5/30/2008, Mt. Hood Summit Mazama Route, White River Glacier

The endless winter on Mt. Hood has made it tough to hit the weather windows, but when presented, fine conditions are available!  Warmer weather has finally turned the snow to corn , with occasional windpack.  This day appeared perfect for my first summit descent in over a decade.  My crevasse burial in 1991 (see upcoming post) and a broken ankle in 1998 did a good job detouring me for awhile...

I will admit to riding the Palmer Chairlift, since I had the opportunity...  Snow conditions were firm so I did not need to use skins.  It was a beautiful climb with a little hoar frost making the snow sparkle.  There was no wind and I was soon down to my t-shirt for climbing.  I was prepared for the summit, but was afraid that it would get too warm.  It took me a couple hours to reach the hogsback 700' below the top.  The Hogsback has drifted westward in the last couple years creating a little more exposure (it appears) to the standard south side route.  The main track followed the Mazama Route to the west where climbers were descending.  Most years, the Mazama Route veers off the South Side Route just below the bergschrund, but today it dropped into the crater off the lowpoint of the hogsback, into some hot rocks and clay.  About 100' across the hot spot and the route was back on snow to the top.  

Although everybody was warning me on the way up that it was getting soft, my poles were only sinking an inch or two, so I was cautiously optimistic for a good run.  Seventeen years ago, my mountaineering took a huge setback as I was buried 20' down, under 4-5' of snow and ice, in the bergschrund 100' to my east.  That day, the snow really was soft, and I turned back a half hour too late.  I will share that story later.

As I reached the summit ridge, I detoured west off the track and ventured onto smooth, hard corn that wasn't close to softening.  Changing from ski poles to my axe, I remembered the feeling from so long ago, being alone and one with the mountain.  The last climbers were below me, and it was time for a re-acquaintance with an old friend.   The last chute promised perfect conditions with untracked corn, just a few hundred feet above the freezing level.

When I reached the top, it was time for reflection and some rest.  I spent about an hour looking down on Yocum and Cathedral Ridges, remembering other great trips.  There were no tracks across the fresh snow of the west summit, providing extra points for my wilderness adventure.  

A little anxiety pushed me off the top sooner than days past, but today, I wanted to celebrate my ski trip as much as the summit.  I carefully clipped on my skis and poled out onto the west summit chute.  The chute is about 20' wide for the first 50' and about 35-40 degrees.  In good conditions, no big deal.  As I rolled my edges into the snow, I could hardly wait for the feedback before diving into my first turn.  A couple edge sets and pole plants later, I could hardly believe what I was feeling and dove in for the first turn!

The first turn was as good as you can ask for 10' off the summit.  Another turn reinforced the feeling and I kept going- my grin from ear to ear.  A climber with skis below appeared and I let out a woop to share the moment.   I stopped to visit and he mentioned possibly skiing Sandy Headwall.  (See Dan's post before mine.)  The excellent conditions seemed perfect for the route.  I had skied it in 1987 in similar snow.  I told him we did not ski it until 5 or 6:00 for the sun to soften it up and we still made it up Reid Glacier before total darkness.  We exchanged comments and I was off.

My normal route down would have been down the West Crater Rim to Hawkins Cliffs, but even in the perfect conditions i felt it would be better to take the easier way down via the hogsback and Devils Kitchen.  I traversed around Crater Rock to a favorite rest spot and checked in on my phone- since I could not get it to work on the summit.  A voicemail from my sweetheart, Sandi, confirmed at least my Spot Locater had confirmed my summit to a few friends.  It was the first time someone called me about reaching the summit.  

Two other voicemails from friends, who were not as motivated as I was, asking for my location and a rendevous.  Matt Stember was about an hour below, and I was glad to wait, basking in the sun and euphoria of my first ski descent in too long!  Another buddy, Rick Mitchell got to Timberline too late and was hiking from the parking lot, 4.000 feet below, but I assured him we would save a little of the celebration for him if he kept coming.

Waiting for Matt, I studied White River Glacier below.  Deep early season crevasses were stretching across beautiful lines, but only enough to make the trip interesting.  My eyes followed the snow lines to about 7,500' to an exit to the ridge which would be a good meeting point.  When Matt arrived, we shared some stories, and took off to explore!  

We entered White River from the top about 10,000' and skied corn snow 1-2" deep down the face westof Steel Cliffs.  In the bottom we found a few gloves and a bunch of wands, taken by the mountain, for someone's carelessness.  I though I should probably come back in another month, maybe I'd find more!  (BTW if you are missing a glove, let me know!)

We skied around a few crevasses in the middle section, opened it up for the middle, then strated traversing the big shady walls to gain the ridge and our route down.  Once on top, back in the sun, we mwt up with Rick and shared more good times!  A tight line along the ridge, between crevasses, cornices and rocks and we crossed to the plateau between Salmon River and White River, before crossing Salmon River canyon to the old lot at Timberline.  The conditions were near perfect all the way to the lot- I'm not sure I have ever had 5,200 vertical so consistent.

It is snowing again today, a week later.  Eight inches of new at the lodge promises another round of untracked up high.  See you there!

Happy trails!~~~~~~~~~