Where: Cascade Range, Oregon
When: May 2004
Partners: Eiji Sugi, Thomas Slease & Rod C.
Route: South Side (Attempted)
In May 2004, me, Eiji Sugi, Rod C. and Thomas Slease assembled in Government Camp for a bite to eat before settling in bed early for the next day's attempt of Mount Hood. With weather already poor and snowing, visibility low, we didn't have high expectations that even the mountain's easiest route, the Hogsback, would treat us right.
Sleeping rather comfortably on the heated cement of the alcove at Timberline Lodge, we woke with a few other groups nervously deciding whether or not to go for it. Snow was coming down hard, visibility was worse than it had been at bed time, and prospects weren't looking good. But, still, we went for it. The others parties made a feeble attempt and turned around.
We roped up out of concern for losing each other in the blizzard that was beginning. Up, we went...and then day broke - nothing to see but gray.
Although the route is straightforward in clear conditions, we weren't so fortunate, so we stopped to dig out a snow cave to hunker down in while (we hoped) the weather cleared.
Sadly, it didn't. Eventually, we shrugged and collectively decided to head down, a full 1,500 feet below the summit.
Photos by Rod
Mount Hood, An Attempt of Oregon's Highest
