(TR) Mt Hood winter climb to 9600'

Trip Report: 18.Jan.2009 Mt Hood climb to 9600' on SS route

Team: Mark Seker, Monty Smith
Start: 4:44am; End: 11:30am for beer at car
7:15 arrive at Palmer top; 9:30 turned at triangle moraine 9600'
Surface Condition: Hard Sastrugi above Palmer, slow going due to uneven footing, hard icy requiring crampons. Dramatic ice sculptures carved by wind, real nice to see and photograph but less so to walk among.
Air Condition: Oddly warm due to inversion: 25 degrees at govy 4000', yet 45 degrees at start 6000' and never below freezing on climb. Nonstop E wind 25-30mph avg, gusts to 45. CAVU skies, long visibility to Diamond Peak 130+ mi south. 1/3 moon allowed travel without headlamps.
Gear: 2 tools each, rope, 2 screws, picket, jumprope (all unused)
Climb team beta: About 7 summit teams on mountain, all started earlier; Only 1 team summited, using the devil's kitchen headwall and old chute descent. All others turned back primarily due to ice fall, beginning below crater rock.
That banner photo above credit Monty Smith at approx 9600' on Hood. Another beautiful day in paradise ...here's some more photo evidence: http://picasaweb.google.com/markseker/MtHoodClimbTo9600?feat=directlink