Mount Hood Climb - July 2006

 
This page contains 17 of the pictures I took on my July 16-17 climb of Mount Hood in Oregon. I've added some comments below each of the shots.

My first view of the mountain from Highway 26 a few miles below Government Camp. It looks a bit steeper than I imagined..

Saturday afternoon I check in to the Huckleberry Inn at Government Camp, OR. My room is small, about the size of our breakfast nook, but has two bunk bed pairs. Hard to imagine four people sharing this small space, but I'll bet the teens like it. There are lots of them in the Inn and in town for skateboard, snoboard and ski camps.

Sunday morning I rise at 5am, finish stuffing my pack and put away a breakfast of huckleberry pancakes and scrambled eggs. Then it's off to the Timberline Lodge to join my group.

I am enrolled in a two-day program with Timberline Mountain Guides, which turns out to be a great choice. Everything about the program is well-organized, and our guide, Geoff, is excellent! The first day starts at 7am with a climb from Timberline Lodge at 6,000 Ft to our camp site at 8,500 Ft. The weather is fine, but warm - climbing up past the ski and snoboard schools is a study in contrast.

Here's a shot about half-way to camp with Timberline Lodge and Mount Jefferson in the background. Even with the shared camp gear, my pack feels light at around 40 Lbs. (down from 65 on my training hikes). Of course, the double-plastic mountaineering boots are heavy at 7 Lb. and the crampons add a couple of more pounds to that...

Looking up towards the summit past the ski slopes and the ski/snoboard folk.

Our guide, Geoff, and me at the top of the ski slopes.

We reach our camp site after about 4 hours of steady uphill hiking. This shot looks down from the camp site over the ski slopes to the lodge.

Jason, Adam (my fellow climbers) and Geoff pitching the tent.

Snow school - learning the dance steps for steep, snowy slopes. We get a thorough schooling with and without crampons, ice axes and ropes.

Once we set up camp, we begin the tedious process of refilling our water bottles by melting snow. This goes on throughout the afternoon until the sun could no longer provide enough energy to melt the snow.

Snow school winds up around 5pm, and we have a chance to rest and talk before dinner. We enjoy a great meal at 6:30; couscous with salmon and green pepper, artisan olive bread and green mint Milano cookies for dessert. Hot spiced apple cider complete the meal and takes the chill off as the sun fades into evening.

Although the day has been calm, a brisk wind comes up as we bed down at 8pm for some pre-climbing rest. It would last throughout the night, flapping the tent and dislodging the anchors so the tent gradually closes in on us.

We awake at 1am and dress for the final push - still battered by the steady winds. "Breakfast" is substantial; blueberry bagels with cream cheese, double-portions of (instant) oat meal and hot cocoa to wash it down.

At 2:15am we set off for the summit. The snow has frozen hard overnight (good news) so we strap on our crampons at the camp. The first pitch isn't too steep, so we stow the ice axes on our packs and start with the hiking poles.

At 4:25am we reach a small saddle (at 10,500 Ft) between the "easy" pitch and the final, steeper slope to the summit ridge. We drop the packs, have a snack and break out the ice axes, climbing harnesses and ropes.

Geoff points out the lights of Portland and several smaller cities and towns in the darkness below us.

During the longer breaks I add a down parka beneath my climbing shell. While climbing all I need beneath the shell is some long underwear and a tee-shirt. Temperatures are moderate, no lower than the upper 30's (without the wind chill).

Mount Hood is seismically active, and there are several sulphur-spewing vents near the saddle where we have our break. The fumes are with us most of the way up to the summit ridge.

We climb steadily for another hour and a half. The upper snow field gives way to a narrow chute filled with harder ice over frozen, rocky ground. This final pitch is the steepest portion of the climb and it's a great relief to poke my nose over the crest of the summit ridge.

A quick stroll along the ridge brings us to the actual summit just before 6am.

The sun is rising and Mount Hood casts a long shadow over fog-shrouded hills and valleys far below.

Here's my trophy shot at the summit, 11,239 Ft, about one vertical mile from our starting point at Timberline Lodge.

Still on the summit, still blowin' in the wind! Geoff gives Jason and Adam some instructions for the descent.

By 7:40am we are back at the saddle between the summit slope and the last snow field down to camp. The sun is finally striking the slope we're on and it's time to break out the glacier goggles once again.

8:30am finds us back at the camp site, still bracing ourselves against the wind. Breaking camp and packing up is a struggle, but taking the tent down is an adventure Geoff handles with practiced ease. An hour later we shoulder the newly-loaded packs and set out on the last leg of the descent. The day has warmed considerably, but it's too much trouble to change clothes so I soldier on in my full gear.

The lower slopes are "mellow" compared to the summit and the snow has softened considerably in the full sun. We have several chances to glissade - a technical term for sliding down the mountain on our backsides. It's great fun and a chance to save some wear and tear on our knees.

We are back at the lodge by 11am. By this time, I could probably wring a liter of sweat out of my clothes and socks. I change quickly and take one more look up the mountain as I stow my gear in the trunk. I finally enjoy the peanut butter and banana sandwich I didn't have time for during the descent.

Here's a look at our overall route, cutting around the boundary of the ski area and up to the camp. The sulphur vents are just behind the large rock to the left of the saddle, half-way between the camp and the summit ridge.

The summit climb, from the camp at lower left to the saddle right of center and then to the summit ridge.

The last pitch of the climb up the steeper snow field and through the chute.