Mt Hood

Firm, icy surface conditions will likely be the greatest hazard you encounter on Thursday. Be prepared to arrest a fall, especially on exposed slopes at middle and upper elevations. At the highest elevations, still keep an eye out for small, isolated pockets of  wind-drifted snow.

If you blink, you might miss the light rain and snow showers associated with the weak front moving over the region Thursday morning. Look for decreasing clouds and another day of challenging travel on Mt Hood. Observers have been reporting very firm and variable conditions across the zone thanks to a freezing rain crust extending to 9000 ft (and maybe higher). If you head to more exposed areas, be sure to pack the 'sharps kit,' including an ice axe and crampons to help you travel more efficiently and, most importantly, reduce the chance of a long sliding fall.

On Wednesday, I traveled with our new intern observer Koby Yudkin in the Vista Ridge area. Surprisingly, we found better travel conditions than what we had initially expected at lower and middle elevations. We were prepared for the worst of breakable crusts, but were pleasantly surprised to find edgeable and mostly supportable travel. However, conditions changed as we crested above treeline. Bulletproof ice and very firm snow were widespread and ski crampons were incredibly helpful.  

While less likely, you may find isolated pockets of soft snow at the upper elevations of Mt Hood. If you do, look for signs of unstable snow, such as recent drifting or textured surfaces. These indicators tell you the wind has been at work and that a wind slab may be lurking nearby. Shooting cracks or hollow-sounding snow indicate that you found an unstable slab.

If you get up on the mountain, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation.

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