Mount Hood · Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur summit route from Cloud Cap
The Route
The Cooper Spur summit route continues above the northeast-side hiking trail onto Mount Hood's steep upper ridge.
- Cloud CapThe approach joins the Cooper Spur trail network.
- Cooper Spur ShelterThe lower ridge rises above the Timberline Trail junction.
- Upper SpurThe hiking approach reaches the high rocky ridge.
- Tie-In Rock AreaThe summit line continues above the hiking endpoint.
- Upper Snow RidgeSteep snow and rock lead to the summit plateau.
Cloud Cap & Tilly Jane Approaches
The two northeast-side starts join the Cooper Spur trail around 6,600 ft. Cloud Cap and Tilly Jane are separate trailheads reached by different branches at the upper Cloud Cap Road junction; neither is the Timberline Lodge start on Hood's south side.
Hiking Ridge to Upper Spur
Above the trail junction, the route climbs the high spur toward the snowfield and Tie-In Rock. The guide places Tie-In Rock near 9,400 ft, beyond the separate hiking itinerary's published endpoint. A completed hiking trail is not a continuous summit trail.
Steep Upper Ridge
The summit continuation includes snow slopes reaching 45 degrees. The guide identifies the 10,400–10,800-ft band below the summit plateau, with snow and rock on the final upper section. The nearby North Face gullies are different routes, not alternate labels for Cooper Spur.
Carryover Logistics
The published itinerary describes ascending from Cloud Cap and descending to Timberline on the south side. Those endpoints require a shuttle; an ascent gain is not a return-trip distance.
Published reference figures for the named itinerary. Source dates and access notices are separate from current terrain observations. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Cloud Cap, Oregon · Mount Hood
Road Approach
Cloud Cap Road is Forest Road 3512, reached from Cooper Spur Road off Highway 35.
Road Character
The Forest Service describes the final approach as narrow and unpaved.
Seasonality
Vehicle access is commonly blocked by snow until late June or July. That is a recurring access pattern, not a verified current closure.
Parking
Cloud Cap parking is limited; the Forest Service accepts an annual Northwest Forest Pass as fee payment.
Shuttle
A south-side descent ends at Timberline rather than Cloud Cap, requiring separate transport arrangements.
Climbing Permit
Travel above 9,500 ft requires a Mt. Hood Climbing Permit, separate from the Cloud Cap parking pass.
Group Limit
Mt. Hood's climbing regulations limit groups to 12. The above-9,500-ft climbing permit applies on the north side as well as the south.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Climbing Ranger Reports
Seasonal reports, photos and winter updates from Hood's climbing rangers. Each report identifies its own observation date and route coverage.
Snow & Avalanche Observations
Dated field observations across the region. Select Hood and inspect the location and elevation covered.
Official Mountain Weather & Access
Forest Service links to NWS forecasts, NWAC products and climbing regulations.
Cooper Spur & North-Side Reference
Published north-side route descriptions distinguish Cloud Cap and Tilly Jane approaches, Cooper Spur and separate North Face gullies.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.