Climb the Mt. Hood Summit

Starting at 6,000 ft of elevation at Timberline Lodge, start your climb up the south side of Mt. Hood. If you head out at noon, in 6 hours you can make it about an hour past the last ski lift, called Palmer, where you can set up camp for the night. You may need to dig out a flat spot for your tent.

Leave early the next morning for the summit, by 4am. This "final ascent" is at least 600 ft of ice climbing, so be sure to have crampons and two ice axes. With only one you risk falling on the descent. You can make the summit by about 8:30am - just be sure to be off again by 11am.

The view from the summit is amazing. You can see nearly the entire Cascade range once you hike along the summit ridge to the true summit. There are some more technical climbs near the summit for you truly skilled climbers, such as the Pearly Gates. It will be worth every breath you take!