Mazamas — For the Love of Mountains
With changing snow conditions, the standard route up the Hogback and Pearly Gates can vary in steepness and difficulty. When this happens, the Old Chute route becomes the easiest route to the summit.
This is a great route to choose if the bergschrund is impassable or Pearly Gates are jammed with people.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 65 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 1 hours |
| General Route Info | Photographs taken at the turn of the century show the Hogback in the position it is found in today. Photographs taken during the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s show the Hogback shifted sharply to the west and significant reduced in size. Sometime during the 1960s the Hogback again shifted east to its current position and grew in size. In 1930s the gully which led from the top of the Hogback to the summit became known as the Chute. When the Hogback shifted back toward the east in the 1960s, climbers followed it and started to use a different gully to gain the summit. Although the route was different, it was still called the Chute. To distinguish between the two, the term Old Chute means the route to the west. From the Hogback, climb diagonally up and left on a steep face which leads to the summit ridge. Turn right and follow the ridge to the top. When you reach the top of the Old Chute, do not be surprised by the narrowness of the ridgetop and the sharp drop down the north face. From Oregon High by Jeff Thomas |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in one day |
| Interesting Features | Spectacular Views |
| Relevant Books | Oregon High by Jeff Thomas |
| Relevant Maps | USGS 7 1/2 minute series, Mt Hood South, and Green Trails Mt. Hood, and GeoGraphics Mt. Hood Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.3718464,-121.6959714,15.16z/data=!5m1!1e4?hl=en |
| Awards Qualified | 16 Major NW Peaks, Guardian Peaks, Seven Oregon Cascades Peaks |
| Useful Links | GPS Track GPS Coordinates Map |
