[TR] Mt Adams - NW Ridge 06/19/2020

[adventure43]

Trip: Mt Adams - NW Ridge

Trip Date: 06/19/2020

Trip Report:

Images: https://imgur.com/gallery/xtuhf6H

Started from a turnout near Takhlakh Lake and headed up the Divide Camp Trail. Probably could have driven to the Divide Camp Trail but there was a bit of snow – a Lexus 4x4 was at the trail head. Crossed over the PCT intersection and just followed a route that seemed reasonable. 

I went up a couple of the moraines that didn’t have snow cover. It probably would have been better to have stayed lower in the valleys and then climbed up the moraines at the very ends. Some of the tops of the valleys had deep moats at their ends.

Gained the ridge around 8000 feet. Didn’t see any bergschrund lower down as mentioned on summitpost. I was on a rock ridge for a bit and then stayed to the left to keep on the snow. Conditions weren’t ideal, since very little was firmly consolidated. It was nice to have two tools when heading left towards the North Face of the ridge (40 degrees?).

Down climbing the steep parts was a chore given the slushiness of the snow. It was at most just freezing on the summit that night and morning. Saw a few people on the summit but none while I was there. There were three boot tracks that appeared to come from the North Ridge / Cleaver route but I didn’t see them.

The big chunks separating at the top of the Adams glacier were a spectacular sight and well worth the climb. Definitely will come up the north side again.

 

Attached GPX file is not a recorded route, just a best guess.

Gear Notes:
Helmet, crampons, axe, two tools

Approach Notes:
Divide Camp Trail - a walk through the woods

[nonbasketless]

Nicely done. I have a soft spot in my hearty for soloing routes like this with long approaches.