Listen for the chirps and whistles of pikas and marmots on the rocky slopes at the tree line. More than a dozen waterfalls brighten river valleys that lie in the shade of the deep forest. A forest of Douglas fir covers much of the lower elevations, supported by an understory of Oregon grape, salal, rhododendron, and huckleberries (they ripen deliciously in August). Much of the area's annual precipitation of 150 inches falls as snow between October and April. Dormant but not dead, Mount Hood still vents sulfurous steam near the summit. Other routes on the mountain are much more difficult. Fatalities on the mountain average at least one a year. Climbing season is generally from April to mid-June due to melting snow and rockfall hazards later in the season. Ropes, crampons and other technical gear is necessary. The "easier" southside climbing route from Timberline Lodge is still a technical climb with crevasses to cross, falling rocks, and often inclement weather. More than 10,000 climbers a year come seeking the top of the state, making Mount Hood's summit the most visited snowclad peak in America. This snow covered peak lies at the heart of the Wilderness and is covered with forested slopes and alpine meadows. Mount Hood, Oregon's highest summit at 11,240 feet, is a dormant volcano covered with 11 active glaciers.
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