July 1, 2007, North Side Mt Hood
7/1/07
OR Mt Hood
7200
16
Monika, Paul, Adam, Dave and I had a great trip on Hood today. Slept at the Cloud Cap parking lot last night and got going around 4:15 this morning up the Cooper Spur trail. Trail in good condition, sneakers a plus as the trail was snow free to about 8,900. Making good time, but a howling wind whipping around the mountain made it rather unpleasant up on the ridge. Cooper Spur route in really good condition. There is enough snow between the rocks for some good turns. Above the rocks it was a layer of firnspiegel on top of a rather slippery ice layer which would not give good purchase for skiing. We decided as a group against skiing the route because of this layer (should be gone with a couple of high freezing level days). Made the summit some time before 10 am in a howling wind and low visibility (clouds moving up from the S side, summit in and out). A few quick summit shots, strap on the skis, and down sunshine ridge we went. Turned right as early as possible for a nice steep line down to the top of snowdome. Just superb conditions. 800 vertical from end of snow to the car. Back at the car at 12:10 and ready for the long drive back to Seattle. Very enjoyable route and company!!
Nice job! We chatted in the parking lot at Cloud Cap. I was there with Dan (Hefeweisen), and we were on the Sunshine\Snowdome. TR to follow.
The ski conditions on Hood were beyond my July expectations.
-r
The ski conditions on Hood were beyond my July expectations.
-r
Nice report and photos. We climbed to the bergschrund on the south side route before heading down. We considered heading to the top, but headed back due to pretty firm conditions. I agree with Roger, the snow was about as good as it gets on Hood for July. TR forthcoming.....
You guys rock; fabulous view -- of the N. Side -- with the Spur, Eliott Gl. & Snowdome.
Thanks for the awe-inspiring pic.!
Thanks for the awe-inspiring pic.!
Thanks for a great trip Oyvind, Monika, Dave and Adam. Enjoyed getting out with all of you. Here are a few more pics:
The route approach
Monika leading the way
Dave climbing in clouds
more of Dave climbing
Oyvind climbing
Route discussion
Summit Kitty
Summit Nord
Oyvind descent
Monika descent
The Snowdome
Mt Hood
The route approach
Monika leading the way
Dave climbing in clouds
more of Dave climbing
Oyvind climbing
Route discussion
Summit Kitty
Summit Nord
Oyvind descent
Monika descent
The Snowdome
Mt Hood
Thank you so much Paul for the pics :)
And many thanks to all you guys and kickasskitty for a superb trip!! Love doing a circle tour.
Great snow conditions climbing up and down ~ Made that cooper spur route and the Sunshine steepness much easier than I expected.
Very spectacular pictures and route . True ski mountaineering and very impressive. The pictures look like something in the Alps not in our backyard. Thanks for the inspiration. Maybe one day I'll try that when I am brave enough.
Ditto, Scotsmans' comments.
another awesome trek, you guys! keep up the great work!! ;D
author=allyson link=topic=7502.msg30101#msg30101 date=1183860796]
another awesome trek, you guys! keep up the great work!! ;D
Yo yo yo dudes and dudettes, this is my very first post so bear with me here but uhm, I just got done reading Allyson'sboi last trip report and then found this and uhm, I gotta git up there like real fast cuz I wanna drop in off that lip side-a-ways (backward and forward get too much attention) n bust out a 90-spread-eagle-180-to butter landing before I tax that axe........but I'm stuck out here at Evergreen.........soons as I fix my tranny for the fourth time (my truck is too heavy for the racing tranny that I installed but it climbs well for awhile) :'( I'M THERE!!!!!!
Your trip report inspired me to sign up so I could reply. Those were some of the best pictures I've ever seen taken on Mt. Hood. Did you happen to get a glimpse of the Sandy Headwall. I'm still waiting to see a really good trip report on that. Always wondered how it would be skiing it. You guys seem to be pretty knowledgeable about the mountain considering you went up the Spur and decided to come down the Sunshine Route. What do you think of the possibility of skiing the Sandy Headwall?
I've been wanting to ski the Sandy Headwall for six years. I haven't had much luck the few times I've tried it.
The sandy is more difficult to find in condition from what I've seen. I went up there to ski it once, but ended up going down Leuthold's because the snow was just too good to pass up. Routes like that take a few tries and you've got to be willing to put that time and effort in to be safe about it.
I'm sure I would've pounced on it during some window by now if I lived in Portland. It's a little farther off the radar coming from Seattle. I still want to ski the Sunshine Route some day, too - it looks like a nice descent.
Good work, Oyvind and co. Cooper Spur's a fine line, but there's nothing wrong with waiting for primo conditions.
Jason, I thought we did Leuthold because that was our goal that day?
Good work, Oyvind and co. Cooper Spur's a fine line, but there's nothing wrong with waiting for primo conditions.
Jason, I thought we did Leuthold because that was our goal that day?
Well, if I remember Sky, you wanted to do both...that day.
Sounds about right. ;) Memory fails me. Shall we end our chat here? :D
Thanks for the replies about the Sandy. When I lived in Portland, I looked at it all the time from a distance wanting to try it. Did ski from the summit once down West Crater which was a lot of fun. Now I'm stuck in Philadelphia. Tuckerman's ravine is pretty cool though, but like most things East, it bumps up (even in the backcountry).
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