Storming the Castle

It's not often in the PNW that weather turns out to be better than forcasted. In fact, today was the only time I can ever remember the weather working for me. Clouds, rain and snow awaited us in Government Camp but as we worked up the winding road to Timberline stars began to appear. We left the parking lot with clear calm and cold weather... perfect.



Marcus cruising up the base of the ridge.



The long traverse.



Marcus climbing up to the ridgeline. It is worth doing this route for this one pitch alone. Cams, screws, pickets, stoppers, pick torques, ice and rock in one pitch.

Castle Crags is probably more interesting the way we did it, by turning up and climbing steeper ground to the ridge, only to rapppel off the backside back to the Zig Zag Glacier. There is so much interesting climbing on Mt. Hood even if they are less significant and not well-known routes. Even though we found probably half a dozen rappel stations on the backside of this route, it felt like we were the first ones there. Alpine climbing at its purest.