Home > Trip Reports > June 14 Mt. Hood Circumnavigation

June 14 Mt. Hood Circumnavigation

6/15/08
OR Mt Hood
6433
9
Posted by Dale Crockatt on 6/19/08 8:57am
Ralph Weary, Todd Wells, Paul Klein, Joel Persell, Wes ?, and I skied from Illumination Rock Saddle west down Reid Glacier towards Yocum Ridge about 9am.  Reid Glacier was shaded and frozen.  We carefully sideslipped off the saddle, getting a feel for the snow and our skis. Traversing north to a rock outcropping gave us a safe view to see the glacier better and look for crevasses. 

Ralph and I had skied around before and were familiar with the terrain.  For the rest, it was their first time on this part of the mountain and they took advantage of the early descent to explore a little out onto Yocum Ridge.  Todd and I skied the fall line to the top of the icefall area to check a line off Yocum.  The north route down Reid, off Yocum was broken by a crevasse.  It was probably navigable, but we directed everyone around it to keep our trip moving.

Gaining Yocum Ridge by the €œTerrible Traverse€ exit between two cliff bands was fairly easy- only skiing through softening frozen snowballs, instead of the avalanche runnels that usually cover this face.  Once we got off the face, we zigzagged through rocks that had melted out a month before, but filled partially with the last snow.  Taking our skis off for the worst part we reached Sandy Glacier, where we traversed under the Sandy Headwall to the south side of Cathedral Ridge.  We chose an exit chute up the ridge higher than I had taken the last four trips, but I had looked at it from the summit a couple days before and knew it was a good option.   

The snowdrift across Cathedral Ridge and Glisan Glacier is a scenic walk that is reached by few.  The heat of the day was arriving and watched a cantaloupe sized rock fly by us.  Walking north we reached Ladd Glacier where we kept a high traverse crossing above Barrett Spur and across Coe Glacier.  We climbed a couple hundred feet again to another exit chute with a little rock scrambling to reach a favorite ski area, the Snow Dome.  The new guys had skied this area and beyond, before from below, so we all were familiar with the rest of the route around.

Climbing Snow Dome to an access onto middle Eliot Glacier where we took an easy traverse to the west side of Cooper Spur.  The lower exit had melted out too much making an inefficient line.  Wes and Paul were making great time and were able to scout a line across a crevasse band with only about a thigh high hop up to the top side of the crevasse on the 45 degree slope.  They cowboyed up a 50+ degree pitch of frozen snow kicking one inch deep toe steps - Wes with no crampons. 

As I said most of the trip, I could make anything look tough that the young guys made look easy.  I was happy to take the long, easy way up the ridge, but I knew this was shorter.  Ralph and Joel stayed back with me for moral support and I huffed and puffed up this last pitch.  I knew this would be the last pitch before the long traverse home.  When we reached the ridge, we celebrated with another short climb to a rock outcropping at 9,300€™. 

Paul and Wes wanted to complete the circuit and stayed high across Newton Clark Glacier to White River Glacier.  The rest of us took an easy line across, reaching a large avalanche that had just recently slid off below the Wyeast face.  We skied Super Bowl to Heather Canyon in excellent corn.  An occasional €œwhump€ from the snowpack, kept us on alert.  We skied to the Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot, and drove back to Timberline where we were me by Paul and Wes who beat us back.   

The heavy snows this year made the glacier travel easy, but the ridges never accumulated the snow of the glaciers.  The ridge crossings are easier if the trip is done earlier in the season, by the end of May, or before the first major heat wave- also eliminating avalanche runnels and debris.
Thanks for the great TR and photos of the route.

The number of volcanoe circumnavigations this year is getting ridiculous.  I think I'll try Glacier Peak this weekend; in one day of course ;D.  Very nice collage of images, by the way!

author=Boot link=topic=10394.msg42008#msg42008 date=1213933064]
The number of volcanoe circumnavigations this year is getting ridiculous.  I think I'll try Glacier Peak this weekend; in one day of course ;D.  Very nice collage of images, by the way!


Careful :). You might've just stumbled on a good idea ;).

Nice work!  good pics of the area...not familiar with it, so it gives great perspective.

Dale,

Way to get after it!

Wish I could have been there as I've never been on the west side of Hoodie that high.

Thanks for the excellent report and photo's

Jim

I have skied around clockwise five times now since 1979- I wish it was more, and other mountains.  I have heard of much shorter trips counter-clockwise.  I am very interested in a description of the counter-clockwise route if someone has one!  But then there is nothing like just going out and figuring it out for yourself...  The circumnavigations provide an experience above any summit I have reached and skied.

Dale,

I remember your buddy Steve the Silcox host telling a few tales of wintertime counter-counterclockwise traverses. Don't know if he ever reads or posts here or not.

Jim

Awesome!

glad you got it in good condition.

Aloha Dale, and All you friends of Mt. Hood climbing and skiing.
Please allow me to introduce myself. I came to Hood from Northern Michigan in "74 and met Dale Crockatt at Timberline Lodge. He is the man, no brag, just fact.  We did the high route around Mt. Hood twice in the late "70s. Once on on a day trip, and once with a bivouac. More later. Stay tuned. I've got a lot of stories, but all my pictures are ancient technology.
Thank you,
St. Alphonso

Reply to this TR

5377
june-14-mt-hood-circumnavigation
Dale Crockatt
2008-06-19 15:57:21