Category: Glaciers

The Lewis Glacier is located on the south side of the South Sister, separated from the Clark Glacier by a scree ridge. It covers an area of approximately 0.3 square kilometers, and was named after Captain Meriwether Lewis from the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-1806). The glacier’s upper reaches are at an elevation of  approximately 9600 feet, and it extends down the mountain to roughly 8600 feet, where a small lake forms at the terminal moraine during the summer months. The below photo, courtesy of John Scurlock, was taken on August 29th, 2007, and shows the glacier without it’s usual coat of winter snow.

Besides the south side glaciers on Mt Hood, the Lewis Glacier is probably one of the most frequently visited glaciers in Oregon due to it’s relatively easy access.  Skiing and snowboarding is best during the Spring and early Summer, with the easiest access from the Devils Lake trailhead.  The glacier does pose some crevasse hazard, and should be evaluated before riding. Riding the glacier is best combined with a trip from the Green Lakes region however, which eliminates the need to traverse back over to the standard climbing route.

The Palmer Snowfield is located on the south side of Mt Hood, between the White River Glacier to the east and the Zigzag Glacier to the west.  It is probably the best known of Mt Hood’s 12 glaciers, due in large part to the fact that it is the only place in the US where lift served skiing and riding occurs nearly 12 months a year. The Palmer used to cover an elevation from 9300 feet on it’s upper end to somewhere around 7800 feet at it’s terminus (the mid-station of the Palmer Chairlift inside the Timberline ski area). Many sources indicate the snowfield ends near 6200 feet, but in lean snow years finding snow below 7500 feet is difficult at best. In late 2021, the Palmer melted out completely.

The upper part of the snowfield above the ski area used to be connected to the White River Glacier, but now melts apart from it each summer. The Palmer is the source of the Salmon River, and was briefly named the Salmon River Glacier in the 1920’s. Prior to 1924, the Palmer was thought to be a snowfield, which it is generally thought of as today. However, according to Jack Grauer’s 1975 book titled The Complete History of Mt Hood, during the mild winter of 1923-1924, such little snow fell that crevasses began to be revealed. Later in the summer, a horse fell into a blind crevasse. This prompted an investigation by the Mazama’s as to whether or not the Palmer was a snowfield or a glacier. In the fall of 1924, the Palmer was determined to be a glacier, and has since been named so on the maps, though there have been no crevasse sightings on the glacier since the summer of 1924.

Earlier evidence of crevasses on the Palmer came from the man for whom the glacier was named. Oregon pioneer Joel Palmer climbed to near the 9000 foot level below Crater Rock while looking for a suitable route for wagon passage from The Dalles to Oregon City in 1845. Upon his descent, he came upon several blind crevasses in the vicinity of the Palmer, which as Jack Grauer points out in his book, indicates that the glacier has shrunk considerably since the mid 1800’s.

The below photo was taken by L.J. Bailey in 1935, is part of the Glacier Photograph Collection, and is courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, CO. It shows the Palmer Glacier in the upper center of the image, with the White River Glacier in the center of the photo.

The Palmer of today is far from what Joel Palmer encountered in 1845. It’s now famous for it’s summer skiing and riding, and is heavily salted to keep the snow firm for racing. Both Windell’s and High Cascade Snowboard camps call the snowfield home during the summer, and the US ski team trains there. The scene can be quite chaotic at times, with campers and racers all vying for the same patch of snow.

Later in the year however, the Palmer is one of the easiest places where decent turns can be had in the lean snow months, and by this time the the camps are usually gone. Lift tickets during the summer are quite expensive, but allow for thousands of vertical feet of riding, whereas hiking to the top is rewarding, and allows for a nice long runs back down to the snow’s end.

Overall, the Palmer has a rich history and is a fun place to make turns.  I’ve had numerous good outings there over the years, and usually venture back at least once a year to enjoy what it has to offer.

Originating in the crater of Mt Hood, the White River Glacier sits on the mountains south side, covering an elevation from 7,300 to 10,000 feet.  It is the source of the White River, and lies between the Newton Clark Glacier to the east and the Palmer Glacier to the west. The approximate volume of the White River Glacier is 7000 acre-ft, and it covers an area of nearly 135 acres. During the winter, large amounts of snow from the south side of the mountain are transported onto the glacier from heavy winds, feeding it and somewhat hastening it’s retreat.

The White River was likely the first glacier on Mt Hood that was seen up close and personal by white settlers. In 1845, Joel Palmer and Sam Barlow followed their way up the White River to timberline while looking for a suitable route for wagon passage to the Willamette Valley. At the time, the only way to the Willamette Valley from The Dalles was to float down the Columbia River via two small boats that charged more for the ferry ride than the wagons were worth. Palmer and Barlow ultimately found a suitable route that passed near present day Government Camp, and Barlow later built the famed “Barlow Toll Road” to allow passage for other settlers.

The glacier was first photographed in late 1800’s, and several photographs exist from around the turn of the century. The following photograph was taken circa 1873 by Joesph Buchtel, and was refinished and provided courtesy of Old Oregon.

Sometime after the turn of the century, it is speculated that fumaroles opened up higher on the mountain in locations that contributed to the retreat of the glacier. The below photo offers a comparison of the glacier over a 108 year time period. The photo on the left was taken by William Langille in 1902. I snapped the photo on the right in October of 2010. It is estimated that the glacier has lost 60% of it’s areas since the turn of the century.

The following photo, taken by L.J. Bailey in 1935, is courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center for Glaciology, and shows the White River from a different perspective. Note the Salmon River Glacier (now the Palmer Glacier) in the upper left of the photo.

The upper White River Glacier has good skiing and snowboarding opportunity nearly year-round, but crevasse hazard does exist and caution is advised for any travel on or near the glacier outside the Timberline Ski Area. The lower portion of the glacier contains numerous crevasses and is a good place for crevasse rescue practice in the summer. Beware however, rockfall from the westerly ridge above routinely rains down on the ice and snow below. The below photo contains the following: upper left – skinning up the White River Glacier in September, 2010. Upper right – crevasse rescue practice. Lower left – crevasse rescue practice. Lower right, hiking the glacier for summer turns in September 2006.

The crevasses on the White River glacier really open during the later summer months and into fall, exposing the blue ice deeper down. The exploring opportunities are endless, and the area makes for some interesting photography, but as mentioned previously, rockfall danger is very apparent, especially on the west side of the glacier.

The White River Glacier is one of my favorite places on Mt Hood, and with close access to Timberline Lodge, makes for an easy approach to view one of Oregon’s more interesting glaciers.

Located on the western side of Mt Hood, the Reid Glacier is one of Mt Hood’s most visible glaciers from Portland, bounded by Yokum ridge to the north and the ridge containing Illumination Rock to the south. The glacier’s upper reaches sit at an elevation of approximately 9800 feet, with snow and ice flowing downhill to roughly 7800 feet at it’s toe, where meltwater from the Reid contributes as a main source to the Sandy River. The glacier has retreated significantly in recent years, and occupies an area much less than it did even a decade ago. The Reid was named in 1901 after Professor Harry Felding Reid of John Hopkins University, who spent much time on Mt. Hood studying the mountains glaciers, particularly the White River Glacier. Professor Reid is also noted for taking many early photographs of Hood’s glaciers from the turn of the century.

The below photo, taken on 8/28/2007, shows the Reid from the west, and is courtesy of John Scurlock and Portland State University.

Skiing and riding on the Reid is possible, though it does have numerous crevasses that pose significant hazard. Evaluation of the glacier is prudent before strapping in to make turns. One of the more scenic routes on the mountain is Leuthold’s Couloir, named after famed Mt Hood climber and ski patroller Joe Leuthold, has been ridden from the summit ridge when conditions are right and deposits riders at the top of the Reid Glacier. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart or anyone other than advanced riders however, as the route is very steep with serious consequences if a fall occurs, not to mention it also routinely avalanches.

Riding is also possible on the main glacier itself, but again caution is advised due to crevasse hazard. The glacier is usually quite filled in during the Spring, and dropping in from Illumination Saddle allows access to turns directly down the Reid, but requires either a long traverse around the mountain from the bottom or a skin back up to the saddle. Either way, the Reid Glacier is one of the more scenic places on Mt. Hood to enjoy some backcountry turns.

Located on Mt Hood’s northside, the Eliot Glacier is the largest glacier in Oregon by volume at about 73,000 acre-ft and was named after Dr. Thomas Eliot, an Oregon Pioneer who resided in Portland in the late 1800’s. It is over 300 feet thick in places and ranges in elevation from approximately 6500 to 10,500 feet. Meltwater from the glacier drains into Eliot Creek and eventually into the East Fork of the Hood River. Though heavily crevassed, good riding can be found on the mid to lower slopes of the Eliot in the late Spring through Summer. The below photo shows an overview of Mt. Hood’s northside in 2010. Eliot Glacier drops off the summit from the right and descends left through the picture. The Coe glacier is at the right. Snowdome, an excellent place to make summer turns, is visible in the middle right of the photo.

The Elliot was first photographed in the late 1800’s, and several photos exist from around the turn of the century The photo below on the right was taken by Harry Fielding Reid in 1901, and is courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center for Glaciology. The photo to the left is one taken from a similar aspect. As you can see, the glacier looks quite a bit different 105 years later. Recent studies indicate the glacier area has decreased substantially.

A similar photo below gives a different perspective of the glacier over 100 years time. The photo on the left was take sometime before 1912 by G.M. Weister, and appeared in the book The Guardians of the Columbia, published in 1912 by John H. Williams. The photo on the right was taken in July of 2010, on a trip to the Snowdome.

The lower Eliot serves as a great place to find summer turns, and can be combined with a trip to Snowdome or the Langille bowls if you’re seeking more adventure. The photo below is a conglomeration of shots taken from a few recent trips. Top left is an overview of the glacier near the end of July 2008. Top right is from the same vantage point in July 2010. Lower left is a picture of Todd Singleton skinning across the glacier in July 2008 and Lower right is a picture of me riding on the lower Eliot in 2010.

If you’re really adventurous, you can ascend the Eliot via the Sunshine Route to the summit ridge and onto the summit of Hood and ride most of the route in reverse. Numerous hazards exist above the Snowdome. Below are a few photos of the upper Eliot Glacier crevasses and icefall…

The Eliot Glacier is a favorite place to make summer turns in Oregon, and an excellent destination to get up close and personal with Oregon’s largest snow and ice playground.