Snow Dome - Mt. Hood

From left to Right: Cooper Spur, Elliot Glacier, Snow Dome

Among the many reasons I love Oregon, one of the most significant is that "ski season" is kind of a misnomer. In Oregon, it should really be called "ski year. In most places, "ski season" starts in December and ends in March. A couple die-hards may be out in November or April. But by the time May rolls around, much of the snow is gone, and the snowy mountains have been forgotten. Not so in Oregon. In May, we're just getting started.

Well, it's June, it's the first day of Summer, and today I skied nearly 3000 vertical feet of spectacular corn on Snow Dome on Mt. Hood. I love Oregon.

Mt. Shasta: Hotlum-Wintun Route 6/15/13

In the Cascade Range, there is not really a ski season per se. If you want snow bad enough, you can find it no matter what time of year it is. Well, we wanted it bad this weekend, so we headed down to Mt. Shasta to check out the Hotlum-Wintun route.

The Hotlum-Wintun route is on the NE side of Mt. Shasta. Starting from the Brewer Creek Trailhead, it ascends nearly 7000 feet along the snowfield between the Hotlum and Wintun glaciers to the summit. Above 10,000 feet, the pitch is a consistent 40 degrees or higher, and wide open. It is one of the truly legendary descents in the Cascades.