Adams Glacier Q's

[Crackalicious]

It seems like nobody's been up there for a while, but here goes:

 

Has been up around the Adams Glacier lately, I'm mainly wondering about the aproach. If no one replies to this we might just have to go up there with no information

 

Really, I'm scared, someone tell me if I should go...

[DonnV]

Two of us are heading in there tomorrow, and I also am not sure what to expect for snow conditions. We're going in via Divide Camp, and may just hike up the NW Ridge (or bail completely) if things don't look good. High 80's in PDX on Thursday. I can let you know Friday what we find.

[Crackalicious]

thank you!! have a fun, safe climb...

 

the melt will happen, will the freeze??

[hendorama]

Hey I was just up there yesterday. I am going to post a TR here in a sec, but basically the Adams Glacier looked alright. The approach is easy from Divide camp. You have to move through some soft snow, but not much postholing or anything like that. We heard some major stuff breaking and falling in the ice fall up there though, so I'm not sure if it is where you want to go. And if you are scared, you shouldn't go. Just go up the Killen Creek trail and do the north ridge, which is snowed over and fun this time of year.

[Crackalicious]

Thaks for the input. We are hoping the nights will be cold enough to make the A.G. safe, but if it doesn't freeze up considerably we're planning on just cruising the N ridge. So, Devide Camp tr is faster than Killen Cr?

[DonnV]

JeffH and I climbed the Adams Glacier this morning and found pretty good conditions. Had to put in a lot of shallow steps in a breakable crust, but nothing too bad. We approached via Divide Camp Trail and camped at 7500-8000' on moraines below the north side of the NW Ridge. Took snowshoes and would have used them going in except we found a good boot track up to timberline (Hendorama's?). We started early, 2 AM, mostly to get down before snow softened on the descent (it never did until well below our camp). The route up the right side of the glacier is very straightforward. One crevasse at mid-height is the only obstacle and it is passed fairly easily right now on the far right. We traversed left across the entire glacier to skirt below the final line of seracs, slogged over to the summit, then descended the NW Ridge. Temps were perfect until about 9 AM or so as we neared the bottom of the ridge, then got very hot. The snowshoes weren't necessary, but we used them most of the trip down from camp and were glad we had em' in the softening snow.

 

The only stuff we saw come down the Adams was some debris on the climber's left side of the glacier at about 7:30 last night. I thought the conditions we found were very good considering that it never got really cold overnight. I wouldn't want to be on it tomorrow, but if it cools off after that I'd guess things will firm up pretty well. And if our tracks are still there you'll save a lot of time! There were also other more interesting lines up the center of the glacier for anyone with a second tool and maybe a few screws.

 

Here are a few pics. Have a good time if you go!

 

The north side from near Divide Camp

 

Camp below the NW Ridge

 

JeffH high on the route

 

JeffH traversing below seracs near the top of the route

 

The route

[MCash]

Cool pics!

[Crackalicious]

DonnV- Excellent photos! Thanks for the info, I hope it stays cool enough to do the route, if not at least we'll have good views.

[Chad_A]

JeffH and I climbed the Adams Glacier this morning and found pretty good conditions. Had to put in a lot of shallow steps in a breakable crust, but nothing too bad. We approached via Divide Camp Trail and camped at 7500-8000' on moraines below the north side of the NW Ridge. Took snowshoes and would have used them going in except we found a good boot track up to timberline (Hendorama's?). We started early, 2 AM, mostly to get down before snow softened on the descent (it never did until well below our camp). The route up the right side of the glacier is very straightforward. One crevasse at mid-height is the only obstacle and it is passed fairly easily right now on the far right. We traversed left across the entire glacier to skirt below the final line of seracs, slogged over to the summit, then descended the NW Ridge. Temps were perfect until about 9 AM or so as we neared the bottom of the ridge, then got very hot. The snowshoes weren't necessary, but we used them most of the trip down from camp and were glad we had em' in the softening snow.

 

The only stuff we saw come down the Adams was some debris on the climber's left side of the glacier at about 7:30 last night. I thought the conditions we found were very good considering that it never got really cold overnight. I wouldn't want to be on it tomorrow, but if it cools off after that I'd guess things will firm up pretty well. And if our tracks are still there you'll save a lot of time! There were also other more interesting lines up the center of the glacier for anyone with a second tool and maybe a few screws.

 

Here are a few pics. Have a good time if you go!

 

The north side from near Divide Camp

 

Camp below the NW Ridge

 

JeffH high on the route

 

JeffH traversing below seracs near the top of the route

 

The route

 

I picked the wrong time of the year to move... wish I could've been along for that one.

 

Crackalicious, have fun if you head up!

[jeffh]

My first time on that side of the mountain and it was a fantastic experience. What a beautiful place to visit!!!

 

DonnV near the top of the Ice Fall

Edited May 27, 2005 by jeffh

[jeffh]

someone smarter than me explain how to post the picture

[Chad_A]