4 of us met at Clackamas Town Center TC at 9:20, a pleasant start time (still, I got on my train at 7:30am). I was late because Samrock Run caused my transfer to be late. Hwy26 wasn't icy, and passenger cars can probably make it. However, there was a slow line at the turn of Timberline Hwy. There was guy talking to each driver, and turning cars away, because the parking lot at the lodge was full. No surprise. Linda (our organizer) told him that we were going to Tyee Lodge, as there was an event this weekend at Tyee. Luckily, the 2nd checkpoint was at Mazama Lodge, before Tyee. We drove pass that without problem, and up to Timberline. This stretch should benefit having a 4WD. As luck had it, again, we found a parking spot right away. Cars here are parked with a lot of space between them, a waste of real estate.
There's a snowshoe track, groomed by a big snowcat all day long. I walked to its right, so I don't have to see the man made track, and got to see some rocks and tiny plants. It was so warm that I stripped down to just base layer, and took my rain pants off. The surface of the snow was glistening, melting and refreezing. A bit icy at places. Sounded crunchy. The crust wasn't thick, so crampons and snowshoes can bite into the surface. Once at the Palmer base, I had to put another layer on. 
When I sat above the end of Palmer Lift, I had to put on all my clothes (a down sweater and a rain jacket, a wind breaker hat), even though there was no wind nor rain. I asked some lady sitting here where Silcox Hut was, because that was our goal. Only when she responded that I had passed it awhile ago and it was buried in the snow, I realized that I know her, as well as 2 of her 3 companions! More thin clouds were forming, shading the sun a bit. At 8400', it is only 2.5 miles from the parking lot, and you can see it all the way up. Of course, you can also see Jefferson and 3 Sisters in the distance, a few lakes in the woods all frozen. When my group arrived, I left my pack with them, and walked up a bit, as the slope isn't steep at all. But when I tried to take a photo (this one to the right with lots of people sitting down), my pole fell, and it didn't stop for a couple of minute. Not something I wanted to see, so I returned. Yes, you can see people climbing on higher slopes.Going down is fast. I tried to glisade, but all the people and their track, as well as the gentle slope made is quite difficult to get the momentum going. I went to its south side again, and slid down on the icier slope. However, my rain pants got a big cut.
