Climbing season is picking up on Oregon’s iconic Mount Hood. Visitors planning to travel above an elevation of 9,500 feet need a climbing permit. Permit fees fund climbing rangers, climbing safety information, and natural resources protection.
Permits are available as a single trip 3-day pass for $20 or an annual pass for $50. No advance reservations are needed and there is no limit on the number of permits issued. Climbing permits are available for purchase any time onRecreation.govup to the start of one’s climb. Permits are required year-round. For more information, visit our website:www.fs.usda.gov/mthood.
Every year up to 10,000 people climb Mount Hood and it is not uncommon for visitors with little or no mountaineering experience to attempt the technical ascent of the 11,240-foot peak. The Mount Hood climbing permit funds climbing rangers to provide safety patrol and resource protection within the Mount Hood Wilderness. Additionally, the permit helps the Forest to provide better climbing safety education, increase coordination and collaboration with existing mountain safety and rescue organizations, improve sanitary conditions by reducing human waste, and enable infrastructure improvements. Information from the permit system will also help the forest improve the program into the future.
Recreation Fees on National Forests
The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) allows the Forest Service to collect and retain fees for special recreation permits. Recreation fees help forests maintain and improve infrastructure and hire additional recreation staff. They also help provide quality recreation opportunities that meet visitor expectations and create a more financially sustainable recreation program for the benefit of future generations.
Under REA, all new and changing fees are reviewed and recommended by a local citizens’ advisory committee. Following a period of public feedback and proposal revision in 2022, the Mt. Hood-Willamette National Forest advisory committee supported approval by the Regional Forester.
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