chris_c Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 Are crampons necessary/much of an advantage on the Mt Adams South Climb at the moment? Doing it in one day so will be early morning and late afternoon and deciding between plastic rented boots with fixed crampons or leather boots and no crampons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboy Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 I was there last weekend and you could climb it without crampons. However it made it easier to just put them on after the lunch counter, you can just walk up and not think about it. Also you only have about a mile of trail before you hit the snow so plastic is nice. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_mule Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 would advise using crampons- still pretty icy until noon, and there are not many "good" steps kicked in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluck Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 You can also rent strap on crampons to fit your leather boots. Climb Max in Portland rents them for about $10 a weekend. Â You'd probably appreciate having crampons when you get above the lunch counter if the snow is still frozen. It's just easier to climb when you don't need to worry about your feet slipping. You won't need them for the descent though, the glissade is great!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 Crampons are certainly NOT necessary for a climb of the south ridge of Adams -- though the above poster who said the existing steps are not likely to be very good is correct and, especially early in the day, you may well elect to use them if you have them with you. Overall, I think you will be making the day more taxing by wearing heavier boots and carrying crampons, but for the upper several hundred feet on that slope above the Lunch Counter, you might well be happy with that choice. If you can, get some strap-on aluminum crampons and wear regular hiking boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapertimmy Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 didn't see many peeps with ponz on last weekend, i'd say leave em in the car and wear some nice comfy boots. bring your axe for if you get sketched above da counter. and as mattp sez, SKI THE SCHUTES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying_Ned Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Ditto. Go light--It's July and there is no exposure whatsoever on the south route. I'm sure you can get your boot onto something decent enough to keep you from backsliding too much. Pick a day with reliable weather and leave the plastic on the shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Its clear from this thread that many of us think the South Ridge is preety casual, but I wouldn't go so far as Ned and say "there is no exposure whatsoever." You could slip several hundred feet and slam into a rock, so its not quite Kansas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 Leave the carmpons and just time it to hit the snow when its a little softer. There are more than enough steps kicked in to provide an adequate platform for ascending. DOn't really need an ice axe either. Â Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean_Lowery Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 Crampons weren't needed yesterday. I carried them, but the condition of the snow is such that no ice encountered anywhere. I started early from Cold Springs and kicked in steps were adequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techboy Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 I was there on Sunday the 13th - lots of snow after 6300'. Trail was easy to follow, very little routefinding was necessary. I followed the steps up the Crescent Glacier and someone had wiped out the top of the steps with their snowboard - I didn't have a problem but some guys wearing sneakers did . Crampons weren't necessary... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 you probably saw the evac. of the woman with the broken leg then too. maybe safer not to wear crampons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techboy Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 I was wondering what was going on there . I didn't want to appear to be too nosy so I didn't inquire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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