Equipment Lists

Towering over Oregon’s largest city and the nearby Columbia River Gorge, stands Oregon's tallest mountain, Mt. Hood. This prominent peak challenges aspiring mountaineers to push their physical limits and realize their ambitions. It is often the first glaciated peak high-pointers attempt, due to it's proximity to civilization (yes, with proper training, you can climb it in a single day!) Our professional instructors will guide you on your mission to stand atop one of the most climbed mountains of the world.
Climb above the clouds and witness the beautiful landscape of the Pacific Northwest’s volcanoes with views of Mt. Adams, Mt. Saint Helens, and even Mt. Rainier.
Aspiring summiteers should be ready for a strenuous, 12 hour day of physical and mental challenges on the mountain’s classic South Side route. Grit, determination, and sound decision making are all important in a successful summit of this awe-inspiring volcano.
This climb has prerequisites. Please see the Walk in With tab below.
Private climbs are booked on a custom basis. Call us learn more and start planning your trip.
New in 2025! Kaf Adventures has brand new Petzl gear available to rent for Mt. Hood Summit Climbs:
Crampons - $25 per day
Ice Axe - $15 per day
Helmet - $15 per day
Glacier harness - $25 per day, 2 locking carabiners included
Full package - $70 per day
Online reservation coming soon, but for now let us know what you need. Quantities are limited, so sooner is better, with a deadline of 48 hours before your climb. We will have the equipment ready for you at the mountain on the day of the climb.
We do not rent mountaineering boots, so if you need those we recommend getting both boots and crampons from The Mountain Shop or Next Adventure, both in Portland. Please see our Rental Equipment page for more information.
All of the above is in reference to the South Side climbing route on Mt. Hood. If you have solid glacier travel experience and would like to try a multi-day adventure on a more advanced route, please contact us to create a custom climb.
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This trip requires an alpine start. Meet your instructor at Timberline Lodge at 1am. We will climb the moderate slopes of the lower mountain by headlamp and hopefully reach the upper mountain by sunrise. In the last 1,000 vertical feet before the summit, the gradient of the mountain greatly increases and we prefer to make the summit push in the early morning light. After a short celebration and snack break, we will carefully make our way back down the upper mountain and beyond. Conditions, weather, and team dynamics will dictate outcomes, but you can expect to be back to the parking lot around 1pm.
This trip will leave you with knowledge and practical application of:
PLUS:
Not Pictured/Optional Gear
☐ Pre-made lunch items, easy to eat with gloves on
☐ Trekking poles ☐ Whistle ☐ Pocketknife/Leatherman
☐ Area maps and compass ☐ Heavy duty plastic trash bags (for water-proofing) ☐ Note pad/pencil ☐ Camera
☐ Watch ☐ Half foam pad to stand/sit in snow ☐ Shorts/t-shirt ☐ Bandana