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kevinglover
Mountain climber
Spokane, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 19, 2018 - 03:37pm PT
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Hi all,
I'm hoping to drive from Spokane to climb Mt. Hood the first weekend of May, if weather and conditions permit.
I have climbed a lot in Washington but have never seen Mt. Hood from any higher up than the lodge. I am bringing an inexperienced partner with me and will make conservative decisions.
I'm hoping some of you who are local to Hood can help me a little with beta on current conditions.
Here's what I understand of current conditions:
1) it's been a low snow year
2) the current surface is a lot of irregular, large, unstable rimey features
3) weather has still been bringing in some snow, with temps mostly below freezing and not a lot of freeze/thaw solidifying of the snowpack up high
Does this sound accurate to anyone who's seen the mountain recently? Any Hood veterans willing to make a forecast of how the mountain will shape up in the next three weeks?
Thanks for information,
Kevin
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clode
Trad climber
portland, or
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Apr 19, 2018 - 03:48pm PT
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I've been up Hood 5 times, none recently. Tried a 6th but turned around at Silcox Hut due to blizzard. There's been a lot of snow recently, with freezing and below temps. No significant thaw-freeze consolidation. But between now and your arrival it could happen. If it doesn't then I'd be wary of avi conditions up high where you don't want to be with a noob whose never worn crampons or done a self-arrest with an ice axe. You could go as far as below Crater Rock and come back if unsure of safety up on Hogsback and above, and still have a good time.
Remember, the summit is optional, return is mandatory!
Oh, and I've never attempted the summit anytime before late May.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 19, 2018 - 04:03pm PT
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Been weeks since the last Hood n00bfest. Trying to talk my niece outta making it her place to learn self-arresting. I might have to do a citizen’s arrest. Her brother, he of the one ascent of Shasta, has her talked into it. His friend is ‘da man’ cause he’s been up it a few times.
What could go wrong?
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kevinglover
Mountain climber
Spokane, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2018 - 04:54pm PT
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Haha. Thanks Healy. Hope you're persuasive. Thanks to you others too.
I'll keep watching the weather, hard to predict the future 3 weeks down the road at this point.
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Apr 19, 2018 - 09:49pm PT
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I've done Hood as early as Feb and as late as June. Less rocks to dodge the earlier you go.
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gunsmoke
Mountain climber
Clackamas, Oregon
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Apr 19, 2018 - 09:55pm PT
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This was a low snow year. However, it's up to normal now. Mt. Hood Meadows ski resort reached 120" of base two days ago, which is probably above normal for mid-April. Timberline ski resort base was at 180" (15') last time I looked. Snow levels should be adequate to keep the loose rock mostly covered through June or beyond.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Apr 19, 2018 - 10:15pm PT
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A post I make every year or two about the weather on Hood as too many people run into trouble with the weather up there, particularly when coming here with a fixed vacation window. You really should take into account both what the weather is going to be for the day of your ascent and also what's lined up out in the Pacific and going to come ashore in the days following your ascent. Failing to account for that has killed more than a few parties who made summit dashes in narrow windows, had something go wrong, but then with multiple weather systems stacked up out to Japan coming in on successive days, there was just no way to mount a rescue.
This winter, I'm hoping folks heading out for a significant alpine adventure will really be looking hard at the incoming weather. To that end, here are some excellent resources which, taken as a whole, make for a pretty good picture of what's headed towards the PNW at any given point in time.
Take note the 'Stormsurfing' site is for surfers, so you have to read through the surfing/wave aspects of what they put out - BUT - these folks carefully watch weather events over the NW Pacific as far out as Siberia and it is well worth paying close attention to what they are saying about incoming storm systems stretched across the northern Pacific.
 Intellicast Pacific Infrared Sat Loop
Stormsurfing - Pacific Storm Forecast
Stormsurfing - North Pacific Surface Pressure and Wind
Stormsurfing - North Pacific Jet Stream Wind and 250 mb Pressure
Intellicast - US Jetstream (better if a strong jetstream isn't sitting directly on top of us)
National Center for Atmospheric Research - Forecasts
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Apr 20, 2018 - 01:11am PT
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hey there say, healyje...
as to this... wow, very good of you!!!
Apr 19, 2018 - 10:15pm PT
A post I make every year or two about the weather on Hood as too many people run into trouble with the weather up there, particularly when coming here with a fixed vacation window. You really should take into account both what the weather is going to be for the day of your ascent and also what's lined up out in the Pacific and going to come ashore in the days following your ascent. Failing to account for that has killed more than a few parties who made summit dashes in narrow windows, had something go wrong, but then with weather stacked up to Japan coming in on successive days, there was no way to mount a rescue in time.
:)
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kevinglover
Mountain climber
Spokane, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 20, 2018 - 06:43am PT
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Healy, awesome advice and a good resource. Thank you.
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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Apr 20, 2018 - 09:00am PT
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Yes... Healy is spot on. We are just getting into the freeze thaw cycle.
The weather will dictate. What route are you planning on doing?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 20, 2018 - 09:09am PT
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The current generation thinks they only need a ‘hoody’ (sp?).
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kevinglover
Mountain climber
Spokane, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 21, 2018 - 09:44pm PT
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GroundUp, thanks for chiming in. I know you're a local expert from lurking around the forums enough.
While I would like to climb the Leuthold Couloir, I don't think I want to take this teenager on that for his first climb. So we will probably stick with the standard south side. Not sure which chute yet, will probably depend on how things look that day.
Your input is appreciated! I'm keeping track of weather but I'll add those really far-out Pacific weather pattern websites that Healy suggested.
Thanks all. Again, I'm trying to set this up to be a good experience for this kid and have a good sense of what conditions and weather risks will look like.
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kevinglover
Mountain climber
Spokane, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2018 - 06:58pm PT
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Hey Mt. Hood experts,
Hoping for some perspectives on avalanche risk this weekend. I haven't seen the current surface, but I'm expecting a pretty firm ice crust. The forecast calls for mild-moderate snow, up to 5 inches, occurring Saturday night through Sunday morning. That's when I was hoping to climb.
I'm thinking the snowpack could be pretty by fairly warm temperatures on Friday leading into colder, wetter weather on Saturday. I'm worried about fresh snow sitting on top of an old (but probably strong) crust. I'm also worried about the fact that a good chunk of the route high up on the mountain occurs on perfect avalanche slope angles.
What do the locals think? What would you be looking for on the mountain as you climb in those conditions?
Is it possible to follow the Hogsback straight up to the base of the Pearly Gates, and miss most of the avalanche slopes?
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john hansen
climber
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Accidents in North America always seems to have a few reports from Mount Hood each year. There were five rescues on Hood just in 08, one involving two incidents at the same time.
Most involve "unable to self arrest" "weather" "fall on snow" "inadequate clothing and equipment" "inadequate navigational skills" .
Or any combination of those.
As long as you are aware of what you are getting yourself into.
Good for you to ask for local advice.
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dh
climber
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Get over to Facebook. There are zillions of posts on Turns All Year, Pacific Northwest Mountaineers, and Washington Alpine Climbing and Ski Mountaineering groups...
People have been doing Cooper, North Face, Leuthold, etc. Conditions seem generally very good. Don't head up unless the forecast is really good. Why bother? It's not worth climbing in a whiteout.
I'll be up there next TU. Weather looks FINE.
Google PNW MM5 and check out their 4 km and 1 1/3 km WRF and MM5 model runs. 3-4 days out; wind, precip, pressure, it's all there.
D.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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From the schrund to the top and down is what, 3 hours? That ain’t a window you need, unless yer a peeping tom. And if you can’t make it back down to Timberline in a whiteout then you should be sterilized to protect the gene pool. It’s a bloody ski run, and barely a blue one at that!
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kevinglover
Mountain climber
Spokane, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 2, 2018 - 12:14pm PT
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Thanks for the perspectives everyone. Kinda looks like we'll be getting snowed and rained on most of Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Not sure that sounds like type 1 fun! We'll see, I'm 50/50 right now.
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