Mt. Adams Klikitat Icefall

[Trav]

Has anyone done Klikitat icefall in the last couple of years? I am thinking of going up there a little later this spring.

Trav

[Skisports]

nope there really isn't much to know other then what the route guide says.. I plan to do that route this year too

Dave

[wayne]

I did about 15 years ago. It is a great climb. It has a big feel to it and some real iceclimbing later in the season. We were there in July. We saw a huge calve on the headwall

[Trav]

I was thinking maybe early to mid June so maybe the snow pack would be consolidated and the nights would still be cold enough to keep most of the stuff in place. I say the route when I did Mazama glacier a couple of years ago and it looked really cool.

[Fairweather]

Too much objective danger for me! Sickle-shaped icecliff on left regularly cuts loose; The Castle is constantly dropping shit down the main body of the icefall and onto the approach. ...And then there was that huge slide in 1997.

 

I guess I'm just becoming a chicken shit in my old age. My tolerance for objective hazard is on its way down for some reason.

 

The South Klickitat Icefall looks safer and provides the same challenge IMHO. It's on my "B" list for this summer.

[Old_Man]

Hey Fairweather,

 

You got a link to the slide you mention?? I know there's been a couple slides in the pass couple of years. Think the USGS has printed something, somewhere?? Pretty awesome shot.

 

The route goes pretty quick out of the Mazama high camp. Mov'in along quickly on reasonably solid snow conditions seems to be the trick. There's a action photo on the route in the Longshadow photography studio down in Hood River (www.longshadow.com). He's got plenty of shots if you're looking for route photos. Not sure if he's got anything from last year though.

 

Good luck...and be sure to post a TR after your trip.

[Fairweather]

Hey OM! Here is that photo. If you're looking for higher res I can email it to you. I can't find the link. Darryl might have a better image.

 

[CraigA]

Old_Man said:

... There's a action photo on the route in the Longshadow photography studio down in Hood River (www.longshadow.com).

 

 

www.longshadowphoto.com

 

Craig

[Old_Man]

That's it, Craig! Thanks for the correction.

 

Check out Darryl's shop in Hood River. He's got some unique shots.

 

Gracias otra vez.

[TJD]

A friend and I climbed the klikitat glacier,then climbed the castle.This was in the in 1988, we climbed early in June. It was an early summer and dry. our biggest problem came when we left the castle to the west and hand to deal with creavases.We came down the Mazama. It was some of the most beautiful and remote climbing I have ever done. We climbed very early and delt with some hard ice. But not much falling.Interesting note on the way to bird creek meadows we had to register with an Indian ranger, he gave us a permit for five dollars.I think this is one of the underrated areas in Washington.Have fun and be safe.

[Lambone]

why would anyone in their right mind want to climb up that!????

[TJD]

Becouse I get out and try new things! And I do not need guns.

Edited September 8, 2004 by TJD

[mike1]

I've looked at that route many times thinking how incredibly dangerous it could be. I heard ice fall 3 times through the night while bivy’en at Sunrise. Each time it sounded like a freakin train wreck. Massive! I think years could go by without a line on that route... I'd plan a climb up the Mazama or Battlement the week before so you could recon the face. Do your homework and I'm sure it's doable. Becky did it in July I think. I have some some shots of the route from a July climb in ('97 I think), I've attached one... (same climb we heard all the ice fall)

Good Luck! Looking forward to hearing about the climb...

Mike

[MCash]

I bet it would be out of season by July the last couple of years. I looked into climbing it a couple years ago, in early August, and it was way out of condition. Not even close. My advise would be June.

[JoshK]

I guess I'm just becoming a chicken shit in my old age. My tolerance for objective hazard is on its way down for some reason.

 

The South Klickitat Icefall looks safer and provides the same challenge IMHO. It's on my "B" list for this summer.

 

Dude, I'm with you. Objective danger sucks. I would rather challenge my skills, not my blind luck.