July 4, 2005, Lower Cooper Spur
7/4/05
3172
3
On the way back to Seattle from a few days in Bend, I planned to stop in at Mt Hood for a go at Cooper Spur. I'd never been on that side of Hood before. Originally I'd hoped to meet other folks there, but they changed their plans to something more local that starts with "M".
I found Cloud Cap road, which was horribly bumpy, and followed it to the trailhead. I left the TH sometime past 8am (I lost a bit of time when I had to run back to the sign at the TH to look at the map, after arriving at a confusing trail junction - yes, I was a poorly prepared person)
It was a quick hike to treeline and up to Cooper Spur. There was an array of activity on the mountain, especially on Snowdome (looked nice), and the Elliot Glacier. Millions of bugs too.
I think I made it to about 10400ft on the Spur, before turning around due to concern about the slushy conditions and rockfall and being alone (only had one rock come down near me, but it was big and fast). It was around noon, perhaps a little late to be climbing this. The steepest and rockiest stuff was still above me. I thought I still had 1500 or 2000ft to go before the summit - if I'd known it was only 800ft, maybe I would have gone for it?
The snow on the Spur was a little bumpy with wind-ridges, but soft enough that it didn't matter. Despite the slop, it seemed really stable and the turns were really nice. I skied down to ~7000ft with a few carries, but the last 1500ft was really nasty hard unworthy runnelled brown snow.
This place has such easy trail access (I wish I could say as much for the road - it was a "nasty hard unworthy runnelled brown road").
I found Cloud Cap road, which was horribly bumpy, and followed it to the trailhead. I left the TH sometime past 8am (I lost a bit of time when I had to run back to the sign at the TH to look at the map, after arriving at a confusing trail junction - yes, I was a poorly prepared person)
It was a quick hike to treeline and up to Cooper Spur. There was an array of activity on the mountain, especially on Snowdome (looked nice), and the Elliot Glacier. Millions of bugs too.
I think I made it to about 10400ft on the Spur, before turning around due to concern about the slushy conditions and rockfall and being alone (only had one rock come down near me, but it was big and fast). It was around noon, perhaps a little late to be climbing this. The steepest and rockiest stuff was still above me. I thought I still had 1500 or 2000ft to go before the summit - if I'd known it was only 800ft, maybe I would have gone for it?
The snow on the Spur was a little bumpy with wind-ridges, but soft enough that it didn't matter. Despite the slop, it seemed really stable and the turns were really nice. I skied down to ~7000ft with a few carries, but the last 1500ft was really nasty hard unworthy runnelled brown snow.
This place has such easy trail access (I wish I could say as much for the road - it was a "nasty hard unworthy runnelled brown road").
Cooper Spur is funny that way. All the 'business' comes in the top several hundred feet, after a little traverse that puts you over some huge exposure. And Mt Hood sure does throw a lot of rocks.
How did the NF Gullies and the Sunshine Route look Phil?
How did the NF Gullies and the Sunshine Route look Phil?
NF Gullies each had a big runnel and two cliffs. Didn't look like there was "much point" to skiing them - they aren't particularly prominent features, really just (currently) undesirable parts of the face they live on (which still looked good and smooth on the looker's left), which shares the upper few hundred feet with Cooper Spur. Don't think the upper part of the face will last too much longer with these warm temps though. It was a lot more melted out than in Jeff H's photo from a few weeks ago.
Sunshine route looked ok, I ran into a pair that skied/boarded it that day.
Sunshine route looked ok, I ran into a pair that skied/boarded it that day.
Nice solo effort, Phil. I was hoping you could have made it up to Maude, but it sounds like you had a good day nonetheless. I think the Spur is a fun route. When I did it eight years ago, it was also quite sloppy (although my skis were only about 62mm underfoot at the time). You also allude it being windy. Never have I been more worried about losing my footing due to wind as I was that morning! I remember thinking that the skis could have actually been pulled off my pack.
Disclaimer: This was earlier in my "career", and in retrospect, I was maybe a bit in over my head at the time.
Disclaimer: This was earlier in my "career", and in retrospect, I was maybe a bit in over my head at the time.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: