Hiking to Ice Caves on Mt. Hood

Ice Caves

October 19, 2014

Jon, Kirti and I explored Mount Hood again.  We tried a different route in the same area we were at 2 weeks ago.  It was a much more scenic trail.  Once we hit McNeil point my friends decided to take a nap.  I went exploring off trail for a couple hours.  

My goal was to get to two caves at the bottom of the Sandy Glacier.  I talked with some hikers that had returned from there and I also saw some tents set up near the entrance to the caves.  I made it to the front of the caves but didn't enter or get very close.  Some rocks were dropping here and there and I didn't have a helmet.  When I got back home I had to look up information about the caves.  They have been named and mapped out.  There are even a couple film segments about them on Oregon Outdoor Field Guide.  I think I looked into the mouth of both Snow Dragon and Pure Imagination.  Definitely a highlight of the day just to know that I could make it over to the caves.  Next time I'd like to actually go inside.  It was very cool!    

Here is a a slideshow of the day.  Ice Caves on Mt. Hood

To learn more about the ice caves on Mt. Hood go to this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Glacier_Caves


If you want a look inside the ice caves, take a few minutes to view the film Requiem of Ice by Uncage The Soul filming crew.  http://www.uncagethesoul.com    The footage is amazing and beautiful.  

On the way back to the car, a layer of clouds rolled in near the mountain and the sun dropped out of the sky.  I found some nice vine maple leaves lit up by the setting sun.  

Jon on the trail

Two Ice Caves From a Distance

Kirti Above the Clouds

Finding Places to Relax and Rest

Jenny Contemplating Further Exploration

A Rugged View

The First Ice Cave

Melting Glacier Water

Looking Inside Cave #1

Cave # 2

Blue Ice and a Window of Light

Looking Out Under the Edge of the Glacier

Happy to be Exploring

Kirti and Jon in the Evening Glow

Mt. Hood Above the Clouds

Vine Maple and the Mountain