Mount Hood - South Side (4/22-23/2006)

This weekend, under clear sunny skies, while enduring gale force winds and temperatures ranging from the mid 40s down to the low 20s, I teamed with ten climbers from the Peninsula Wilderness Club to summit a mighty volcano, Mount Hood (11,235 ft), the tallest point in Oregon state. The total elevation gain for this climb was approximately 5300 feet.

Approaching Mount Hood from the South Side (Palmer Glacier/ snow field), we established a high camp at 9000 feet on Saturday afternoon, commenced climbing Sunday morning at 0630, and gained the summit (at different times) between 0930 and 1030.

Establishing high camp was no trivial pursuit. After a long climb from trailhead, armed with saws, shovels, and ice axes, we began chopping a series of ledges out of stubborn ice and snow of the steeply sloping Palmer Glacier for use as tent platforms. Although this was hard work, especially since it proceeded an arduous trudge (the approach), I welcomed the product of this effort - an area to shelter us from the high winds that thrashed us relentlessly.

Erecting our sturdy 4-season tents was also challenging. Extra diligence in guying out the tent stakes, deadman style, paid off - none of our tents blew away during a night that treated us to a form of wind-on-tent fabric noise that closely approximated a Boeing 747 on take-off.

The route to the summit was mystical in a way that is unique to Mount Hood. As the pictures below attempt to relate, landmarks on Mount Hood loom large and are captivating. The pictures follow our route up the volcano, up the Palmer snow field, past Illumination Rock, further up to Crater Rock, Devil's Kitchen (and the ever present fumeroles), up the steep Hogsback ridge, through the chute left of the Pearly Gates, then finally to the volcano's summit.

Surprising to me was the intensity required just to get off of the mountain after summitting. Breaking camp became an event that occurred at warp speed, no relaxing affair, let me assure you. Under gale force winds, tents were taken down, gear hastily gathered, and backpacks stuffed, AND WE PROCEEDED WITH ALL DUE SPEED to get off the mountain. Pausing every 20 or 30 seconds to brace myself against winds that would otherwise surely blow me over, I finally made it back to the Timberline Lodge parking lot where, for the first time that day, I could finally relax. This was a very intense climb, beginning to end, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Please see the pictures below.
Note on picture size: Click on picture for LARGER view.

The Approach To South Side of Mt Hood 


High Camp (9000 ft) 


View From High Camp 


Rugged Ridge Near Camp 


Illumination Rock 


Palmer Glacier 


Summit Scape 


Steel Cliffs 


Fumerole At Crater Rock 


Preparing To Climb Hogsback 


Climbing The Hogsback 


Ascending The Left Chute 


Paul Gains Summit (11,235 ft) 


Summit Ridge Windblown Spindthrift 


Summit Ridge Windblown Spindthrift 


Descent Route View 

Mount Ellinore-Olympic Nat'l Forest (3/25/06)

Today I teamed up with eleven hikers from the Peninsula Wilderness Club to climb Mt Ellinore (5944 ft) in the Olympic National Forest.

Three of our team, myself on snowshoes and two cross country skiers, climbed halfway up the chute (5650 ft), assessed the avalanche risks (see snow pit pic below), decided the risk was unacceptably high, and aborted any further attempt to climb higher.

Everyone enjoyed the fantastic sunny day and we all appreciated the rigorous workout and wonderful scenary.

Heavy snow accummulation on the road prevented us from driving up to the Lower Ellinore trailhead. This added about a 30 minute hike to the frontend of our trek. To prevent frequent, deep postholing, snowshoes or crosscountry skis were appreciated greatly by those so equipped, although everyone was able to progress to at least the bottom of the chute.

Our route from parked cars took us up the snow covered forest road, to a location 20 minutes hike beyond the lower trailhead, where we veered from the road, off to the left, up a snow bank, gaining a hogsback ridge that led to the start of the Upper trailhead. From there we mostly followed the standard Winter route to the base of Ellinor's chute (and beyond).

The pictures below start with views of "A" Peak (and me), taken from the upper trailhead. Following this are scenic pictures taken from various places on the Chute (the base or halfway up) and also a picture of the Chute itself.

I have included a picture of the snow pit, dug by a PWC skier, that we evaluated for avalanche potential. And lastly, there is a wildlife picture of of one of our many lunchtime companions.

Note: Click picture for LARGER view.

View of "A" Peak From Upper Trailhead (Paul Shown) 


"A" Peak 


Puget Sound & Hood Canal (View from Ellinore Chute) 


Lake Cushman (View from Ellinore Chute) 


The Chute 


Snow Pit Dug Halfway Up Chute 


Looking Toward Top of Chute 


Lunchtime Companion 

Hurricane Hill - Olympic Natl Park - 3/19/2006

Today, joined by nine other Kitsap Climbers, we snowshoed up to the summit of Hurricane Hill (5757 ft) in Olympic National Park (ONP).

Although we originally intended to climb Steeple Rock, it was so heavily corniced that, for safety sake, we reverted to plan "B" and climbed Hurricane Hill.

If you couldn't join us then you will have to trust me when I describe this as among the most beautiful, sunny days I have expierenced on the Hill.

To add to our enjoyment and our great surprise, as the overwhelming majority of our group donned snowshoes and began this trek, two of our crew jumped out ahead of the pack wearing skis and began performing ski-like acrobatics :-). I hear that Cirque du Soleil is accepting applications - our skiers would appear to be prime candidates.

The pictures below start with a view of the corniced ridge that our route paralled as it meandered up toward the steep, wide slope of Hurricane. Following this are pictures taken as we approached the summit. We were gifted with views of snow-encrusted, sculpture-like trees near the summit and another beautiful ridge. From the summit there were views of Mt Angeles, Unicorn Peak, Mt Olympus, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Shown below are some of my favorite pictures taken during the trek.

Note: Click picture for LARGER view.

Corniced Ridge (center) 


Climbing Hurricane Hill 


Ridge With Snow Encrusted Trees 


Mt Olympus 


Unicorn Peak 


Mt Angeles 


Tree Sculptures 


Tree Sculptures2 


Hurricane Hill Summit (Kitsap Climbers) 


Hurricane Hill Summit (Paul) 

Deer Park

Today I snowshoed up to Deer Park along the snow covered Deer Park Road. Starting at the closed Olympic National Park (ONP) gate, I hopped over the gate and trudged to within a half mile of the ranger station in Deer Park.

It was a beautiful day for a snowshoe through this part of ONP. All together I had three deer bolt in front of me, stepped over, around, or ducked under 21 downed trees, and even took a few pictures as I gained 3100 vertical feet on this marathon 15 mile roundtrip trek.

On this solo trek I didn't see another human the entire time; I had this portion of the park completely to myself. It was an arduous, exhausting route with one lasting physical side effect - I lost 4 pounds.

Shown below are some of my favorite pictures taken during the trek.

Note: Click picture for LARGER view.

View of Ridge From Trail1 


View of Ridge From Trail2 


Deer Park Trail Snowshoe Tracks (Mine)