r/Highpointers

I love hiking, but I have never been mountaineering. I live in Oregon and want to climb Mt. Hood at some point in the next couple of years. Can I prepare to climb Hood without spending thousands of dollars on courses?

I have good hiking fitness and do fine at elevation. I’ve hiked Timpanogos, Nebo, and King’s Peak in Utah, and Elbert in Colorado, to name a few. The most “technical” mountain experiences I’ve had are Mt. Borah and Mytikas in Greece (a bit of a scramble at the end, but nothing crazy or requiring special gear).

I know I’ll need to get comfortable with crampons and ice axes, but I’m not sure where to start. Any advice is appreciated.

Maxed out the hardest thing I've ever done again this last month with the blue lakes + south slopes route for a 16 mi round trip. Curious what's on par or near the same difficulty elsewhere.