Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Hood/South Side (Palmer Glacier)

Please review my earlier trip report from this route at a similar time of the year to see what to expect. I plan to lead this trip in a similar fashion, although circumstances can always  force adustments to the plan. While details, as always, will be discussed via email closer to the trip date, here are some highlights of what to expect:

1. This is an early-season trip, when conditions are more challenging. While later in the winter, once the snow fills in, this route is more comparable to a Basic alpine climb, at the beginning of the season in November-December, you can expect thin coverage and some ice steps (as you can see in the above trip report of my earlier trip, or any post of the South Side from around December on social networking sites). The ice steps are likely to be short, but with protection of debatable quality, so they will likely feel sketchy especially if you've never climbed in these conditions.
2. Due to the above, we'll treat it as a regular ice climb, come with tools and screws, and protect the technical part of the route. Everyone interested in this trip must at minimum have completed Intetmediate Alpine Ice.
3. Given the somewhat unpredictable conditions, this should ideally not be your first time on ice - if it's not in our activity list, please point out some relevant experience when requesting permission - trips, courses, etc.
4. While everyone is expected to come prepared, dialed in and in shape, this will be a conditioner for most people in the group, so expect people's fitness level will vary. We will be kind, non-judgmental, and nothing but helpful towards each other on this trip.
5. It goes without saying that topping out in these unpredictable conditions is not guaranteed, and we won't try to tick that box at all cost. Getting a good workout and a gear shakedown for bigger trips to come will be considered a success.
6. We will climb it in a day, starting around or shortly after midnight, and finishing likely late in the afternoon. We'll pick the better day of the two during the weekend depending on the weather - please be flexible.
7. We may need to bump this trip up or (more likely) down depending on how the weather and snow conditions evolve as we get closer to the date. Participants are expected to have some degree of flexibility. We'll do our best to make this (or a comparable) trip happen, albeit potentially not on the exact dates you registered for.
8. As is the case for most climbs of this sort, we will most likely climb in groups of 2 on a rope. While usually, there isn't much glacier travel involved on the route, early season may have thinly covered sections, so everyone must be trained in and have practiced the 2-person crevasse rescue in the eventuality that we decide to rope up for anysketchy section we might encounter.
9. We will not be taking any pointless risks, and we will not hesitate to rope up for anything spicy.
10. We will stay together as a group at all times. I'm sorry to have to say this, but I speak from experience: people who feel that beating speed records is important to them, and who might need to separate from the rest of the group because their teammates are moving too slow for them, should not sign up for this climb.

Discussed by email, closer to the trip date. We will start on Friday right before midnight and climb on Saturday.