Winter Solstice at Tilly Jane A-Frame, Mount Hood Wilderness, Oregon

My third trip to the Tilly Jane/Cooper Spur area on the northeast side of Oregon's Mount Hood, December 19-21, 2021. I rose early enough to watch the sun rise on the winter solstice, wreathed in rosy clouds against a backdrop of clear skies after two stormy days of snow and wind.

Resources

• The approach starts at the the Tilly Jane Sno-Park. Drive time from Seattle: about 4 hours, 15 minutes.The Tilly Jane Trail is a 2.7 mile climb with a 1,900 foot elevation gain to the Tilly Jane A-Frame. Proceed past the A-Frame, the shed, and the amphitheater, cross a small ravine and the Tilly Jane guard station is nearby. Alternate route to these structures: follow the closed road, which is about 9 miles long but you can cut some switchbacks (if conditions allow) to shorten that route.
• Google Maps link for the Tilly Jane Sno-Park: https://goo.gl/maps/cVcUvfGbMb1sZHFi7  
• Parking at the Tilly Jane Sno-Park requires an Oregon sno-park permit

Shelters

• Tilly Jane A-Frame information.
• Tilly Jane Guard Station information.

• GPS coordinates of shelters: 

• Stone climber shelter: 45.38882, -121.66048

• Tilly Jane A-Frame: 45.39908, -121.64597

• Tilly Jane Guard Station: 45.3988889,-121.6480556

Weather & Avalanche Forecasts

• Weather forecast from NOAA
• Mt. Hood avalanche forecast from NWAC

Travel Information

• Oregon road conditions
• Hood River ranger district

Maps & Navigation

• Tilly Jane to Cooper Spur ski approach map from mountainlessons.com
• Another Tilly Jane to Cooper ski approach map
• Overall Mt. Hood ski touring map: https://caltopo.com/m/LF7E 
• Zoomed in look at the ski trail to Tilly Jane area: https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=45.40741,-121.62438&z=15&b=f16a&o=r&n=0.25&a=sf
• GPX file of ski trail from Tilly Jane Oregon sno-park to Tilly Jane A-frame

Emergency Preparedness

• Limited and unreliable cell phone coverage in the Tilly Jane area

• Oregon / Mt. Hood area emergency response and resources:

• Mt. Hood National Forest (503) 668-1700 16400 Champion Way, Sandy, OR. 97055 

• Clackamas County, OR. Sheriff’s Office: (503) 655-8218 

• Drive time to nearest hospital: East and north of Mt. Hood: 45 min. To Providence Memorial Hospital: 810 12th St. Hood River, OR 97031 (541) 386-3911. South and west side of Mt. Hood: 1.5 hrs. Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center, 24800 SE Stark St., Gresham, OR, 97030 (503) 674-1122.