Hey guys, I am planning to climb Mount Hood in mid Aug. 2010. Do I really need a guide? or is a easy route to follow? I have my GPS always, and use it well.
what you guys think about the climb at that time of the year?

Also, the same week I want to climb Boundary Peak in Nevada, but planning to sleep on top if weather permits. This is going to be my third time on Boundary, but I really would like to see the sunset and sunrise from top of it.
Crazy thought but is something I always wanted to do. What you think guys? please, send me your responses....

That's fairly late for Mt. Hood. Although it can be done, its should require a little more experience then needed for the normal window of time that climbers use. May/June. The major concern is the amount of rock fall that one will encounter. Since its late, all the snow is melting, and rocks are plentiful. I climbed it late July last summer, and it was pretty bad. The normal route not the route you would want to do late in the season. (the last section of it at least) The Hogs back is going to be un passable because the Bergschrund will be opened. Besides, there's way to much rock fall through the that section anyway.




See the huge open bergsrund above my helmet? And that's late July.

I don't know how skillful you are, so I'm not going to say you should or should not go, but just a warning, its a bad time of year to climb, and hopefully you can draw some more conclusions from fellow SPers on here.

I agree with Hotoven- about a month earlier would be much better. If you do attempt, and the conditions allow a summit, it might need to be via the old crater variation on the left of his photo- but rockfall is going to be an issue there too as you traverse left.

As far as if you need a guide or not, I would think anyone competent would not get lost, but if you need one it would depend on your skills and experience on this kind of terrain. It might be interesting to look into it yourself- see if any guides are willing to plan to take you that time of year and what they say about the season.

If the weather is good a night on boundary could be quite nice. I can not remember if there are nice flat areas, but you've been so perhaps you do.

(edited last sentence for typos)

All the above posts, including route info, are pretty spot-on in their accuracy. Go earlier, if you can, if you can't, you might want to think about another mountain, though some still do this one late. Just not really advisable. Be smart, be safe.

peladoboton wrote:there's a group heading up pretty soon with some very experienced unexperienced mountaineers guiding it, it sounds like there is quite a crowd going....

Hilarious!

A nice climb to the hogsback is easily doable. Enjoy the sulfur fumes and the sound of rocks falls.

After that - be quick to turn around if conditions ain't ideal.

Thank you guys for all your replies. I will definetelly think about this mountain in august.