Trip Report Mt. Hood

Trip Report | Mt. Hood

Mt. Hood, Oregon State High Point with 11,249 ft. The south side of this extinct volcano is still a little bit "hot". Steam vents and fumaroles are found along the normal climbing route in the crater area. That ads a bit smell to the climbing experience and reminds the climber that mother earth is still cooking below our feet.

I had some particular reasons to climb this peak, one of them is, Hood is such a beautiful mountain when seen from the north side.

This trip report is just a short summary of a beautiful climbing and ski day in June, I will let the pictures tell most of the story. That day I started late from home, arrived at the Timberline Lodge at about 8AM, but I was in no hurry, I cheated a little bit and bought a lift ticket for the Palmer lift. The ride with this chairlift catapults you in a few minutes to 8500 feet elevation. This leaves you with only 2749 feet elevation to go and reach the summit. I carried skis with me so the descent back to the car was a joy. Snow conditions that day were perfect for a ski ride straight from the summit. I climbed and skied the Mazama route.

^ South side just above Palmer lift, view into the crater

^ approaching the Hogsback

^ steam vents at the Hogsback, Crater Rock

^ Summit Plateau, view to the west

^ Yours truly on the summit

I summited before noon, met a German fellow at the top, climbing solo as well. One other skier reached the summit a little later, we started chatting and decided to ski back down together. Snow conditions allowed a ski descent right from the summit ridge down into the old chute. The snow was perfect for that steep part, a little further down sugar coated rime ice had to be mastered, but only for a few hundred vertical feet and the snow changed into superb summer corn.