7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

mjirving · Post by **mjirving** » July 19th, 2012, 7:59 pm

My brother and I went for our rookie summit of Mt Adams last Friday and Saturday. The conditions were great on our trip up even though possible thunder was forecast for Saturday. We got our $15 permits in Trout Lake before heading the last 15 miles to the Cold Springs Campground for our base camp at just over 5,000'. The snow had just recently melted enough to get a car all the way into this campground that is more of what I'd call a "car ghost town" than a campground as there were basically 100 cars crammed into every nook and cranny with virtually no people in sight. We managed to rent our mountaineering boots and crampons and ice axe at REI right when they opened at 10am so that we could get it back the next night before they closed for only a 1-day rental. We left the campground at about 3pm for our trek up. There was spotty snow drifts for about the 1st 3/4 mile up the dirt road/path. I was a little surprised that the grade of the road was so consistently steep right out of the gate. More so than St Helens from Marble Snow Park.

Toward the top of the road it turned to all-snow all the time. It was an easy and packed corn slush that was easy to walk through. We had debated about whether it would be better to wear our mountaineering boots all the way up or to wear our hiking boots to the Lunch Counter and then our mountaineering boots (hard plastic) just to the summit and back. We went for the hiking boots which were much lighter and more comfortable, but of course then we had the extra weight in our packs which was noticeable. I think if I did it again I'd go for the mountaineering boots the whole way...but that's easy for me to say not knowing what it would be like to hike 12 miles in them.

The trees opened up after about 2 miles into open fields where we started up in earnest.

Before long we were pretty much above timberline

This section getting up on top of the ridge was the steepest section of the entire mountain.

We seemed to go at a steady pace of about an hour per 1,000' of elevation gain. This was the last major snow field before getting to the Lunch Counter

Here we are approaching the Lunch Counter

We cut across this main area that I'm guessing is considered the main "Lunch Counter" as it was pretty packed with people and crowded. We crossed over a small snow strip to an upper area of Lunch Counter that was more secluded. We found it interesting that all the stone wall wind-protection walls were essentially facing the wrong way as we were getting hit with medium east winds rather than the more normal I suspect west winds.

Here was our camp site. We were able to get pooled water over on the back side of this ridge we camped on for the night.

Mt Hood Sunset

Mt St Helens Sunset

The false summit (Pikers Peak) from our campsite. About 2,000' up and about 1,000' short of the true summit.

We cramponed up for the icy climb up the hill. Lots of early morning hikers on the hill. We left for the top at 6:30am

God's Country

We also hiked at a similar pace of 1,000' per hour as it took us 2 hours to get to the false summit and another hour to get to the true summit. We ran into some incoming clouds and some lovely small hail about half-way up to the false summit. A few of the more tentative groups turned around and called it a day...we kept going.

[Continued on my next post/reply]

mjirving · Post by **mjirving** » July 19th, 2012, 8:21 pm

[Mt Adams Continued]

Good morning Mt Adams!

Climbing away on a steep and steady pitch that never felt "scary steep". I'd definitely bring crampons and an ice axe, but I never felt that I'd be in danger if I slipped.

Piker's Peak in the background (false summit) heading through the saddle and up to the true summit. Windiest and nastiest point of the day (not counting hail) was at the false summit.

The clouds would intermittently clear to show off the summit as we approached

Looking down from the summit approach to the saddle and the false summit

The summit was engulfed in clouds when we got to it so we couldn't see much. After 5-10 minutes it cleared to show everything in the region. We were standing on top of the old shack/hut up there but you'd never know it as there was just snow over it. Here is St Helens from the summit

And here is Rainier

My brother standing on top

After hanging out in breezy 40 degree sun on top we watched someone fly a kite on the summit before glissading down to the saddle in perfect timing as the snow was just starting to soften. We started shedding layers quickly as we hiked across the saddle back to Piker's Peak where we took a short break before heading down the incredibly fun 2,000' drop glissade chute

We kicked back and took a break in camp with pretty much no breeze at all in shirt sleeves and shorts. We were surprised how easy the summit attempt felt. It probably had something do do with shedding our heavy packs at 9,000' and only taking 5 lbs up to the summit...it felt great! My brother also got some chills and loss of appetite for an hour or so the night before so we were really glad for the rest and the ability for the short acclimatization time to adjust a bit for our summit bid. We really felt great on summit day. This is one of my favorite pictures...my brother on the way down from Lunch Counter.

We high-tailed it back to the base as we could hear distant thunder. We made it back down in about 2 hiking hours and change compared to the 7 hours up. Here is the "car ghost town"

And here are the stats for the day and a satellite image from my Spot Tracker.

mjirving · Post by **mjirving** » July 19th, 2012, 8:24 pm

and the Spot tracker on Satellite (obviously way less snow in the satellite image from late summer likely)

It was a great hike that I'd highly recommend. Not technical at all, beautiful high camp opportunities, no crevasse worries and killer glissading!

Good times!
-GoalTech

weathercrazy · Post by **weathercrazy** » July 20th, 2012, 10:05 am

Nice post! The cars parked off the pavement kind of worry me, but it's either that or they just expand the pavement?

mjirving · Post by **mjirving** » July 20th, 2012, 10:22 am

Pavement? Nearest pavement is 12 miles away.

Yes it is pretty crazy up there. More of a staging area than a campground.

hlee · Post by **hlee** » July 21st, 2012, 6:56 pm

That was a really interesting TR. I haven't read too many things on summitting Adams, but it interests me more and more. Love the photos and everything, thanks!

Peder · Post by **Peder** » July 21st, 2012, 8:03 pm

Great trip report and pictures!

Your 1,000' per hour EG (300 meters/hour) is the standard used to calculate the time taken for an ascent in the Alps. The trails are steeper there, so the distance is irrelevant. A hike (or trails or glacier) that has 3,000' EG is expected to take 3 hours up and 1 1/2 hours down. So you hiked at a good steady pace.

romann · Post by **romann** » July 22nd, 2012, 8:18 pm

Thanks for great report and information. Many of the pictures look epic (in a good way).

Some day I too will head up there...

mcds · Post by **mcds** » July 23rd, 2012, 12:16 pm

romann wrote:Thanks for great report and information. Many of the pictures look epic (in a good way).

Some day I too will head up there...

ditto!

i'm wondering what you used for boots and crampons?

mjirving · Post by **mjirving** » July 23rd, 2012, 8:04 pm

mcds,

I rented mountaineering (plastic) boots and crampons from REI. Member price was $25 from opening of one day to closing of next day so I managed a one day rental. It's $10 per day extra I think.

I was conflicted if I should wear them the while way or just going to the summit on day 2. I opted just for summit as my GoreTex boots were comfy and dry in the snow with gaiters. But the added weight and space in the pack was a big trade off. Still not sure the better option. REI won't rent crampons for non stiff sole boots as they might fall off. Some people used micro spikes which would probably be fine too, particularly now in late summer. (at your own risk)

An ice axe came with the rental fee too.

Thanks for all your trail work mcds!

GoalTech

Oregon Hikers

7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

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Re: 7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

Re: 7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

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Re: 7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

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Re: 7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams

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Re: 7/13 - 7/14/12 Mt Adams