly coming upon us, but I had still not summitted Mount Hood in 2003! Weather, health issues and rescue callouts had kept me from completing four separate climbs. I didn't want to battle the Holiday weekend crowds, so a day off on Thursday became the best option. This meant a solo climb - something that I'd not completed the past three attempts (due to a variety of reasons). The weather cooperated and brought a clear sky as the very early morning hours of July 3rd. Winds were brisk, but not too strong, but the temperatures were quite colder than they had been earlier in the week. I started at 12:20 AM from Timberline Lodge (6,000 ft) and found the snow to be firm and slick even at lower elevations - a rare situation for that late in the season. Reaching Silcox Hut (7,000 ft) in 45 minutes, I strapped on crampons for the rest of the journey. I also had to replace the batteries in my headlamp, as the moonless night was inky and black without man made light. I headed along the edge of the Sno Cat track toward the Ski Area boundary, but decided to head straight up the Palmer Snowfield along an ungroomed area within the boundary. There were no skiers at 2:00 AM, so I wasn't worried. :) I felt great and reached the top of Palmer (8,540 ft) in 2 hours and 15 minutes - quite a bit faster than normal. I couldn't break for too long on the snow platform there, because the wind and cold temperatures were really getting to my hands. I was way ahead of schedule, but decided to keep going anyway - though I decided to go slower. I didn't want to reach the Summit in the dark, as I was looking for good photo opportunities. I took my time and made it to Triangle Moraine (9,640 ft) at about 4:00 AM, where it was really windy and cold. I stayed about five minutes before having to move on due to the cold. I followed a rope team up to the Hogsback and reached the ridge just as the sun was starting to brighten the sky. The wind finally died down in the Crater, so I warmed up nicely. The route up the Hogsback was to the West (left) of the Bergschrund and there was a small snow bridge over the considerably open crevasse. With the cold temperatures, the snow bridge was solid and I had no fear going over it unroped. Some teams were using running belays, but I thought that even roping up on this day was a bit of overkill. To each their own, though. The journey up the Hogsback and through the Pearly Gates was slow due to the traffic, but it was much better than it would have been on the Holiday weekend! The time allowed me to take some great photos of the mountain's shadow on the surrounding landscape (see above). I followed a rope team, giving them some room in case they fell. Fortunately, there was no rock or ice fall due to the low temperatures and I made the Summit at around 6:00 AM - five and one half hours after I started. Not bad for taking my time. :) It was 15 degrees in the Pearly Gates, but the Summit was pleasant due to the rising sun. There were about 15 people up there - almost all from rope teams that took Sno Cats to the top of Palmer for their climbs. I was there with them and a few other veteran climbers and we all took pictures for one another and exchanged stories. I even met a friend of one of my fellow PMR members...kind of cool. After a 30 minute stay on the Summit, I descended slowly through the Gates and over the 'Schrund. I had to wait for several rope teams to negotiate these obstacles, so I dug in my ice axe and had a seat on the 35 degree Hogsback. Once getting past the crevasse, it was a quick descent - even though I wore my crampons the entire way to Timberline Lodge (very unusual). I was back at the parking lot by 9:30 AM, making the descent just two and one half hours. The total climb took 9 hours and 10 minutes and I relaxed in my Jeep while reflecting on my first solo climb of Mount Hood! It was well worth the day off. I hope you enjoy the photos. Thanks for taking the time to share in my adventure. -- Matt |
click photo to enlarge The Central Oregon Cascades at dawn click photo to enlarge  The Hot Rocks fumarole steams sulfur gas click photo to enlarge  The rope teams cross the Bergschrund crevasse click photo to enlarge  Crater Rock, Hogsback and Bergschrund click photo to enlarge  The rope teams ahead of me move higher click photo to enlarge  Entering the Pearly Gates at 11,000 feet click photo to enlarge  Mount Rainier and Mount Adams in the distance click photo to enlarge  A climber negotiates the knife edge Summit Ridge click photo to enlarge  A rope team coming up through the Pearly Gates click photo to enlarge  The Hogsback: From crevasse to Crater Rock click photo to enlarge  White River Glacier as seen from the Hogsback click photo to enlarge  Crater Rock and a deep blue sky at 10,200 feet click photo to enlarge  Coming up on the top of Palmer Snowfield click photo to enlarge  Mount Hood shines in the sun during the descent |