WILDERNESS PERMIT (MANDATORY)
The highest point in Oregon, Mount Hood stands at 11,240ft in elevation. A Mt. Hood Climbing Permit is required to travel above 9,500ft. Each climber is required to have a permit – $20 for a 3-day permit, $50 for an annual permit.
Find more information and buy permits here.
Some trailheads also require a day-use fee.
CLIMBERS’ REGISTRATION FORM (RECOMMENDED)
This is a general form stating the people in your party, planned route, climbing dates and emergency contact info. However, if you don’t come back on your stated date, don’t depend on this form to initiate a search for you. For South Side Routes, this is also available in the Timberline Climbers’ Cave.
SNO-PARK PERMIT (SEASONALLY MANDATORY)
Oregon’s Department of Transportation is responsible for clearing public roads and parking lots of snow, including Timberline Lodge. To offset the cost of this effort, the State of Oregon requires all cars purchase and display a Sno-Park Permit from November 1 through April 30. Sno-Park Permits from California, Idaho and Washington are valid in Oregon. Annual, 3-day and daily Permits are available for sale at Mountain Shop and many other local businesses. For complete details on the Sno-Park Permit system, you can visit the Oregon DMV website.
SCHEDULE
Mt. Hood climbs can take between 2-24 hours round trip, depending on your schedule. The average climber wants to be done in a day and, unless you are planning on setting a speed record, that means leaving in the early morning and returning in the early afternoon. Typically climbers leave the Timberline Lodge parking lot between 11pm and 2am. Someone who has prepared properly to climb can average 1000 vertical feet per hour, at that rate it will take a little over 5 hours to summit.
A start time should be established based on an estimated pace and your desired summit hour. It is strongly recommended that you summit no later than 8AM to avoid peak rock and ice fall hours. If you are in good shape and have trained to climb Mt. Hood you can estimate 4-7 hours to the summit. Other climbers should prepare for a longer climb, maybe 6-9 hours.
Descending from the summit to the parking lot will take you approximately half the time it took you to summit. If you reached the summit in 6 hours it may take you 3-4 hours to get back. Descending is a challenge in and of itself. You will be tired, and using a whole new set of muscles. But gravity is on your side, and there will be far fewer breaks (perhaps just the one to take off your crampons).
EMERGENCY PLAN
All climbers should have a plan in place for emergency situations. This includes a plan made with a friend or loved one who is NOT climbing, and a plan for the climber(s).
Friends/Family Plan: It is important that you leave an itinerary with a friend, family member or loved one who is not climbing. This way, should something happen and you are not able to initiate a search, rescuers will be alerted and a search will commence.
This plan should include:
- The specific route you will take
- An alternate route in case of emergency
- Timetable for your climb
- A time when you will check in
- A time to initiate a search
- Contact information for Search and Rescue
- Contact information for family members of each climber
With this information in place, the individual you leave it with will know when to expect a phone call, when to worry, who to call and what to tell them. We recommend you pick a time you will check in with your friend/family member that is 1-3 hours after you plan on returning to Timberline Lodge. This way you have flexibility for any delays. Your search initiation time should be 6-10 hours after you were suppose to check in. If you do use this kind of plan, DO NOT FORGET TO CALL. If you are off the mountain safely, call. If you are running late, call. If you blow off the climb and go to a bar in Government Camp, call.
Climber(s) Plan: Within your team, or as a solo climber, you must have a plan in case of emergency. It is impossible for us to go through every scenario, but you must work through some common problems and agree on the solutions before you leave.
- Some questions to consider:
- What if a storm moves in?
- What if we get lost?
- What if we are behind schedule?
- What if the route conditions are questionable?
- What if someone is fatigued?
- What if someone is injured?
It is vital that every member of your group agree on an answer to these questions. During a climb, ego and adrenaline are high and decisions can be rash. Discuss possible scenarios before you leave and come to a consensus. These are problems best solved in the parking lot, or better yet the drive up. Of course, there are a million things that can happen in a million different ways. You must be able to asses the situation and make good judgements, often on the fly.
GUIDE SERVICES
If you’re new to climbing or just new to Mt. Hood, a guided trip is a great opportunity to learn some skills from an experienced climber who knows the mountain like the back of their hand. Because Mt. Hood is located within a wilderness area, guiding permits are restricted to a handful of approved operations. We work closely with the following groups. They offer guided ascents of several routes with varying degrees of technical difficulty, as well as alpine skills courses.
