Timberline, home to the famous WPA built lodge seen in Steven King’s the Shining is the starting point. Start hiking up along outside the cat tracks, take the Palmer ski lift up or take the gentlemen’s approach and hire a Sno-Cat to drop off at 8500 feet.The route is straightforward as it ascends gradually steepening snowfields to 10,000 feet. The flats at sulfur smelling Devil’s kitchen make a good transition to rope area. Ascend the ridge of the Hogsback to the bergschrund before crossing to the steepening upper slopes. The biggest inherent risk climbing Mount Hood can be crowds high on the mountain. Be mindful of other rope teams and bottlenecks reaching the final chutes. Pick a line and ascend the final meters to a dramatic top out.With it’s proximity to Portland, accessibility and climb/ski options Mount Hood is a spectacular NW summit.
