[pct-l] Hood and Rainier on a Thru-hike

[Eric Lee]

Sam wrote:
>
How feasible is a Hood or Rainier side trip while doing a PCT thru-hike?
I'm less interested in the gear requirements and more in the logistics of
how someone made it work while on a thru hike.
>

Some thoughts:

As several other people have already pointed out, late summer isn't the best
time for mountain climbing, particularly on Mt. Hood, because the low snow
levels expose glacier crevices and rock/ice falls.

While thousands of people successfully climb the Northwest volcanoes every
year, there are fatalities on those peaks virtually every year, too.  While
that shouldn't discourage you from the idea of mountain climbing if you're
into that sort of thing, you should think of it as a serious project that
requires serious preparation, experience, and training, rather than
something to be done on a lark.  There's actually not much in common between
PCT hiking and technical mountain climbing other than the general fitness
level required.  Don't think that walking 2000 miles on the PCT qualifies
you, all by itself, to climb Hood or Rainier.  You have to prepare for that
separately.

Risk issues aside, though, probably the biggest logistical problem with
trying to climb a big mountain while on a thru-hike is that by the time you
get to northern Oregon and Washington, you're probably going to be barely
holding your body together enough just to make your daily PCT miles.  Sure,
there are always exceptions, but from my observations, when most thrus get
to that part of the trail they're pretty tired, worn out, and are just
focused on finishing.  Not many people would be excited about big peak
climbing at that point, even if they previously thought they would be.

To answer yours logistical questions, Mt. Hood would probably be the most
convenient climb, since you're already at Timberline Lodge and the South
Side/Hogsback route starts right there.  You can receive packages with
mountaineering gear there (though I don't remember if you can send stuff out
from there or not).  The climb can be easily done in one day, or more
precisely one night, since the usual strategy in the summer is to start
between midnight and 2 am so as to be able to get up and down again before
the sun warms up the snow and increases the frequency of rock and ice falls.

Mt. Rainier is more technically challenging and the most popular starting
point at Paradise is actually not very close to the PCT so you'd have to
hitchhike over there.  There are guide companies available, which aren't
cheap but highly recommended if you don't have previous mountain-climbing
experience.  Rainier is *not* the place to experiment on your own with no
prior experience.  Considering everything, I don't think Rainier is a good
choice for a PCT side trip.

The South Spur route on Mt. Adams is not directly on the PCT but can be
accessed with a side trip of several miles (don't remember exactly how far,
sorry).  That route is regarded as pretty non-technical and good for
beginners, though you can still get into major trouble with unexpected
weather, glare ice, etc., so you should still know what you're doing.  There
aren't any developed access points around Mt. Adams so you'd have to carry
in your mountaineering gear for that climb.

Overall, I'd suggest you consider climbing Mt. Hood's Hogsback route since
it's so convenient from the PCT.  But again, do your research before you
attempt it so you know what hazards are present and what skills are
required.  It's not the same as walking to the top of Mt. Whitney.

Eric