Mt Adams routes...

[aclimb]

Does anyone have any good beta on climbing the north ridge of Mt Adams this time of year? I've heard it's a good all season route to go from some random people, but I like the wisdom of all you great ones on here more. Any info would be great. Thanks.

[salbrecher]

Dru said:

what gets me is people who never bother to search the internet or read books but just come to a bulletin board and post "hey im going to do big 4 tomorrow? can anybody tell me where the route goes? thanks" or "what are some good secxret bivi sites you dont have to pay for in Leavenworth" or whatever.

[JoshK]

It'll obviously be a snow climb this time of year. It turns to a lovely chossy ridge later on. I'd actually think it would be better early on. Technically it isn't, well....technical. The only glacier you are on is the adams on the summit plateau and it isn't crevassed at all up there.

[aclimb]

Just to save any other people the trouble of cutting and pasting a quote from someone else, I have done some research in a couple different guidebooks, but I'd also like to hear a little info from someone who has done it recently, not when a book was published six or so years ago.

[btowle]

Well, first I haven't climbed it this time of year. I would think the approach would be quite long.

 

I did it last summer and I think the approach from Killen Creek was 4.5 miles or so. There was no snow on the route except from the top of the Adams Glacier at that time.

 

The crux is at the bottom around 9000-9500 feet if my memory serves me. There is a place where the ridge has slide down onto the Adams. In Becky's book, he notes to stay climbers right.

 

When we were heading up, we got to the first gendarme and stayed right feeling proud of ourselves. Then we followed the obvious ascent path to the left where the slide was. Wrong! This is the area that he was talking about. We ended up backtracking and climbing over the ridge rather then trying to go along the top of the slide area.

 

Then it is smooth climbing to the summit.

[AllYouCanEat]

Ha, you will have 8 miles of road to skin right now and in deep snow to boot. Unless the rain melts a lot more snow than I think it will, I wouldn't consider it right now . I was at Ore Creek snowpark on Sunday and there is no driving past there. Try it in December or better yet wait 'till July . Climbing Adams this time of year is a pain unless you happen to own a snowmobile or a lot of free time.

[Lambone]

Just putting a plug in for the Mazama Glacier. It's a cool "easy" alternative to the South Standard Route. There are some cevases to cross and rock fall to look out for though. Nice and quite when we did it.

 

This time of year might be pretty tough though.

[Pencil_Pusher]

Well, don't stray too far off the beaten path up top, there are crevasses. My leg personally knows of one up there close to the summit. Bring wands to help guide you back to the hellish N Ridge.

[browntoe98]

Climbing Adams this time of year is a pain unless you happen to own a snowmobile or a lot of free time.

 

never said a truer word... I've been up there two years running in the winter. There is one heluvalotta snow up there. Each time I swear I'm coming back with a snowmobile to do the approach. Then I price snowmobiles and decide to just take two weeks and do it on snowshoes...

[Flying_Ned]

Adding a voice to the chorus: It'll be a good ski tour and a steep hike. The route is fairly straightforward, and as previously noted, move climbers right (W) when confronted with the obvious obstruction. There are a few decent bivies low on the ridge which could be fairly windy this time of year. You should be able to dig in for good shelter. While the route is a loose heap later in the season, the meadowland below makes up for it. Consider that and camping at or near the summit. Save the spring routes for Monitor or Mazama.