Tilly Jane A-Frame

The Tilly Jane A-Frame is an ideal getaway for individuals, groups and families who enjoy the great outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. One of the oldest structures on Mt. Hood, it is a popular cabin used by winter recreationists, with peak season usually November through June. It provides access to scenic terrain for hiking, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. During the summer months (usually July-September) the A-Frame is easily accessed by a short quarter-mile walk through the Tilly Jane Campground. During the winter months (October-June) it serves as a winter retreat for persons hardy enough to make the effort from the Tilly Jane Sno-Park. Winter conditions often exist for nine months of the year. Visitors can ski to the cabin following a 9-mile gently sloping road, or climb the historic Tilly Jane ski trail, roughly 2.7 miles with an elevation gain of 1,900 feet. Skis or snowshoes are highly recommended. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and backcountry travel experience is highly recommended. Multiple trails can be accessed from the A-Frame, some well marked and others covered by snow for most of the year; nearby trails offer day trips including one to the Cooper Spur Stone shelter, with great views of Mt. Hood, St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. The 24-by-48, two-story structure has a sleeping loft accessed by a ladder and can accommodate up to 20 people. More than one group may reserve the facility at the same time. It is equipped with two picnic tables, benches, a few chairs, and a wood stove for heating and boiling/melting snow. In warmer months, water can be found with a short walk to Tilly Creek; in winter, water can be obtained by digging an access hole to the creek or by melting snow using the pots provided. All water should be treated or boiled. A primitive outhouse with a pit toilet is provided within the alcove of the structure — bring your own toilet paper. Guests need to provide sleeping bags and pads, warm clothing, headlamps, cooking pots and pans, stove and fuel, and matches or a lighter. It is best to treat your stay as a backpacking trip, bringing everything you'd need minus a tent. Several lanterns and replacement mantels are available; you supply the one-pound green propane canisters if you wish to use them. Firewood and splitting tools are provided. The A-Frame sits high on the north side of Mt. Hood at an elevation of 5,700 feet, one of five structures within the Cloud Cap/Tilly Jane Historic District. It was built in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was used extensively by the American Legion in its early days. Surrounded by old growth trees, it stands roughly 1,000 feet below tree line. It is operated and maintained by the all-volunteer Oregon Nordic Club under permit from the Forest Service. A cook shed adjacent to the A-Frame has been condemned by the Forest Service.