Group Members: Joe Flannery, Jim McGuire and Matt Hamman.
Mt. Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon at 11,239 feet. Reportedly the South Side route of Mt. Hood is the most climbed mountain route in the world, with the exception of Mt. Fuji in Japan. Everyone who has climbed the South Side and passed Devils Kitchen and Hot Rocks knows this is a dormant not a dead volcano.
We met and departed Bend, Oregon around 1 AM. We reached Timberline Lodge around 3:30 AM. As predicted, the wind was gusting near 50 MPH. We took our time leaving the Timberline Lodge climbing shelter after our registration. Our feet touched snow around 4:15 AM. The wind luckily stopped about 20 minutes later. We followed groomed trails to the top of the Palmer Ski Lift (10 6 01 480E, 50 23 397N/8,416 feet (NAD 27)). This is where we put on our helmets and crampons.
Then we ascended the east side (climber’s right) of Crater Rock and up to the Hogback at 10,600 feet. The bergschrund was visible but completely covered with snow. Here we fueled up with food and water. After our break, we ascended the Hogback and traversed climbers' right to the Chute. Once in the Chute, the Pearly Gates were easily seen. We chose the climber’s right gate, which was covered with water ice and nearly 50 degrees vertical. After myself and Matt soloing the gate, we placed pickets and belayed Jim through the gate. This would have been much easier for all with two tools. Finally we reached the summit at 11:15 AM. We easily spent 2 hours route finding and negotiating The Pearly Gates.
At 12:15 PM we descended the much more traveled and easier Old Chute. At 12:45 PM the snow was starting to soften and small chunks of ice were falling from the cliffs above. About 1 to 1:30 PM we passed a group of three from Hood River on the Hogback. I shared with them my concerns of the Pearly Gates. They followed my advice and ascended the Old Chute.
We later learned the female climber of the group was struck by a large chunk of falling ice while descending the Old Chute. She was reported to suffer a traumatic back fracture and some internal injuries. She required an airlift at 10,640 feet and hospitalization at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, OR. We returned to our car by 4:15 pm.
In summary, we had a great climb with very good January weather. We got some unexpected ice climbing at the Pearly Gates. Two tools would have made this easier. I’m glad we brought a rope and pickets. It took us 7 hours from car to top with 2 hours of route finding difficulty and trouble negotiating the Pearly Gates. We were initially ascending at 1,000 feet per hour. It took us 3 hours to descend.