Mt. Adams conditions

[jport]

Planning to climb on the north side of Mt. Adams this weekend. Anyone been on that side recently? How were snow conditions? Any info. on the North ridge descent would be helpful, too.

Thanks!

[NShighlander]

Jport, sorry not info ya, but I'd be interested in your TR after this weekend.

We are going to be heading up in two weeks on the same route.

 

Good luck and be safe.

 

 

[ClimbingPanther]

 

 

If you can swing it, a great alternative to staying on the North Ridge all the way down is to follow this approximation of my descent several years ago. This was the finest butt-glissade of my life, and assuming good snow, it could be yours too. It may not be the easiest thing to find your way to the snowfield, but it's well worth a little searching.

[jport]

After some more online research, I've found out that the Killen Creek trailhead is inaccessible because of snowpack and/or flood damage. From the forest service website:

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/current-conditions/mta-climbing-report.shtml

 

[pete_a]

fyi,

this is second hand info, but I know some folks climbed the Adams glacier over memorial day weekend and rather than starting from Killen Creek, they drove north on Rd 23 from Trout Lake as close to Adams as they coudl get then hiked cross-country (relatively open forest, no bushwacking) to treeline on the north side of Adams...they wrote that it added an extra mile or mile and a half to the usual killen creek approach.

 

please post a TR if ya go...I'm hoping to head in there later this month.

 

[SnoSlogger]

Hey Pete,

 

I'm also planning an Adams glacier climb in the next few weeks - any chance to get your friends to post a TR on here???

[Paul_K]

Here is a description of a different route to the Killian Creek trailhead that usually melts out much earlier than the standard route. Last year we got to about 1/2 a mile from the trailhead in early June. -

 

Directions -

 

Leave Randle south on Forest Service Road 23.

 

After a long stretch there will be a Y intersection with FS 21 going left and road FS 23 going right. Take FS 21.

 

You will stay on FS 21 for a little over 4 ½ miles, and then you will reach another Y intersection, Here FS 21 goes left and FS 56 goes right. A problem is that I couldn’t see any marker for FS 56. However at the Y there is a sign pointing to the right that says “Cody Horse Camp 5 Mi”

Take FS 56.

 

Another check is shortly after you get on FS 56 you will pass the Adams Fork Campground.

 

Shortly after that there is another Y with FS 56 going left and FS 5601 going right. Stay left on FS 56.

 

In 4 ½ miles at a 90 degree angle to the right is FS 5603. It is marked on a small sign halfway in the bushes on the right of the road. Take FS 5603.

 

In about 5 miles you will reach a four way intersection. FS 5603 continues on and the cross road is FS 2329. FS 2329 is a rough dirt road. Turn right on FS 2329.

 

You will then drive on this road until you are stopped by snow. We passed Keenes Horse Camp and passed the turn off to Horseshoe lake and got stopped by snow just before the road crosses Killen Creek and the Killen campground. From here it is about a half a mile walk to the Killen Creek trail head. It will be on your left.

 

 

 

[letsroll]

Paul thanks for the info. I am also looking at adams soon.

[idahoara]

Ditto...looking to do Adams on 6/29. Would love current info.

[RogerJ]

 

Here's some additional TAY updates

 

Still looking at 6/17

 

-r

[Sudipta Sinha]

Hi Paul,

I was looking for driving directions to Killen Creek trailhead and found your post. While checking google maps, i found that Killen Creek trailhead can be approached via roads 5603 (your directions) OR 5601 (is that the standard route ? ). Now the forest ranger said today (Jun14) that 2329 is washed away and not drivable but couldn't elaborate on the exact location. Could any of you who know the aarea suggest if Killen Creek trailhead is drivable (OR within 3-4 miles of drivable road) given the current road conditions.

 

I am considering the North Ridge route for this weekend June16/17

 

RogerJ, are you going to the North Ridge or South Spur ?

 

Thanks,

Sudipta

[RogerJ]

Our plans are a little TBD at this point. I'll edit this post when I know for sure.

 

-r

[yesisaidyes]

I was looking at South Spur for this weekend too - but conditions look less than favorable. Anyone have any weather predictions?

[PaulO]

Windy, wet at times and near 8000 ft freezing level. Bundle up.

[dinomyte]

Socked in, but potentially fewer people.

 

Take a waypoint at the TH!

[pup_on_the_mountain]

We (Sudipta and I) are postponing our plans as well (we were thinking of one of the routes on the North side). The forecast is iffy enough for the 6+ odd hours of driving (for me) to reconsider. Plus, we might be able to call in sick during the coming week .

 

If anybody goes up there this weekend, condition updates would be much appreciated!

 

BTW, folks at the ranger station said 2329 is drivable up to Keenes Horse Camp (taking the directions given by Paul_K above). Google maps will give you the same directions if you search for "NF 120 WA" (say, from Randle). At the same time, I couldn't find Keenes Horse Camp on the USGS topo. I'm looking at the Green Mountain quad (the one right above Mt Adams West). Horseshoe lake and campground are listed. Just above that, they list a Spring Lake campground. Is this the same as Keenes Horse Camp? In any case, it looks like a 1-1.5 mile trek (at most) to the trailhead, so shouldn't be bad I suppose.

[slogon]

Pup,

A map I have shows Keenes Horse Camp about a mile due east of Horseshoe Lake on Spring Creek, about a mile north of the Killen Creek campground, so I think 1.5 miles to the trailhead is about right. Gotta get on the north ridge one of these days.

[AllYouCanEat]

Yep, not far from the horse camp at all. Maybe a mile. There is usually a snowbank close to there that takes a bit to push through.

[pup_on_the_mountain]

Thanks guys! From what you said (slogon), it should be right on the side of the road - just not marked on the USGS topo.

[RogerJ]

We're bailing on this weekend as well.

 

-r

[yesisaidyes]

We are out...heading out to Tiger for a long trail run instead...

[fheimerd]

anybody want to call in sick and come with me monday???

 

sunny weather and untracked corn

[yesisaidyes]

damn stupid stupid job...

[RogerJ]

anybody want to call in sick and come with me monday???

 

sunny weather and untracked corn

 

Email me tomorrow... after spending another weekend with crap weather.... I feel a bit peckish already.

 

-r

[NShighlander]

Does anyone have any recommendations for getting to Killen Creek TH from Portland?

Which way is better/shorter, to drive to Randle then south from there or to cross over the columbia at White Salmon then go north?

 

There's been a lot of talk about road conditions lately, anyone have any updated info about getting to the TH?

 

Thanks