Mount Hood Conditions?

Does anyone have any clue as to current ice/snow conditions on Hood? Looks like there's been a decent amount of precip recently and temperatures have been hovering right around freezing at elevation. Seems like ideal conditions for North face, Ravine, or other ice routes to form up so I've been about making the trek down from Seattle. Anyone have any info?

Bump!

So I made it up to Hood last Wednesday and got up the Cooper Spur. Conditions were really good actually. Good hard neve and ice the whole way with some good mixed variations possible on some heavily rimed rock towards the top. I think conditions will only get better on ice routes on that aspect these next couple weeks assuming we keep up this freeze-thaw cycle. I walked up towards the North Face gullies and took a peek but decided on climbing the CS due to questionable weather. I think the gullies should be good to go though.

bump

Anyone have any interest in Hood this weekend, or at least a scouting mission to check out conditions? I've got a fair amount of Colorado ice and alpine experience, but yet to get out now that I'm in the northwest. Let me know if there's any takers!

Alex

Ben Beckerich wrote: You get pics?? Post, por favor

Sorry I should clarify. I walked about halfway up the Eliot, but lost sight of the gullies just as a ton of fog/rain rolled in and decided to bail on going all the way up to the bergschrund. Instead, I exited the Eliot to the left onto the Cooper Spur. On the CS I found evidence of good freeze/thaw as thick ice crust and rime coated the whole route, and the top 60 meters or so below the summit was reasonably solid alpine ice. Didn't get to preview the gullies up close, was really just making an educated guess that they're in climbable shape based on what I saw on the spur since they're a similar aspect and receive about the same amount of moisture/cold. I do have a couple photos of the rime ice on the spur that I will post, but none of the gullies. Just have to pull them off the phone.

Would love to know if anybody else has been up there lately though!

So I realize these are a bit dated now. But these were taken 11/5/14

Top of the Cooper Spur

View down onto the Black Spider

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Ben Beckerich wrote:What's the last pic? "The Chimney?"

Last pic is rime on the leftside rock from the first pic. Fun easy mixed variation, probably M2-3ish

I've heard that Hood can be climbed all year round with minimal avalanche risk. For those who know the mountain better, is this true?

Thanks Ben. I'm figuring to play it safe, but its good to know that it can be done in winter without unreasonable risk. Obviously conditions will further dictate whether I climb or run away!

Looks like Sunday should a pretty good day weather wise. Anyone interested? Easy south side...

So ended going up yesterday (Sunday 11/30). Beautiful, sunny day. Skinned up to top of Palmer, stashed the skis and crampon'ed up as it was getting icy.
Great neve up to Crater Rock, post-holing through Hogsback, and then again good neve/ice up the Old Chute.
We made it to the top of the Old Chute ridge, but from there we couldn't cross over to the actual summit because of big sketchy ice formations on the ridge.
We saw/heard several ice blocks falling, but nothing on the route itself. Pearly Gates did not look great as far as I could tell, as it was blocked by ice.

Some pics for better view of conditions.

Crater Rock, from Schrund
From the top of the Hogsback, looking back towards Crater Rock, South West

Crater Rock, from Schrund 2
Same, but looking South East

Pearly Gates
Looking at Pearly Gates, from top of Hogsback

Pearly Gates 2
From middle of Hogsback, looking towards the Berschrund

Thanks Ben, I've actually been up through the Mazama Chute once as well, last May. It looked blocked this time, though it may be that I wasn't looking at the right place, things look quite different season to season. I'll look more carefully next time.