Crevasses on Mount Hood

The bergschrund

A bergschrund is the gap where a glacier pulls away from the steeper snow and ice above it. The USFS names the one on the South Side route among its hazard areas, alongside the Hogsback ridge in the south side crater and the Old Chute. The Mountaineers trace the route over the Palmer Glacier, past Crater Rock and up the Hogsback to the Old Chute or the Pearly Gates.

Holes that are not crevasses

Mount Hood is a volcano that is not extinct, and its fumaroles still vent steam. In the south side crater, around Devil’s Kitchen and Hot Rocks, the USFS warns that fumarole holes create “deep holes and cracks in the snow”. The volcano page covers the fumaroles.

Other crevasses

The mountain carries 12 named glaciers and snowfields by one count (11 by another, depending on whether the Palmer snowfield is included). Climbing route notes warn of crevasses beyond the bergschrund, including above the Palmer Glacier, and point to spring, when they are more filled in. The climbing page covers the season, and the safety page lists the USFS hazards in full.

What it means for a party

“Long sliding falls” sit on the same USFS hazard list, and a fall on steep snow can end in the bergschrund or a fumarole hole. That is one reason climbing gear lists include crampons, an ice axe, a helmet and, where the party ropes up on glacier terrain, a harness; what to pack has the list. The hikes on the mountain’s flanks stay below the 9,500 ft permit line: Cooper Spur, the highest point reachable by trail according to hiking clubs, tops out at about 8,500 ft.

Frequently asked questions