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Hood Climb - South Route (half and full)

May 11 to May 12, 2024

Coordinator: Noel Tavan

Summit Altitude: 11259 feet
Elevation Gain: 5400 feet
Round-trip Distance: 8 miles
Excursion Time: 12 hours (car-to-car)

From Nicole:

We met at the climber’s cave around 10:30pm to get an early jump on the balmy forecasted temps. After gear checks and excitement from recent climb school graduates in the air, we set off around 11:30pm. Adrian, fighting injury, threw in the towel near Silcox. At the top of Palmer, we regrouped, and three climbers turned back to the car as a “half Hood” for gear trial/injury/illness. The remaining five continued to the summit in colder temps than expected which led to welcome firm and surprisingly uncrowded conditions on the upper mountain. The warm forecast must have scared everyone off. Noel paced us well and we made great time through the Chutes with minimal icefall. After smiles, summit snacks and photos around 7am, we headed back towards Timberline. The first-time climbers quickly learned the optical illusion the parking lot becomes during the slog back from Palmer, never seeming to get closer despite each step (or glissade). Everyone arrived home safe and after 24hrs or so, after the type 2 fun lapsed from the mind, a climber or two even mentioned they would do it again someday.

From Ashis:

Our group of 9 assembled at Climber’s Cave around 10PM only to be welcomed by a large crowd eagerly camping out at Timberline hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights (but alas !!). After gear checks, introductions, and announcing our objectives for the climb, we officially started at around ~11:30 P.M. Conditions were colder than expected (with wind speeds definitely greater than the forecasted 10 mph range). The climb to the top of Palmer was uneventful with conditions gradually getting icier as we gained altitude. The leaders (Noel and Nicole) took turns doing their thing (leading), while the rest rotated through the file getting tips about climbing technique. By the time we reached the top of Palmer, we were short by 4 (Adrian, Gillian, Robert and Tim decided to turn back). The remaining (Noel, Nicola, Aaron, Katie, and Ashis) put on our crampons at Palmer and continued on the slog to Devil’s Kitchen. There were only a handful of climbers ahead of us. We reached Devil’s Kitchen at the stroke of dawn with the wind dropping down to slightly more manageable levels. For the summit push, we skipped Hogsback and Pearly Gates, and instead, crossed over the Hot Rocks and climbed via the Old Chute. Overall, the climbing conditions were good (no serious ice / rock fall) with boot-packs to follow. We reached the summit at ~7:00 A.M. to clear a blue sky and gorgeous views of Mt. Hood’s brothers and sisters. After the customary summit photo session and some refueling, we headed back via the same route. There was marginally higher ice fall during the descent down the old chute (which gave us enough practice to work on our “Ice” shouts). The climb down from Devil’s Kitchen to Timberline was brutal, and demoralizing. Noel, Nicole, and Aaron decided to try their hands (and butts) at glissading while Katie and Ashis focused (rather pointlessly) on outpacing them on foot. Eventually, we made it to the cars at around ~11AM and confirmed that others who had returned at the halfway mark had made it back safely. Mission objectives accomplished:

Everyone was safe

It was mostly fun

There was a lot of learning (at least for the first-timers)


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