Retired Jerry suggested a Mississippi Head loop would be most appropriate this time of year to the fast snow melt, and he was certainly right! In short, Mississippi Head was very doable this weekend. In fact, better than doing it in Sept because it was easy to walk on the packed snow fields, and the crash site was completely visible. No cornices around the Mississippi Head site.
We started out at about 9:15am Sunday at Timberline Lodge. Rather blustery and cold!
Got ourselves onto the PCT headed towards Paradise Park - the wind died down as we headed through the forest, under cover of clouds. Our first river crossing:
Our ZigZig river crossing:
It actually was a little easier to cross about 100 ft upstream, but some folks like a challenge:
Through the meadows, flowers starting to come out:
I believe this is Lost Creek:
Under cloud cover and little wind, we made it over to Split Rock:
As we took a break at Paradise Park and Split Rock, the clouds started to lift!
From Split Rock, we headed up to Paradise Top:
Our group collecting up at Paradise Top as the clouds continued to lift:
What we walked up:
Heading over to Mississippi Head from Paradise Top - packed snow was easy to walk on:
Instead of walking on the loose scree fields, we were greeted by packed snow fields that were pleasant to walk up using microspikes/traction:
Walking over to Mississippi Head viewpoint - Mt Hood summit had cleared:
In fact, the clouds we all around us, but NOT on the Hood mountain summit:
A view west from the Mississippi Head viewpoint:
Heading down to the B-26 crash site from the viewpoint:
Other folks in the group had gone ahead and found the crash site before I did (no snow around site):
Looking over the cliffs to the east, trying to be careful not to step on loose(r) rock - there were more plane parts down there:
We continued our ascent to get above ZigZag canyon:
Off the scree and onto packed snowfields - nice!
The clouds were all around us, but not on top of us - wind was not a factor:
Coming over ZigZag canyon - there was a potential cornice to avoid:
Playing in the snow at 8120ft:
Then time to head down near the Palmer lifts:
...and back here, where we started:
Just another fantastic day above the clouds!
