We Saw Somebody Slide the Whole Way | Climbing Mt Hood's Old Chute

Climbing Mt. Hood via the Southside and Old Chute route during a massive "flash freeze" that turned Oregon's tallest volcano into 5,000 feet of firm snow filled with icy knobs. In this 2026 Mount Hood mountaineering documentary, we tackle steep 40-degree alpine ice, navigate the missing Hogsback and active fumaroles, and witness a terrifying 400-foot sliding fall that proves why this Cascade volcano is never "easy." This climb isn't just about reaching the 11,250ft summit—it's a redemption story. Two years ago, my partner Alex had to turn around just 100 feet from the top when the Old Chute got too steep and icy. Today, we're back. We traded our light gear for G5s and two ice axes, but with "chicken heads" raining down and a crowded, featureless bottleneck above Devil's Kitchen, getting Alex to the top is going to test all of our risk management and rope team skills. This was an 11-hour, high-consequence day in the Pacific Northwest alpine that required constant step-cutting and a serious reality check on objective hazards. If you want to see what a "Damon Up" level of Type-2 fun looks like when things get sketchy, hit subscribe and join the rope team! CHAPTERS: 0:00 The Rematch 0:41 16° Alpine Start 2:15 Where is the Hogsback? 2:55 Climbing the Old Chute 3:52 Summit Redemption 5:21 The 400-Foot Slide 6:38 Safe Returns #MtHood #Mountaineering #AlpineClimbing #OregonOutdoors #CascadeVolcanoes