Climbing Mount Hood (Portland, St. Helens, Jefferson: rent, how much, home)

[someportlandian]

Anyone here do that? I was wondering how much time and money would be needed for a summit. I'm looking for something to do next year and think it would be a good way to spend some vacation time. Something I can do with a few people. I don't feel great about joining a team but I understand the necessity.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

If you do it, rent one of the personal locator beams. If you need rescue and don't carry the beacon, you can be billed for the cost of the rescue. Post your route and let someone know when and where you will be.

If you go in the summer, there is one side of the mountain that you can just hike up with no issues.

Don't over-face yourself. I get sick and tired of watching decent, brave, and generous search and rescue teams risk their lives to try to rescue some idiot that thought he was exempt from the laws of gravity.

[PNW-type-gal]

Join this group:

Mazamas | Your Adventure Starts Here | Portland Oregon

at least for the first climb. It's not really something you can do alone if you've never done it.

[Nell Plotts]

Don't climb in the spring and don't let your calendar drive the day of your climb. We have lost several climbers because they were caught in a storm when they had to get the climb done on or by a date certain.

ABSOLUTELY rent a transponder, a cell phone won't do.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by someportlandian

Anyone here do that? I was wondering how much time and money would be needed for a summit. I'm looking for something to do next year and think it would be a good way to spend some vacation time. Something I can do with a few people. I don't feel great about joining a team but I understand the necessity.

I've climbed Hood twice(and summited most of the Cascade volcanoes with the exception of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Jefferson).

The easiest and most popular route is the classic south side route up from Timberline Lodge up to the summit via the Hogsback or Old Chute. It's not technically very hard or demanding during the best conditions---anyone in good shape can do it, but you should have some basic mountaineering knowledge or experience to be safe. Most of the route just follows a straight shot up through the Timberline ski area(you hike under the lifts) until you get to the crater itself(reeks of sulfur) and then hike up the steeper final pitch. This is where most accidents on this route happen, but it's basically like walking up a very, very steep staircase. Most people of the thousands that climb even year just take it slow and careful and ascend and descend without any problems, though there are yearly accidents.

As far as time--you'll need a day off, but really not much more than that for the climb itself. Most people go for an "alpine start"--driving up in the night and beginning the climb around midnight and summiting around dawn--this ensures that the snow is firm for the ascent and not too slushy--usually one returns in mid-morning towards noon(depending on how fast you make it back) and then it's just a big breakfast/lunch and a drive home to take a nap. The peak season for climbing Hood(and the most crowded) is early to mid summer. The easiest time to do it is when there's a good snowpack and clear weather--which can occur throughout the year--but is most likely from like late May to early July. Once the snow melts more, it's more dangerous due to rock fall, which is why people sometimes stop trying to summit in late July/August(but it depends on on total snowpack). It can be very crowded on summer weekends, going on a weekday can be a lot more relaxing. People climb all winter and spring on bluebird days, but if it's your first trip it's not recommended in case unexpected weather systems roll in...

As far as cost--it depends if you're going with a guide service or not. I've never gone with a guide, so I don't know costs for a guided trip. At minimum you need warm clothes, crampons, and hiking boots that work with crampons(I avoid the heavy mountaineering boots), helmet, and an ice axe(all both can be rented from REI or mountain shops). Most people I know, just go with a more experienced friend or find a group going or start with the easier peaks and gain some skills.

The Mazamas climber organization has Mt Hood climbs all summer if you sign up in time, though they're not a guide service, they expect you to have some basic climbing knowledge. They have basic climbing skills courses, though they can be pricey for non-members(to become a member you have to pay a fee and have proof that you've already submitted a glaciated peak in the Cascades). If you're not sure if you're interested in climbing future peaks and just want to climb Hood, then a guide service will provide everything including equipment though I don't know the cost. I'd do some research though because I've seen guides up there leading rope teams that didn't seem to know what they were doing--and an inexperienced rope team is more dangerous than not being roped in at all.

A lot of people summit Mt. Hood with minimal experience, but I'd recommend taking time to learn about using an ice axe and how to self-arrest as well as get used to using crampons at a minimum if you don't have that experience already--even if going with a guide. Crevasse rescue techniques or advanced skills isn't really necessary for the south side of Hood if you go in the prime season(you'll be following a highway of other climbers). It's best to have a snow session to practice using a crampon or ice axe if one has never used them before.

There's also easier peaks than Hood that some novice climbers climb first to build up confidence and experience--Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and South Sister are all volcanoes that are a little more mellow than the top of Hood and all of them are amazing climbs in their own right. Mt. St. Helens is pretty amazing to stare down into the steaming volcanic crater from the rim---and Mt. Adams is a strenuous though not technically difficult climb that provides a good introduction to mountaineering in the Cascades--South Sister can be done with or without snowpack as well and is another massive peak to climb. As well once you climb one of those peaks one can join the Mazamas and then be able to join their group trips.

[crazyme4878]

Deezus--what peak would you suggest as the best nontechnical assent, and which is the easiest technical assent? My boys are interested in mountaineering. We would spring for a guide (or organized group) for at least our first technical assent, but it would good to know what areas to look.

[Nell Plotts]

IMHO you should always go with a group with experienced mountaineering experience and never feel you have to press on. I have watched too many die on Mt. Hood.

THE SURVIVOR The eldest sister of one of my daughter's friends died, the sister of one of my son's friends survived this incident.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

Deezus--what peak would you suggest as the best nontechnical assent, and which is the easiest technical assent? My boys are interested in mountaineering. We would spring for a guide (or organized group) for at least our first technical assent, but it would good to know what areas to look.

I think Mt. St. Helens is probably the most interesting non-technical ascent of the volcanoes in the Cascades just because of the fact that you look down at an active volcano crater at the summit. You have to get a permit in the summer, but it's basically just a long hike over scree once you get to mid/later summer and the snow melts--earlier in the year you hike over over snow but you almost don't even need crampons(though an ice axe or poles helps if there is snow). Likewise climbing South Sister can range from snow-covered to just a long hike depending on if you go later in the summer. South Sister is very similar to other large volcanoes, but it can just be a long family hike if you go in August.

Mt. Adams is different, because the South Climb is more than just a hike in a way, but it's fairly straightforward and not very risky(as long as the weather's good). But it's got a lot of vertical in the climb and it feels pretty long--6,700 ft--and some people camp half way up at 9000 ft, though I just camped at the trailhead campground and woke early to summit in one day. Adams is probably the best peak for a novice mountaineer to get some experience using a crampons and ice axe on a route that isn't really technical--but you get a sense of what it's like to travel over extensive snowfields--and it's the biggest peak in the Northwest one can summit without more experience. So it's a good peak to gain experience on.

Once you get past those, Hood is the logical next step--and it's sort of right at the border between easier to climb and technical. Once you get past Hood in terms of difficulty, you're looking at longer more involved climbs with big snowfields like Baker up to Rainier or smaller peaks that are basically a hike combined with technical rock climbs at the top like Three Fingered Jack or Mt. Washington(a little trickier).

There's also some good non-technical peaks in the southern Cascades like Diamond Peak and Mt. McLoughlin for just hiking up--and if you can make it to Eastern Oregon, the Wallowas have some great non-technical summits.

I'd say that ideally following is a good progression in terms of difficulty for people getting into mountaineering:

Mt. St. Helens or South Sister
Mt. Adams
Then Mt. Hood

Once someone climbs Hood they'll know if they want to move on to more mountaineering or if that was enough for them...

[crazyme4878]

Thank you so much Deezus! What a perfect and succinct summary and progression list. This will help me immensely.

Sorry to the OP for hijacking your thread slightly--I hope you also find the infomation you need.