July 14, 2006, Snow Dome, Mt Hood
7/14/06
OR Mt Hood
2889
5
Snowdome proved to be well worth the drive from the Southern Willamette valley on Friday. I met up with Todd, and we spent the night at Cloud Cap Thursday night. The hike in the next morning went rather quickly, and there was only 2 other people around (a nice couple from Hood River). Todd and I crossed a snow bridge below the Elliot Glacier and gained the main ridge leading to the dome.
We reached the top of the dome (~ 9300 ft) around 10:45, with only a few crevasses showing on the way up (to the climber's right). A few smaller openings were starting to show as well. The ride down the dome was fun, but a bit bumpy with all things considered. Rider's left was a littler nicer, but watch out for the crevasse on the way down. Where the trip turned from good to awesome was when we entered the Langille Bowls ;D The snow didn't seem to be cupped and was sweet corn. In fact, the snow was better down lower than up high.
We rode to within 50 feet of the Timberline trail with only one small traverse over some talus between snowdome and the Langille Glacier. We hiked out the T-Line trail and crossed the Elliot drainage on the normal trail on a large snow bridge that will probably last for another week or two (if not longer). The hike down to the snow bridge was sketchy with the trail being washed out. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. All in all it was 3500 vertical feet in the middle of July - not bad ;)
We reached the top of the dome (~ 9300 ft) around 10:45, with only a few crevasses showing on the way up (to the climber's right). A few smaller openings were starting to show as well. The ride down the dome was fun, but a bit bumpy with all things considered. Rider's left was a littler nicer, but watch out for the crevasse on the way down. Where the trip turned from good to awesome was when we entered the Langille Bowls ;D The snow didn't seem to be cupped and was sweet corn. In fact, the snow was better down lower than up high.
We rode to within 50 feet of the Timberline trail with only one small traverse over some talus between snowdome and the Langille Glacier. We hiked out the T-Line trail and crossed the Elliot drainage on the normal trail on a large snow bridge that will probably last for another week or two (if not longer). The hike down to the snow bridge was sketchy with the trail being washed out. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. All in all it was 3500 vertical feet in the middle of July - not bad ;)
Nice report and nice meeting you at the trail head. What a good day to be on Snowdome with almost no one else 'cept us Eugene folk. Is it just me, or did that road seem even more jarring on the way out?
Buck,
It was nice meeting you and Evan at the Trailhead. That road ranks right up there with some of the rougher roads I've been on. The way out did seem a little rougher............hopefully we'll cross paths again out on the slopes ;)
Matt
It was nice meeting you and Evan at the Trailhead. That road ranks right up there with some of the rougher roads I've been on. The way out did seem a little rougher............hopefully we'll cross paths again out on the slopes ;)
Matt
author=stoudema link=topic=5127.msg21549#msg21549 date=1153149728]
That road ranks right up there with some of the rougher roads I've been on.
Oh - it use to be a bit worse! They resurfaced the upper section in, I think, the summer/fall 2004. Prior to then the entire way was as bumpy as the lower section.
Nice photos/report! Hope it stays nice for August.
It seems like there were several sections with some relatively new 3/4-minus gravel, but my poor car hates me right now because of the rest of it. I'm trying to talk it into one more trip up there this weekend, but I don't know. I'll probably do it with a case of fix-a-flat.
I'm still jonesin' for more of the Langille bowls. That was the best overall ski trip of my life.
Yeah, Buck, it was really cool meeting you guys. Hope we cross paths again, sometime.
I'm still jonesin' for more of the Langille bowls. That was the best overall ski trip of my life.
Yeah, Buck, it was really cool meeting you guys. Hope we cross paths again, sometime.
I'd go back if I could, especially since I did not do the bowls. Unfortanately I'm off to Michigan for 10 days. I'm hoping I can find some reasonable early August turns when I get back. Give a shout if you guys are ever looking for more folks for Oregon turns and I'll do the same.
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