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still waiting on those pics

Trip: Green Mtn Lookout - South Slope Trip Date: 12/02/2018 Trip Report: After arriving at the trailhead with no snow to be found, we agreed to hike for a while to see if we could find some. I believe we hiked a couple of miles to approximately 5,000' before finding enough snow to start skinning. By the time we reached the south face, there was 12" of boney (but solid) base with 3" of semi-bonded fresh snow and grauple. We took a short break at the top and had an unexpectedly fun 1,200' run. We continued to push our luck down to 5,000 where the brush put an abrupt end to my run with a fabulous digger into some rocks. Except for Kit, he managed another 500' of tremendous brush and rock skiing. We didn't see anyone else out, which always makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong. Remarkably satisfying first ski outing of the season. Where are we supposed to ski? That's better Does it count if you don't skin all the way? That's what we came for - Gear Notes: rock skis & helmet Approach Notes: road is in good shape

Trip: Three Fingers trail run - Meadow Mtn trail to standard ladder scramble Trip Date: 10/21/2018 Trip Report: As my free time for frolicking amongst the mighty cascades has shrunk over the past few years, my activities too, have changed with it. Trail running has given he the opportunity to tackle mountain objectives in less time. I get to really special places without all the time commitment. The “back in time for lunch” mentality. Although I prefer to soak in ambiance of a glacial cirque, I have developed a deep appreciation for a smash and grab kind of day. 396F23EC-9316-4ED8-8ABF-C3D2EB4A4780.MOV Over the past few years, my running buddies and I have slowly pushed our distances, elevation gain and loss, and comfort with venturing onto more technical trails and into more remote areas. This run was a real test for us and proud to say we pushed our comfort zones and it paid off. The human body’s limits reside in the mind. Lesson learned: don’t trust caltopo’s trail distances. What was supposed to be 20 miles ended up being 26! Combine the awe, love, and uplifting feeling mountain vistas give you with the chemical concoction your body produces during a long, sustained effort and you’ve got the recipe for the best drug on the planet. 12 years here and still so very much in love with our Cascades. Gear Notes: Brooks Cascadia trail shoes, MSR bladder Approach Notes: The road is closed after 8 miles just before it turns west.

No reason Adams can't be skied enjoyably in early July. I skied it last weekend of June last year and it was still primo - carried less than a mile, skinned to the summit, SW chutes skied great. It likely would have lasted at least 2-3 more weeks in good conditions, longer with more hiking/more suncupped skiing. I feel like I say this all the time to people starting out in mountaineering, but I believe Adams (and volcano/backcountry skiing in general) deserves a little more respect than it often gets. I don't know what your mountaineering background is - maybe you've got years of experience. If so, feel free to ignore my advice. If not, I think you should be at least a little concerned about routefinding - it's not terribly complicated, but simple mistakes can have big consequences on a big mountain. You should definitely still be knowledgeable and concerned about the potential for wet avalanches. They can still happen in summer - especially on steep terrain like the SW chutes. And you should be aware that the hazards of climbing and skiing a big mountain aren't the same as those of skiing in a resort, no matter how challenging the resort terrain may be. A week before I skied it last year it was an ice skating rink and several people took big, high speed slides with serious injuries. I don't say any of this to be discouraging - it's an amazing ski trip, absolutely one of my favorites, and you should totally have a go at it. Just give the trip the respect it deserves. Also - no one else has really said it, but I know my feet/legs would absolutely hate me if I tried doing a 7k foot, 10 mile day as my first day ever, in rental boots no less. Maybe I'm a pansy, but a day like that still wears out my hip flexors and threatens blisters even in well-fitting, well broken in boots after I've put in 30+ days and 60k feet in a season. Skinning can either be a really efficient means of travel, or it can be extra exhausting, depending on your technique. I'd take some other folks advice and do a shorter, easier day a little earlier in the season to figure out the mechanics of things, then go out for a fun day on Adams in late June/early July.