Morning - anyone been up the south side of Mt. Hood in these last few nice days? I am looking for some beta on the Pearly Gates and how passage through there is looking this year. Hoping to make an attempt in the coming days and to get some advance info on the gates vs. the old chute.

Any other recent info on the conditions is also appreciated.

Thanks.

Lubellski

Have you posted this inquiry over on CascadeClimbers.com? You might have better luck there, but. . . I'm not sure how great conditions have been recently. . . Good luck.

Went up yesterday on the chute just to the east of the Old Chute (what is that called? there's no knife's edge when you top out). Conditions were stellar, should have left snowshoes at home since it was hardpacked pretty much the whole way up. Large crack noted in snow near Crater Rock and small avy slide just west of hogsback (ran from bergschrund height, 8" deep and 75 yrds wide). Great night to climb since the full moon was out (headlamps were pointless).

Please drop me a line about Pearly Gates if you hear anything. Definitely interested in conditions there.

Thanks jasonthelee - I assume you did an alpine start....I am going up Friday, midnight, not bringing snowshoes;)

Also posted to CC.

Keep the info coming if ya got it.

Weather permitting I am contemplating heading up Wednesday night into Thursday morning to climb Leuthold Couloir, but am not dead set on that route and depending on if I solo it or not may end up climbing just the ol' slog.

Well, I intend to try Mt. Hood on May 21st. Anybody have information of the terrain? Old chute or Pearl gates?

The Old Chute is still the standard route of choice for people on the south side. On April 23rd the Pearly Gates looked in good shape though with lots of snow and several groups on it.

South side had great weather Saturday 5/14/11, notwithstanding the crappy forecast. A little windy, but sunny. Berg open some. Easy skirt to right. Small shallow crevasse 50 ft downhill and a little left of center from gate tower face. Right gate had a steep section in center. Went up left Pearly Gate. Left gate was a narrow steep tunnel through rime ice barely wide enough for shoulders. No water ice, yet. Most climbers going up the Old Chute with a variation shortcut to the right up through a chute to avoid the knife edge ridge. Best sled ride ever using kiddie snow sled! Left the Triangle Morrain 9500' and in 30 minutes without getting out of the sled once ended up 100 yds from parking lot!

Karl S wrote:South side had great weather Saturday 5/14/11, notwithstanding the crappy forecast. A little windy, but sunny. Berg open some. Easy skirt to right. Small shallow crevasse 50 ft downhill and a little left of center from gate tower face. Right gate had a steep section in center. Went up left Pearly Gate. Left gate was a narrow steep tunnel through rime ice barely wide enough for shoulders. No water ice, yet. Most climbers going up the Old Chute with a variation shortcut to the right up through a chute to avoid the knife edge ridge. Best sled ride ever using kiddie snow sled! Left the Triangle Morrain 9500' and in 30 minutes without getting out of the sled once ended up 100 yds from parking lot!

Wow, good job. Yeah, I've heard about the kiddie sleds as being the way to go. I'm more into taking skis at this point, but would like to try the sleds sometime.
How about avy conditions up there when you went? I thought it was supposed to be pretty sketchy?

I was up yesturday (May 17th) climbed to 8,600 with my snowboard. (That's about 150 ft above Palmer chair lift.)

Snow conditions were a bit wet at Timberline, but gradually changed to power. Snowed on and off throughout the hike. Mostly tiny pellet snow. Almost large enough to be called hail a couple of times. Footing conditions were not the greatest in someplaces as it was a debate between snowshoes, boots or crampons. Stay on extreme right side where rocks and thin layer of snow give better footing.

Whiteout conditions came and went all through the hike. Worst case of my imagination playing tricks on me in the whiteout. It seem like I was always walking in a "gully". Skiing conditions could have been stellar, but it's tough to snowboard in whiteout conditions... can't see the slope for obtacles... easy to get disorientated on your balance. I gave up and hiked down, 1,500 ft, then snowboarded the last 1,000 ft just fine.