Gladd Ridge / Barrett Spur Loop - Oct. 12

[RobinB]

Sort of seems like this is becoming a standard route: up Vista Ridge through Eden Park to Cairn Basin, off trail up Gladd Ridge (the once lateral moraine between the Ladd and Glisan Glaciers), across the upper part of the Ladd Glacier to Barrett Spur, and down via Dollar Lake or Wy'east Basin. So standard, in fact, that I hesitated about where to put this report: there's a pretty solid use trail forming from the Cairn Basin Shelter up to Gladd Ridge, and along the ridge itself. But the glacier crossing is still a glacier crossing - especially this time of year, when it's more ice than snow - so the usual caveats about route finding, foot traction, etc of course apply.


Opening picture: looking down the Ladd at... McNeil Point?

I got to the Vista Ridge trailhead a little before eight and started up the frozen trail. Still shorts weather for me, but barely.















I didn't have an exact route in mind for getting from Cairn Basin onto Gladd Ridge, but found a well-established trail - people? game? both? - heading up from the side of the shelter through a couple gullies.





Gladd Ridge is in the center of the frame here:



Looking down the way I came:









There are a couple of steep-ish humps to get over at first, but then things mellow considerably, and it's just mellow ridge walking for a while. It's almost preposterously posh - like someone built the thing just to make it easier on us.















I hopped off the ridge at on obvious exit point just as things were getting steep, and made my way through reasonably stable rock onto the glacier. This area's usually a snowfield, but it was just rock and ice when I was there, which made for cool scenery, if slightly tougher walking.









Once on the glacier proper a donned my microspikes - this would be a very, very difficult route without foot traction - and made my way over toward Barrett Spur via the route of least resistance. I really love this sort of scenery.

















There's apparently a way onto Barrett Spur by going up a ramp on the south side, but I decided to just head north along the spur's west side to the obvious saddle at its base. At some point - I'm not exactly sure when - the glacier changed into a snowfield, and the walking got a lot easier.







Someone had built a nice windbreak at the saddle, and I stopped there for an early lunch. (Although things were calm for most of the day, on the saddle it was gusting hard enough to knock me off balance if I didn't pay attention.) Then it was just a pleasant trip down the braided trail to Dollar Lake, and back on the Timberline to Wy'east Basin.









I stopped at Wy'east Basin for an adult beverage - it was now after noon, which is sort of my threshold for non-brunch-related alcohol consumption - then made my way through the early afternoon light back down Vista Ridge.







It ended up being a short day, but an extremely pleasant one all the same. Were I to do it again, I'd maybe go up Barrett Spur after all, and maybe wander further east toward the Coe, assuming things didn't look to sketchy. Even as abbreviated, though, I think this is one of my favorite hikes on Hood.

[retired jerry]

yeah, same here, one of my favorite hikes on Mt Hood, although I haven't been on Ladd Glacier like that

Love the ice at this time of year. Doesn't make it too difficult hiking.

Probably the Mountain Laurel Ash berries are gone by now so no bears? With a little snow on the ground you can see their tracks better.

[Chip Down]

I think you posted in the correct forum.

No adult-beverage pic? Booo! (kidding, of course).

I initially misread, and thought you had passed through the saddle between Barrett and Pulpit Rock, which would be pretty cool. Still a great trip though. I like that part of the mountain a lot. It's not as pretty as some, but it's geologically fascinating.

You may have snatched one of the last glacier hikes of the year. If the forecasts are correct, we'll have at least a foot of snow up there by the time we get good a good weather day on the mountain.

[Peder]

Yes, that is a great loop and the colors are wonderful at this time of year.

[RobinB]

Thanks, guys.

Probably the Mountain Laurel Ash berries are gone by now so no bears? With a little snow on the ground you can see their tracks better.

You know, I think the only bear I've ever seen near Portland was in the Gorge, near the upper end of Starvation Ridge of all places. But I gather people have seen them on Hood?

No adult-beverage pic? Booo!

I was just embarrassed about not having a glass as nice as yours:

Yes, that is a great loop and the colors are wonderful at this time of year.

I think the first time I heard of it was from a report of a trip you were on

[retired jerry]

I've seen bears above TT on the way to Barret Spur, Yocum Ridge, and Paradise Park. All about this time of year. Eating Mountain Laurel Ash berries. Lots of bear poop on the trail with partially digested berries.

[mjirving]

Awesome...thanks for the report!

[kepPNW]

Boy does it ever look different up there in October than it does in June! That must've been fun crossing the glacier in those conditions. Couldn't really tell it even was a glacier when we were there. (But the origin of all those rocks was pretty clear, as they came tumbling down towards us all the time. Maybe they were more frozen in place now?) We did go up the southern snout of Barrett, but it's a bit intimidating due to instability. I'd probably have deferred if I were solo, but with three of us at least "someone could report where the body was" I guess.

[RobinB]

Awesome...thanks for the report!

Thanks, Mike!

Maybe they were more frozen in place now?

Things were pretty frozen, yea, though I did hear a bit of rockfall above. I'd love to go early in season to compare - especially because I get the feeling that the walking might be a little easier.

We did go up the southern snout of Barrett, but it's a bit intimidating due to instability. I'd probably have deferred if I were solo, but with three of us at least "someone could report where the body was" I guess.

Ha! I think I looked up at your route. It looked doable, but doable in a "I probably shouldn't do this" kind of way.

[pcg]

... We did go up the southern snout of Barrett, but it's a bit intimidating due to instability. I'd probably have deferred if I were solo, but with three of us at least "someone could report where the body was" I guess.

I'm confused. Do you mean you went up either Coe or Ladd Glacier towards Pulpit Rock, then turned back away from Hood and went up Barrett Spur from the Mt. Hood (south) side?