Mt. Adams south side road access?

[barjor]

Mean people suck. I always thought that if I am on a trailhead that is of the beaten path my stuff would be safe. Guess this prove me way wrong. I am really thinking about getting an old junker that I would never lock and never leave anything in it.

[trapper90]

I was up on Adams last weekend. I only made it to about 7500ft. Untill the weather stoped me. The road was clear to Morrison Creek Campground, it was spoty after that. The snow was solid going in Friday, but was soft going out on Saturday because it barely got to freezing. I am thinking about going back up Memorial Day weekend, but I don't know about the weather

[barjor]

So it is possible to drive all the way to the south spur trail head?

[trapper90]

No the road to the south climb trail head still has snow on it. You may be able to drive up to the trial head by mid to late May by my estimation, weather pemiting.

[Double_E]

so what's up.. anyone been there recently? know how close you can get to Cold Springs? am hoping to go the weekend of the 21st/22nd, so...

 

ALSO: question about anticipated ski conditions this year. i've been up Adams before, but never in spring and never w/skis. once the road opens to Cold Springs (whenever that may be), do you think it'll be skiable from the TH, or will you have to hike in a ways to get to skiable snow? i can't remember the lay of that land right there at all.

 

thanks

[pete_a]

some folks climbed it yesterday...road access sounds decent if you got a truck that has get through a couple snowbanks...

TR here:

http://www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=tr0505;action=display;num=1116178115

[Double_E]

yep, got truck. thanks.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

link

 

CLIMBING ROUTE INFORMATION

 

The weather has remained somewhat stormy these past few weeks. There probably has been little change in the snowpack. Overall snow depth is well below normal, but enough for spring skiing.

 

The South Climb Trail is entirely snow covered, yet is discernible up to the junction with Round-the Mountain Trail. From there the trail is well under snow, and routes vary. Snow conditions will be variable, responding to the latest weather.

 

Please check weather and avalanche conditions prior to any outing (see links this page). While avalanche forecasts do not apply to high elevations, such as the upper slopes of Mt. Adams, they are a valuable starting point for assessing avalanche conditions. Don't be caught unprepared. Help is a long time coming and cannot get to you in poor weather.

 

ROAD CONDITIONS

 

All roads are open.

 

Roads 80, 8040, and 8040500 are open to the South Climb Trailhead. Beware of debris on the road and soft road surfaces. Alot of snow remains in the parking lot at the South Climb Trailhead which limits parking space. Please park off the main travelway and do not block others.

[barjor]

Any reports on avy conditions up to pikers peak?

[Double_E]

we went up to Lunch Counter on Saturday. avy conditions not too bad up to there. our friend camped at lunch counter with his dog, made an overnite of it. he said the winds were way too high on Sunday to even think about summiting, on skis or crampons.

 

talked to at least 10 folks on Saturday who had gone up to Pikers Peak or close to it. they all seemed to say the snow was real crusty and icy up there... but safe and skiable. for them at least.

 

I didn't even take my skis... stayed on snowshoes so I could hang with a newbie-friend who doesn't ski. we took snowshoes, but didn't need them.

[barjor]

Sounds great. I will go up there 2 weeks from now. Things should be at a prime at that point. If I am lucky I will not need snow shoes either.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

Hey DoubleE,

how low did the snow go? continuous from CS? how deep?

typically this time of year I go without crampons or snowshoes, but may has been strange.

do you recall how exposed Suksdorf ridge is?

Thanks!

-r

[Double_E]

we went up the main trail from CS, which was snow-covered except for a few short stretches (maybe totalling 60 yds) which were bare. for most of the first 1/2 mile, snow was about 6-12 inches deep, but very skiable. I think most of the skiers bypassed that first 1/2 mile, tho, with other routes.

 

approaching Lunch Ctr, there were a number of exposed piles of boulders ... and there were also a few places where the snow we were hiking on was only a foot deep. like I said, we took snowshoes but didn't need them... plenty of good tracks to use. on the way down, we kept thinking about putting them on, but didn't.

 

in the last 100 yds before LC, there were some real icy patches too. and I heard that past LC it got reeaally icy. I'd at least take crampons if i were going soon.

 

have fun!

 

one friend from last weekend wants to go try it again this weekend, but I'm going to the coast instead... planning a beach hike from Rialto to Sand Point.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

Gracias!!

[RogerJ]

We climbed there yesterday. The road is open and dry all the way to CS. I'd say we hiked 1//2 mile of dirt to skinable condiitons. We did a 3:30 alpine start, and my crampons and ice axe were backpack ballast the whole route.

 

Saw some amazing rockfall right above the tree line.

 

The snow on the descent was mashed potatoes by 1:00. But I love the splitboard to make the comin' home part fun.