Timberline lodge
Portland, Oregon was the location for this year's CVPR conference which I was lucky enough to attend for work. Arriving on Friday afternoon and having Saturday free, I decided to go on a bit of an adventure. The most obvious objective from Portland is Mount Hood, the highest mountain in Oregon at 3,429 metres and one of the most climbed glaciated peaks in the world. It is usually climbed from the Timberline Lodge ski area. Timberline Lodge was used for the exterior shots of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining and is certainly an atmospheric place.
With no partner, the only option was to book a guide. Unfortunately, the guides for Mount Hood get booked up far in advance, especially on a Saturday. So looking for other options, I found an introduction to ski mountaineering course, also run on Mount Hood. The guy I spoke to said a descent from the summit of Mount Hood would only be possible with some experience of steep backcountry descents. When I met my guide John Mackinnon (ancestors from Skye – good stock for a mountain guide!) he was up for heading to the summit on the basis we could down climb if I didn't like the look of the descent.
Sulphur steaming out of the ground
After a leisurely start, we were at the top of the chairlifts for 9am. The first few hundred metres of ascent gave an opportunity to practice steep skinning technique (difficult where icy!) before we switched to crampons. Flat foot technique in ski boots is tricky but front pointing is brilliant as the boots are so rigid. Mount Hood is volcanic so once at the crater rim, sulphur spews from the ground giving a pretty grim smell. Combined with the altitude, the effect makes you pretty lightheaded!
The narrows on the final slopes to the summit
From the crater, the slopes to the summit are about 45 degree snow with a short icy gully to finish (lots of other steeper options are available to the right). The views from the summit were incredible with a perfect inversion and lots of the other cascades visible including Mount Jefferson, Mount Rainier and Three Sisters. We took 3 hours from the top of the chair lift to the summit but that was in perfect weather and on skis. It felt about the same as a typical munro in winter but with the added effect of altitude and as the whole peak is glaciated, potentially crevasses. The climb is no more than Scottish grade I.
Mount Hood summit
Now just the small matter of skiing back down! We put skis on and sideslipped the narrows at the top (I'm sure gnarlier skiers would have straight-lined it!) As soon as the first turn was out of the way, the perfect corn snow made for brilliant skiing.
About to make the first turn on the descent
John recommended an even steeper section (around 50 degrees) leading to the zig zag glacier. After lots more side slipping and some attempts at jump turns, we emerged onto the zig zag glacier to find acres and acres of untracked perfect snow. Miles of hero turns followed with the snow holding out all the way back to the car park.
The steepest part of the descent
What a brilliant way to spend midsummers day!
We skied from the summit to the point I took this photo!