Mt. Hood: Eliot crossing, 2014 update (glacier AND ropes)

[Lumpy]

Thank you for this report and information. It's great to be able to feel more confident if I am able to this hike soon.

[Guy]

Adam, for interest I added two of my tracks to your map. the Cyan is my version of your green route, I've done it 3 times so far! The Magenta is a trip I did with Peder & Brad on 09/30/2012 & is a version of your red route. I'm kind of with Peder on only hiking the red route when the snow is gone - maybe it's a European thing ..

I guess more than anything this shows there is more than one way to skin a cat

[CraigG]

Awesome! Thank you so much for (re) doing this!

CraigG

[mjirving]

This rocks! (no pun intended) Great work. I've done this, but I dropped straight down to Eliot from the "table" below the rope (coming from the west side) It was definitely a tad sketch dropping in on that steep section with unconsolidated rock, but we made it (far apart from each other too). We had an easy crossing of Eliot on rocks but obviously that changes all the time.

-GoalTech/Mike

[adamschneider]

I just remembered another piece of advice for those headed into the Eliot Creek drainage: bring gloves! Not only would they be helpful on the long west rope, but I also scraped up my hands catching my balance a couple of times. A lot of the rocks in there are really rough, and a pair of ordinary gardening gloves would have saved my skin — literally.

[mcds]

That's a very nice piece of work.

[PNWhiker]

The Forest Service lady told me they were considering making a lower route. Must be listening to Tom.

What?!? The forest service is pulling their head out of the sand? Watch out for flying pigs now!

[rainrunner]

Great stuff here, thanks for posting it.

[Surridge]

Really appreciate all the work everyone has done on this. If using the ropes to drop to the crossing, do you head up the mountain or upstream to find the ropes from the trail or down? Thanks

[adamschneider]

Really appreciate all the work everyone has done on this. If using the ropes to drop to the crossing, do you head up the mountain or upstream to find the ropes from the trail or down? Thanks

From the top of the east moraine (Cloud Cap/Cooper Spur side), the very obvious path — which used to be the official Timberline Trail — goes upstream and slightly downhill for about 200 yards before it comes to the top of the rope.

On the west side (Langille Crags/Stranahan Ridge), it's neither upstream nor downstream, really... it just winds downhill for about 100 feet through scree and rocks.