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Has anyone been up the Standard South Spur Route recently? Can you drive to the trailhead with all the snow this spring? Has there been enough climbing this year for an established mule trail? - Thanks.

I did it in similar conditions (6-7 mile approach to trailhead). There were cornice warnings and all. The approach was straightforward because you are on a road the whole way except it's very annoying to yoyo between mud and snow drifts for the first mile or so. Snowshoes or skis (especially skis) will be fine. Camp comes quick at the Cold Springs? camp, which will be under snow- that, or you can keep trekking closer to the mountain; it will make for a shorter summit day.
The next day, get an early start and you can snowshoe up the entire mountain. I never once saw a cornice that would present a danger the entire way.
Totally worth it. Just take two days and shoot for good weather w/ stable snow pack.

Thanks Guys (Gals ?). This is very helpful. I had scheduled this weekend as a final tune for Rainier on 6/18 & 19. We've got some newbies with us that we'd like to get on crampons, steeps, and a few thousand feet of elevation before Rainier. Any sugestions? Have any of you been down to Hood this year?

Thanks,

Phil