ShadowTiger

Thank you for the feedback. I really had fun on this route and in retrospect some fine tuning to avoid the 1st slope crevasses would have made it better. Live, learn, love and grow 😃 ./cheers

Thanks ! :-) Yes I stayed right and went up the headwall. The guidebooks have the usual route going left. You can see the guided group ( 7 climbers) angling left in one of my photos, taken on my way down while looking back up. I came down the standard route and it was quite different from the way I chose going up. Straight up from camp in the morning I should have stayed right on the first slope and this would have avoided all the slots. Cheers 😃

I arrived at the ranger station in Trout Lake, WA around 11 AM. The news I had received during an earlier phone call was confirmed; the parking lot / trail head at Bird Creek Meadows was closed and I would have to park at Cold Springs, which is the parking lot and trailhead for the popular South Spur route. When I checked in, the ranger explained the longer approach I knew I would have to do. "Take the usual South Climb trail #183, until it intersects with the Round the Mountain Trail #9 and head East", she said. And then continued, "At some point you will need to go cross country and head for Sunrise Camp". I thanked her and headed for the car. The rangers were fairly busy and more cars were arriving as I drove off. They were expecting more than 100 people per day on the South Spur route.. I arrived at the trail head at 12:20 pm after the somewhat harrowing drive up the last 3 miles. The temperature was in the low 70s and the sky was brilliant blue. I hiked past some of the residual scorched forest and was soon at the branch point. As I went along trail #9, I wondered when I would find 'at some point'. I eventually came to what I thought was a good spot, consulted the map and drew a nice hypotenuse. I envisioned a nice straight shot to Sunrise Camp, minus needing to skirt around a few ridges. Five hours, and 3000 vertical feet later, I dragged myself up to Sunrise Camp (8,500 ft). What a miserable slog in hot conditions and steep scree traverses! Maybe my deviation off of trail #9 should have been at, 'some other point'. I went with 'at some point' but maybe 'at some other point' really would have been a better choice. I dumped my pack and heard the faint whisper of voices. I trudged over a small rise and found a group of four. We exchanged some pleasantries and then I broke the ice. "Wow! That approach flipping sucked", I said. The response was immediate and vociferous. There was much agreement and telling of slog tales. The group I met was so pissed at the approach that there were going to carry up and over and head down the South Spur route for the cars. I began to consider the options but decided to stick with plan A, and come back down the same route. I felt I could navigate a better route down from camp after seeing the terrain. We chatted and looked up at the route. We discussed timetables and probable routes. It was after 6 pm but the light was still more than sufficient to see several crevasses and a big bergschrund at the top of the lower ramp that we could see. They announced that they were planning on leaving at 5 AM. I planned to depart at 4 AM. I marveled that there were 5 of us here and probably near 100 on the Lunch Counter (the camp for the South Spur route). I went back to my pack and set up camp for the night. I loved the views of Mt Hood and could also see Jeffy in the background. Looking up towards Mt Adams, I had great views of The Castle and the Klickitat Glacier. The temps were in the 50s and I eventually drifted off around 10 pm. During the night I could hear periodic rock and ice fall. At 1 AM I stuck my head out of my tent and was greeted with one of the most glorious star displays I have ever seen. I woke up at 3 AM and left camp at 4 AM. As I headed up under headlight I was mindful of the crevasses. Unfortunately, I chose the gentler ascent line and was soon in the middle of the crevasses. There were not many. I skirted them and charged up to the bergschrund. I thought that I could see a work around to climber's left but this was an illusion. The bump in front of me soon materialized into a large, open scar. The left route was impassable and ended in a large cliff face. I probed back to the right, hoping I would find a bridge. As I came closer to the right I discovered that my options were limited. The bergschrund carved a 90 degree bend pointing back down the route. I was blocked. I looked back down to where I started and saw the other party breaking camp under headlights. I pondered my present circumstance. I noted a pie shaped chunk of snow covered ice that was projecting from the inside of the 90 degree bend and was pointing towards the opposite wall. Unfortunately, it did not extend all the way. I next looked at all the backtracking I would have to do and the fact that I was poised above several open slots downhill. I went for the pie slice. I belly crawled onto it and felt it with my arms. It felt really solid. As I crept further out I was aware of the drop to my left, and then the crumbling snow bridge on my right. Soon, I was draping legs on either side and gently scooting along. As I reached the apex, I realized I could reach and kick a toe hold onto the opposite wall with my left foot. The opposite wall was slightly higher than my perch and as I looked down my headlight couldn't find the bottom of the crevasse. I next used the same leg to kick a step slightly higher and to the right. I then solidly buried my left front points in the lower toe hold. I swung my right leg up and over the pie-slice and engaged the other, higher step. I took my ice axe and buried it firmly in the top of the opposite wall, and then was soon up and walking again. I stayed to the right on the route. It was steep in places but the snow conditions were excellent. Good crampon penetration on firm snow. The footing felt great. I was then greeted by the amazing glow of the oncoming dawn. Fifteen minutes later the first rays of sun, illuminating a partly cloudy sky, struck me. It was spectacular. The snow looked icy but I was feeling strong and confident. My technique felt good and my pack felt like nothing. Green light. I next hit a flatter section and the fear from the crevasse section had almost faded. The light was still early and the mountain wasn't completely visible. As I ascended I was confronted with a choice. Up to the right and center was a steep ramp. In the center/left was a wall with a snow rampart, and a complete side-to-side bergschrund. It looked like the mountain was grimacing at me. To the far climber's left, it looked more realistic. However, when I looked at my map and GPS it was clear that the most direct path to the false summit (Piker's Peak) was straight up the steep ramp on my right. The gentler path to the left took me completely away from the destination but I suspected this had a wandering path up. I chose the ramp to the center / right and before long was a third of the way up. It then became much steeper and icier than it had initially appeared. Soon, I was using a dagger and front-point method and desperately wishing for a second tool. My left, gloved hand could only skim over the ice and provided little support other than minor balance. I halted and evaluated options. I did a risk assessment. I thought carefully about current conditions, my skill level, best technique, energy/fatigue level, route options, etc. Although, I was on steeper terrain and it was icier than I wished, indicators were green. I focused on solid point placement, good flow, and self-confidence because I knew that my probability of self-arrest was low. I looked over to the right and saw the spectacular Kilickitat Glacier down below, and the headwall / icefall above. As I crested the top of the ramp I took a break and a few photos. I could now see climbers on the South Spur route up and to the left. I looked back down and couldn't see the party of four that had started up the Mazama after me. I wished them well. I side-hilled it onto the approach to Piker's Peak and encountered a really cool Canadian couple who had watched me crest the Mazama. I described where I had come from and they announced that I deserved a shot of Whiskey at the summit. I went upward and crested Piker's Peak, then crossed the flat traverse leading up to the last climb up to the summit. At 12,000 ft I really felt the altitude. At 0815 I reached the summit and was stoked to see fantastic views of Mt. Rainier, Mt St. Helens, Mt. Hood, and Mt Jefferson. Shortly thereafter the Canadian couple arrived, and they were not kidding about the shot. They offered and it was delicious!! Thanks you two. Lots of folks were celebrating and helping take each others' photos. The clouds were burning off and it was a glorious morning. The temperature was 35 F, with sustained winds of 10 - 12 mph. At 9 AM, after eating and hydrating, I headed down. The sun was fully out and it was getting hot. The snow was softening and it made for great plunge stepping. Below Piker's Peak I decided to remove crampons, put on hard shell pants, and glissade. I had a great time experimenting with different body positions. This was the most I have continuously slid and when I got up to walk both my butt and prostate were frozen. I bypassed the steep icy ramp I had ascended -- and also the wall -- by going to skier's right. I ended up a little low on the route and had to ascend slightly, and cross to the left. Soon, I was on a flat section and watched 2 rope teams ascending the Mazama. They crossed to climbers left and were going to bypass the wall and steep ramp. I walked along and crossed some narrow vertical slots as I approached the bergschrund at the top of the lower ramp. I looked down and spied Sunrise Camp, with some new tents that likely belonged to the guided group I had earlier seen. By 1125 AM I was back in camp. I was parched and quickly went about melting snow. I broke down my tent and by 1 PM was headed down. After consulting map and GPS, I realized that the exact path down didn't matter. Because trail #9 cut perpendicularly across my downhill route, all I had to do was follow the easiest fall line down and eventually I would hit trail. This proved remarkably easy. I picked up the trail without difficulty and was at the car by 4 PM. All in all this trip was amazing. Challenging, fun, beautiful. The drive in Sunrise Camp View of Mt Hood from camp Looking up at the Mazama Glacier from camp. Note the crevasses. The Castle and Klickitat Glacier viewed from camp Sunrise on the Mazama Glacier. The upper Mazama glacier. My route traversed to the left to join the South Spur route heading toward the false summit (Piker's Peak). Note the climber on this route. In the center is the Klickitat Headwall. This climber displays his patriotism on the traverse from the false summit towards the final climb. Summit! Beautiful views from the summit On my way down I spotted two rope teams on the way up (~1030 AM). My route was up the icy ramp in the center. Note the wall and bergschrund in the center/left. Crevasses on the way down. -- Gear Notes: crampons, axe. Really could have used a second tool

Thanks for the encouragement. I will try to keep up the entertaining the trip reports . ./cheers

Trip: The Brothers (attempt) (+mystery guest) - South Couloir Date: 5/15/2015 Trip Report: It was 1230pm and 62 F under clear skies when I left the car and started up the trail, which was in great condition, to Lena Lake. Through the numerous switchbacks I arrived and enjoyed a nice break overlooking the lake. I followed the trail around the lake and started up to The Brothers. The trail changed character quickly as I entered the Valley of the Silent Men. This is an eerie Tolkienesque forest nestled within a steep valley. It is old, dense, wet and true to the name, silent. I noted that I lost satellite contact with my GPS at times. The East Fork Lena creek bed was dry and I had read that it is because the stream goes underground at some point. I was unnerved by the silence and the dry stream bed. There has been very little snow this year and I was concerned that I would not find water higher up. I was relieved when I came across the sound of rushing water and was soon hiking next to the creek. There are interesting rocks and grottos, and moss carpets everything. I reached the camp area for the Brothers at 430pm. As I set up camp (3100 ft) I was again struck by how ancient this place is. I explored around a little trying to locate the trail leading up to the Brothers. I encountered 2 climbers at their camp and chatted. They had turned back high on the route due to white out conditions. (Thanks for the chat and all the great beta). I prepped for the morning and checked weather. It was overcast and at 730pm, temp was 50 F, baro=908.2, no wind, with relative humidity at 98%. After dinner, I laid down but my mind was racing. I must have drifted off but woke to a scratching noise. I turned on my headlamp but found nothing. Hmm, maybe it was just the wind. I later woke up again, not certain if I had heard something. This time I noted that my Therma-Rest was low on air. I re-inflated it and went back to sleep only to have some other noise wake me. Again I noted that the air mattress was low. I blew in some more air and listened. The valve was leaking and I couldn’t stop the leak. At this point my heart sank, because I suddenly realized what had happened. Tom Brady had visited my camp. I drifted again and was next startled awake when something ran up my arm and past my head. WTF ! Was that real or just a weird dream? I turned on the light again and found nothing. I next looked outside and saw clear skies and a tremendous display of stars.Two hours later when I again looked it was overcast. I got up at 0530 and noted that it was 46F, no wind, 98% humidity with a pressure of 909. After coffee I set off at 615. I caught some patches of blue sky and was optimistic. The trail was fine initially but then became difficult to follow in the undergrowth, downed trees, and debris. In places it was an obstacle course with some really fun bushwhacking. The weather was looking good. I started into a dry, rocky gully and was still puzzling out the route. Periodically, I encountered a few ribbons and cairns left by sympathetic wanderers who were probably just as frustrated as I. There was no snow. I next emerged onto a long scree slope and the terrain steepened. I was making good time but the constant sliding underfoot was annoying. Although the skies had been clear I kept looking back over my shoulder and could see that clouds had been creeping into the valley below. As I approached 5000 feet, I looked back and saw that I was being stalked by the building mist. I still had a good view of the route and had made good progress. At 5200 feet I got swallowed by the clouds and lost sight of the route. It cleared briefly, then closed in again. Visibility was still over 200 ft but I was unnerved by the direction the weather was going. I had read enough trip reports to know that the next several sections would be crucial in route finding. I was also concerned by the possibility of having to pick my way back down around the cliffs in a whiteout, if conditions continued to worsen. In fact I didn’t like that idea at all. At 0845 I pulled the plug. There was disappointment, but also relief, as I headed down. Temp was 45F, baro=852, wind at 3-5 mph, and humidity was 100%. Back in camp I packed up and noted a small hole that had been eaten in my food sack. Damn!So the dream of something running up my arm was not a dream. Some small rodent had crept into my tent last night. As I headed out I was careful on the mossy, wet, slick log bridges (complete with rotted hand rails). These logs were like teflon. I made good time was back at the car 3 hrs later, where a delicious Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA was waiting patiently for me. All in all, a great trip. I advanced some skills (esp efficiency and balance on scree, rocks) and completely enjoyed the solitude of this spectacular forest. [img:left]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=105103&title=valley-of-the-silent-men&cat=509[/img] Gear Notes: Gear Notes: one partially deflated, autographed Therma-Rest.

Nice trip report and excellent photos. Looks like it was a great climb. Glad it is not just me that dislikes the North Ridge descent, lol. Oh wait ... ;-) --

Thank you ! Enjoy it ! :-)

I am not sure what conditions are like now and what the best protection options are. I am new to the sport, having only been on 6 previous cascade volcano climbs but I'll share what I can. I am sure there's more rock, scree on the 9000 - 10000 ft section currently vs 7 - 8 weeks ago. From what I've read in other trip reports this section of the route can vary considerably during the season and the best line may wander onto the East or West side of the ridge. The steeper snow sections, on the East side (climbers left)of the ridge when I climbed were intermittent, not lengthy -- but were narrow (6-10 feet wide) with a sharp drop off to the left -- and were ~45-48+ degrees (I definitely felt the fear a few times). They were in good shape then, but I don't know what they are like now. Previous climbing with crampons and ice axe is a must here. A traverse descending on the South would have been a nice option had I arranged the logistics. I guess the trade off is a heavier summit pack but a nicer, shorter descent Hope this helps and good luck. (I just sent you a PM, also).

Thank you! This was a marathon (well..a few miles shy). It really was a lot of fun and the route was in excellent condition :-)

Trip: Mt Adams - North Ridge (solo) Date: 6/10/2013 Trip Report: This is my first trip report so bear with me here… Day 1: Parked at Keenes Horse camp because the road further south to the usual parking area at Killen Creek trailhead was still blocked with snow (This would add over a mile on the front and tail end of the journey. I later read off my GPS that my round trip was 24 miles). As I started out at 8 AM, the temp was 38F, skies were clear and there was no wind. Hiked down the road and started on trail 113 (Killen Creek trail). Trail was a little bit of a misnomer because in less than a mile it had disappeared and I was forced to wander around trees, snow drifts, and tree wells. Snow line was 5000 feet. I cached my snow shoes at ~6800 feet because I hadn’t needed them and the snow was still firm. I made my way up towards the lake at 7500 ft, where I refilled my water bottles. There were beautiful views of Mt Rainier as I looked back north, and Mt Adams in front of me. I set up camp at 8000 feet on a flat area at the base of the North Ridge. During my ascent it had warmed to mid 50s and the skies had remained clear. I watched some mountain goats on the adjacent ridge for a bit. I then got things ready for in the morning and laid down. The sun was beating on the tent and I was sweating. Around 8:30PM I drifted off, but awoke at 10:30 PM freezing cold and layered on a bunch of clothing. Day#2: I woke up at 1:15 AM to beautiful stars and no moon (New moon was just 2 days earlier). Temp was 34 F, skies were clear and there was a 5 mph breeze. I put on my crampons and set off by 2:30 AM. I was soon on the ridge. Initially by headlamp it was easy to negotiate the ridge, however this quickly changed. I had read on previous trip reports that climbing the north ridge in the dark is not recommended and I completely agree. At about 9000 ft it became trickier to find the right path and I had to double back several times. The rock towers in particular slowed me down. I just couldn’t seem to find the right way around them. At various times I was on rotten rock, scree or snow. The snowy sections were in great shape. Eventually it got lighter, then dawn hit and this made route finding much easier. I next climbed a steep, narrow section of snow on the East side (climbers left) of the ridge. This exposed area gave me fantastic views of the Lava glacier down below. I occasionally needed to dagger and front point on this section as I kicked steps and tried not to think about the long fall only a few feet away to my left. The route continued to alternate between snow, rock and scree. The snow gave the best climbing surface. The rock continued to perform as expected, that is to say break, crumble and fall. Above approx 10,500 ft the route opened up and I was able to enjoy some nice traversing on excellent snow. Looking directly back yielded great views of Rainier, and St Helens was visible on my right. I rounded what I thought was the last rise only to discover that the true summit still lay more than a kilometer away. I slogged on and made the summit at 9:50 AM. Temp was 23 F, with winds of 20 – 25 and clear skies. I had the summit to myself (In fact I never saw another human the entire trip). At 10:30 AM, after hydrating and eating, I headed back down. The snow had softened and I was able to make excellent time plunge stepping. Then I got back onto the crumbly rock on the ridge. At this point I was starting to get tired and the rock was annoying. I found a section that led to the South American glacier on the west side of the ridge and made my way down. Soon I was again plunge stepping in nice snow. I noted the rockfall on the glacier – some of it a mile or more down the slope -- and made a mental note to pay extra attention and not linger. I had hoped it was still early enough to avoid most of the expected falling rock . Shortly thereafter I heard the first ‘crack’ and watched a softball-sized rock fall and then get punted up in the air in a long, high arc that would have earned high fives for most NFL kickers. It was now 1 PM and I needed to move quickly down the glacier because it looked like it was the opening act of the RockFall Show. As the slope eased, I found a 3-foot tall boulder to stand behind as I made a quick GPS check. As soon as I looked down at the screen, I heard another ‘crack’. I looked up to see a basketball-sized rock bouncing down the slope right at me. I could have hidden behind my shelter but chose to move 10 feet to the right. I watched from a safe distance as the projectile plowed right into my previous shelter. Adams gets an A for accuracy. I now had one last slope to cross. Halfway to safety I heard another ‘crack’ and looked up expecting to see another rock, but found half a dozen projectiles gleefully bouncing down the slope towards me. These were scattered across the width of the slope, almost like the mountain was attempting “shotgun bowling”. I quickly noted the 2 closest and was able to see that they would pass harmlessly to either side of me. My detour off the ridge had definitely saved time, but put me a little below camp and I next had to climb up about 150 feet. During the last 15 minutes it had started to snow and now it was blowing hard. I made it back to camp at 2:25 PM. The trip out from camp started at 430PM and I eventually made it back to the car at 10 PM. It snowed, or rained at lower elevations, all the way out. I was wet and miserable and my gear was heavy from the additional water, but I was really happy to have had such great conditions for the summit. My first solo trip had gone really well and although I was zombie shuffling the last mile, my brain reminded me that this was most likely type 2 fun and I would probably feel like celebrating in the near future. Gear Notes: Crampons Ice Axe Helmet Approach Notes: Cowlitz Ranger station gave excellent advice about drive to TH. Trail vanished after about a mile and I had to wander drifts, and tree-wells