Requesting Conditions: Mt. Adams SS

[Major Major]

Has anyone seen the conditions on Mt. Adams in the past several days or week. Some friends and I are planning to climb the south side and just want to know what we should expect at this point in the year. Thanks for any and all comments.

[godskid5]

ditto, planning to head up mazama this weekend

[JoeMack]

I was up there last weekend (climbed Saturday). I brought my skis and didn't go to the summit. I dropped in to the SW chutes from Piker's Peak.

 

Finding a parking spot in the Cold Springs lot was tough. I arrived at dark on Friday, and found a level spot to set up my cot. Beautiful stars & no bugs.

 

Hit the trail at 6:30. It's snow free for the most part until the bottom of the Crescent Glacier. I wore running shoes up to the Lunch Counter. I changed in to my ski boots to climb the Suksoff Ridge, which has a reasonable boot stairway. Most people were wearing crampons, but I didn't see the need: snow was soft and the steps were good.

 

The summit didn't look appealing for skiing, so I skipped it.

 

 

 

Most climbers were gissading down the South side. The glissade trenches were DEEP

[Major Major]

Thanks for the pics and info JoeMack.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Major Major

[Peak13]

JoeMack - you didn't see the need for crampons at all? What do you think to the summit? How do you think my friend's gore-tex hiking boots work out?

 

Thanks!

[JoeMack]

JoeMack - you didn't see the need for crampons at all? What do you think to the summit? How do you think my friend's gore-tex hiking boots work out?

 

Thanks!

 

Peak13: I personally didn't feel the need to use crampons (I hadn't brought any so it was moot point for me). However, I've climbed that route several times before and knew what to expect.

 

If you or your friend don't have a bunch of experience hiking up a snow slope, I would suggest using crampons (and an ice axe) for a measure of security. If you don't own crampons, many shops have rentals available for a small fee.

 

The slope to the summit from Piker's Peak is not quite as steep, but it could be more frozen and therefore provide even a better reason for bringing crampons. I didn't hike to the summit this trip, so I don't know how the boot path was up the final pitch.

 

As far as your buddy's use of hiking boots, I can't say, because I don't know your friends abilities. However, if he's relatively inexperienced, I would recommend considering renting/borrowing a pair of mountain boots that could accommodate crampons.

 

One last comment that probably doesn't need to be made, but I'll say it anyway. If you do use crampons on the way up, take them off prior to doing any glissading down.

 

Have fun!

[Peak13]

So, I was up there yesterday - here are my thoughts:

 

Crampons: Not needed. Pain in the ass on the steps to Piker's Peak.

(GTX)Hiking boots: Would have worked just fine with proper sock options.

Glissading: Saw a few glissading with crampons - come on people...

[leora]

From Piker's peak to the summit last Sunday, I chose the snowiest route across, and also up. Nice suncups creating steps for the final steepish part. Snow all the way to the hut. Survey marker on the real, real summit was visible. Others chose a mostly scree route up from Piker's Peak. Not my cup of tea. . . None of us used crampons, either, but the snow was soft when we ascended, so not much point. I blazed a glissade track from the summit plateau (after skirting around the big water flow) on down about 3/4s of the way to the piker's peak plateau, which was happily followed by others.

 

Yes, there are some wild and crazy people glissading who have no clue how to use an ice axe. We helped out a few of them, especially one guy whom we thought was going to cream us. . . Yes, you really CAN glissade in control. . .

 

Anyway, I'm expecting all snow to be gone on that route from piker's peak to the summit, this weekend, with all of the sun we've had. . .