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Downclimbing the chute was worse w sun softening snow. Took my time went backwards, buried axe, kicked deep steps. Retrieved pole & got hit w minor avalanche

Everything is OK, but it is exceptionally cold. My iPhone is frozen, so messages will be shorter and fewer as they have to be keyed in direct from sat beacon.

Booyah! I now stand atop Mt Hood. Sunny, light wind, clear, w great vis. I can see Rainier, Adams & St Helens. It is a perfect day to be on a mountaintop.

Past the crazy stuff, nice easy 35 degree slope from here. Next stop summit!

Just took a 30′ fall but managed to self arrest. Ice axe was buried but not holding, kicked in with crampons and managed to stop. Lost ski pole and GoPro.

Came to a 15′ crevasse. Can’t jump that far, so traversing to narrower point. Hard going, but weather holding, what a perfect day. I’m nailing it this time!

Cached some gear to lighten the load hydrated and forced down 900 calories. Heading up now! Skies are clear at summit, cloudy below. Very dramatic!

About to head up Hogsback Ridge which is the last obstacle to the summit ridge. Seeing it up close is intimidating, icy 45+ degree slope. Its 27 deg & windy.

Sunrise is breathtaking! I now climb through the crater of an active volcano, feeling the heat, seeing the steam, smelling the sulfur. What an amazing place!

2nd break, 9,869′ and above hail & snow cloud. Yep, snowing too. Wind calmer up high, some light cloud cover but good vis. Now I n rockfall area, helmet time

Now this unexpected, I suddenly find myself climbing a mountain in a rather spirited hailstorm. Not too big mind you, but still painful. What next?

Taking a break at 8811′. It is 37 deg & moderate winds. Averaging 1,125′ elevation gain per hour. Not bad for an old man. Snow is solid, so far so good.

Making good time, just passed the Silcox Warming Hut. Feeling good, feeling strong, no breaks yet, will take one higher up.

Packed up camp and are headed back down the mountain. No ski lift this time, it’s only 2800 vertical feet down from here.

Quickly made our way down through the accursed rain, & are back at camp. We both got very wet, but my technical layers are keeping it off my skin so I’m warm

Turning back only 700 vertical feet from summit, conditions rapidly deteriorating, and visibility is very limited & worsening.

We are beyond the freeze line and into the low pressure zone, but visibility is limited. We are going to wait a bit, but Ben is considering turning back.

3:26AM Light rain now, so we are gearing up and moving out soon!

A medium sized rock from high on the mountain just rolled into our tent, which is a bit unsettling. Hopefully we don’t get any large boulder visitations.

Spent 1.5 hours digging out level tent site on mountainside at 8769′. Beat rain by minutes. 50 deg, light wind & raining, heavy driving rain expected later.