Mt. Hood Redux

The Smart Family Mt. Hood climb 2008!















The Hogsback.


I am trying to record some of the significant family events from this year and so I decided to go back a couple of months and talk about our family Mt. Hood climb this year. I have been climbing Mt. Hood a lot in recent years because people are always wanting me to take them. I really wanted to climb with Shea. He missed our trip last year. Little D also wanted to climb, so we thought it would be good to couple this with the Smart Family reunion on the Oregon coast, that way Darcee and Brent could climb with us also. We had planned on having Nick and Sydney join us but it didn't work out because one of Nick's best friends was getting married that weekend and they had to get back to Utah. Syd climbed Mt. Hood last year, or maybe the year before, but she wanted to climb it with Nick (There's always next year.)

I enjoy the physical challenge of mountaineering. I am not into life threatening climbs. I just like to work to get to high places. I like the feeling of cold, thin air and working towards a summit. I am fine when I don't summit--I really just enjoy the challenge of summiting, whether we succeed or not. The reality is that mountains sometimes don't let you summit. You have to be patient and content with summiting when you can, and saving some summits for better weather. I like hiking and backpacking; and enjoying these activities almost as much as mountaineering. Although mountaineering is special because of the technical problem solving that it presents. Mt. Hood from the South Side is a great mountain to start on because it is reasonable in terms of physical requirements and it involves some technical challenges, that each year seem to be a little different.


Shea and Lil D glisading and having fun on the way down. the weather couldn't have been more perfect.











My handsome son and me on the summit!












Lil D and me celebrating on the summit!















Shea heading up in the dark.