First Attempt on Mt Hood August 23 2010

Matt (center), Lauren (left) and I (right) prepared our gear the night before in Hood River

where we rented a nice 3 bedroom house around 11 pm. We left the house around 11 pm
and started on the trail at the Timberline Lodge around 12:15 am.

We went up the trail to the ski slopes and continued toward the glacier. This part was
not very interesting. However, we then moved up the morraine and reached the glacier
at the foot of Mt Hood. We followed the glacier up to the base of the hogsback, which we
reached around 5 am.

After some rest, we followed the ridge of the hogsback, up to the giant bergschrund, the
large crevasse which forms near the top of a glacier. Upon reflection, we decided to
traverse the crevasse to the right and attempt to summit via the pearly gates.
The initial approach was tricky but not too complicated. However, after ascending more
than 2/3 of the couloir leading to the pearly gates, we came face to face with a very
imposing giant wall of ice covered rocks.

So, we sat and thought, and pondered, wishing to get to the top, which appeared to be
right about this barrier. However, we decided that this wall of ice was too technical for us.
Furthermore, it was nearly 9 am by now, and the temperature started to rise and rocks
started to fall over our heads. One rock hit Matt straight on the helmet while a couple more
hit his right arm. A baseball size chunck hit my ice axe, so we decided it was time to
call it a day. We started descending the couloir, Matt free climbing, and Lauren and I
roped up for safety. We returned to the hogsback ridge.

By the time we reached the base of the hogsback, we could hear and see numerous
rock falls. We then slowly walked back down the glacier, down the morraine and followed
the ski slopes back to the car. Matt walked all the way down, whereas Lauren and I caught
the ski lift for the last mile down the mountain. We ate at the blueox cafe and enjoyed a nice beer.

Lauren and I were so glad to be back down.

More to come when Matt and I attempted the same ascent, but following the 'old chute' left from the hogsback, instead of up the pearly gates.