US Forest Service to require climbing permits for Mount Hood

By Joni Auden Land (OPB)
Dec. 23, 2023 2 p.m.

The U.S. Forest Service has announced that starting in 2024, people climbing Mount Hood’s highest elevations must first obtain a permit.

The permit will only be required for those traversing above 9,500 feet on the mountain, and will not apply to any ski areas. A day pass will cost $20 and an annual pass will cost $50.

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Several people with headlamps surround an injured woman on Mount Hood as night falls

Crews work to rescue a woman who fell near the summit of Mount Hood. A permit will soon be required for those climbing above 9,500 feet.

Portland Mountain Rescue

Fees collected from the permits will help fund new patrols along popular climbing routes and improve safety on the mountain, according to a Forest Service press release.

Multiple people have died attempting to climb Mount Hood. In November, crews rescued a woman who fell several hundred feet. She survived with only minor injuries.

There will be no limit on the number of permits issued daily.

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THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

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