Summit Mount Hood! This snowy peak towers above Oregon, inspiring climbers and non-climbers alike. It’s glaciated flanks hint at Hood’s notoriously stormy conditions. This makes it both difficult and beautiful to ascend. Climbers come from all over the world to stand on the summit of Mount Hood. Our goal is to help you get there, with a little education, training, and encouragement along the way.
You will meet your guide at the Timberline Lodge, and begin by checking gear and fitting crampons. Outside, on our practice snow slopes we’ll learn footwork, crampon and ice axe technique, rope-systems, and self-arrest. This day is about 4 hours long and gives you an opportunity to practice all the technical skills that you’ll use during your climb. You’ll learn about footwork, how to use your ice axe, and rope-work.
Your climb begins in the middle of the night when you meet your guide at the Climber’s Register. You’ll board a snowcat, which will transport your climbing team up to 8,000 feet on the mountain. We start early because we have 3,500 feet of elevation to cover over a distance of about 3.5 miles to reach the summit of Mount Hood. This is an arduous but rewarding ascent. We aim to reach the summit soon after sunrise and enjoy it for a brief few minutes.
A climb to the Mt. Hood summit by the standard route will include roped climbing in technical terrain on steep slopes of snow and ice. Most people are surprised by how steep and exposed the climbing is. We hope to reach the reward of Oregon’s highest and most iconic peak – the Mount Hood summit – it’s all worth it when you see the view! The descent is just as technical as the climb, which is especially challenging for the top 1,000 feet. It can take 4 to 5 hours to reach the summit and 4 to 5 more hours to get back to the Timberline Lodge.