Backcountry
Conditions Report
Report from Monday, November 20, 2023
When I saw how snow-covered Mt. Hood looked from a plane this weekend, I knew it was time to get back on the slopes, especially after Sunday’s weather. While Sunday’s storm was not quite as big as we had hoped, there was still some new fluff to enjoy.
I left Portland around 6:45 a.m. Once I hit the east side of Sandy, the roads started to seem a little slick. By the time I got to Zigzag, there was a veneer of ice all over the road. The Timberline Lodge road was not too bad, thanks to a fleet of plows, but there was still a decent amount of ice, making me grateful for snow tires. Notably: when one types “Timberline Lodge” into Google Maps, instead of routing to the Lodge itself, it routes to just 200 ft up the Timberline Highway. Obviously, one likely knows to keep going, but for folks running low on electric charge (or gas), doing the proper mileage math means adding several miles and a few thousand vertical feet.
I started uphill from the Timberline Lodge around 8:30 a.m. From Timberline (6,000 feet) to 7,000 feet, there was sparse snow coverage, but the snow was soft where the ice crust gave way. From 7,000-8,000 feet, the snow got continually harder. There was a consistent layer of ice over the small rocks, but some hops were required to continue. From 8,500-10,000 feet, there was hard snow or wind-scoured ice and occasional snow deposits where the wind piled them. Around 9,500 feet, the snow patches were so infrequent that I had to give up on my skins (wish I had brought ski crampons), toss the skis on my back, and boot up the last thousand feet.
I topped out where Crater Rock meets the Hogsback (~10,500 feet). The fumaroles were offering a generous share of rotten-egg smells, and the deeper snow in the bowl made progress slower. I saw a pair ice-climbing just above the Hogsback, but there were no other tracks above me. There was a decent amount of rockfall as the day got warmer. From the saddle of the Hogsback & Crater Rock, the turns immediately below looked very enticing.
The slide down was the best part. The turns down and around Crater Rock and the Devil’s Kitchen were very nice. The couloir under Crater Rock was even better— wind-loaded and gloriously steep. Unfortunately, after that brief section, there was no access across the ridge to Illumination Rock without more booting. I decided that I should save additional booting for another day. Descending after that point (9,500 feet or so) was a matter of finding patches of snow where it wasn’t too wind-scoured and avoiding rocks. Although coverage kept getting worse as the vertical fell away, the sun had softened the ice crust and made things feel corny from about 8,000 feet down. I was back at the car around 12:30 p.m.
All in all, a pretty great November day, but looking forward to more snow. Timberline Lodge is claiming a ten-inch base, but that feels pretty generous, given the spotty coverage. There isn’t a lot of snow in the immediate forecast, so hopefully that makes Thanksgiving travel easy. One thing is for sure: we all will be grateful when the precipitation picks up again.
