Mt Adams

[iClimb]

interesting point 112

 

I wonder how many people flaming me about doing greater challenges started off doing things well above their comfort zone or skill set? I also wonder how many people flaming me had guide services talk them up a mountain every step of the way.

[rob]

I'm pretty sure I wasn't flaming you. Actually, I don't think ANYBODY has been flaming you. And to be fair, unless you are being dishonest about your experience, Mt. Adams is WELL below your skill set.

 

Incidentally, I don't remember recommending you do anything "well above" your comfort zone. In fact, I would have been happy to have provided additional routes which you might have found more interesting, given your experiences and ambitions.

 

I was trying to give you the benefit of my local experience, to help you have a better experience in the PNW -- and you threw back in my face, and then cried about being "flamed."

 

Anyway, I hope you have a good trip. Mt. Adams has some nice views.

Edited March 1, 2011 by rob

[NYice]

Something about this thread I find mildly entertaining. In one breath the OP says how mean and nasty the mountains in the east can be and in the next he says he wants a safe hike up a mountain in the Cascades. Perhaps inspired by the Adams in the Whites he would like to try another?

 

While we are on the topic of Mt. Adams, any opinions on the Adams Glacier route? (not that I am recommending one way or another to the OP)

 

[bistro]

i say go for Mt. Adams. When I climbed that mt. years ago it was to me a big deal. I also did this mt. solo and was excited to go so high. I was also thrilled to spend the night at the lunch counter. The whole event was great. I knew the ascent was straigfht forward and objectivly non hazardous. That my friends did not damper my excitment or my subsequent pleasure in reaching the summit. I say go for it. it,s your first high mt. and will be a great learning expierience regardless.

[iClimb]

Rob,

 

I understand your argument, but there's one problem.

 

I didn't come here asking to have my skill set challenged, I didn't come here asking for alternative routes or mountains. I can do my own research for those, just like I did the south side route of Adams, and if I have questions after my own research just as I did for this one, I will ask them.

 

I only mentioned my skill set so that people wouldn't tell me to learn how to use crampons, an ice axe, to hire a guide services, blah blah blah.

 

I don't care if it is below my abilities, I will still do it with excitement, and I will still respect the mountain and it's dangers.

 

Someone who guides on Everest may be over skilled to climb Mt Washington in New Hampshire, but that doesn't mean he or she won't enjoy it, and it doesn't mean that the outing can't become deadly.

 

in short - thank you for trying to challenge me and my skill set - I already had Adams picked, and I'm not looking to do any other mountain or route - that comes later. Thanks.

[iClimb]

I want my first solo'd 12000'er to be on the safer side, when despite great alpine experiences and extreme weather experiences in the east, I've only been up to 6300'.

 

Why is that so mind boggling to you?

[stevetimetravlr]

Are you talking centimeters? Adams is great training and can be really wild weather. I have been turned back a number of times by high winds at the false summit. If you are doing it with a bivy, don't stop at the early campsites, keep going to the Lunch Counter area and get a good place up there. Also, when you get to the false summit(Pikers Peak) make the effort to locate the old inscription by Arthur Jones up in the rocks to your left, its very cool. The ice filled cabin on the summit back in the day when it was inhabited, the residents would occasionally experience lighting balls which is not hard to imagine when you are there on a stormy day.

[Teh Phuzzy]

Be confident in your self arrest skills and navigating in nasty weather. I've been up there a few times and have had nothing but great weather, but then that why we went.

 

Steve has a great point about the bivy; watching the sunset from Lunch Counter with St. Helens in the foreground...

 

 

 

Fly into PDX for sure and hit Full Sail Brewery in Hood River on the way down

 

Have fun, its long but the views are good.

 

Have you thought about skiing?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bigtree]

iClimb, I've climbed it twice in recent years via southern approach; once solo in June with an overnight at the Lunch Counter and again with some friends as a day trip from Cold Springs in drier July conditions. Although the route is admittedly a rather pedestrian affair free of drama and hazards (aside from weather), its a classic coastal volcano and great fun - especially on skis. Last time I was on top I even had a couple of military jets do a low fly past and wing dip to say hello - I was tickled pink.

 

Just get out and climb it and when you get to the top you can decide whether to try Rainier to the north, Helens to the west or Hood to the south and they hatch a responsible plan to tackle one or all of them.

 

 

[medicsandy]

I VOTE FOR ADAMS!!! It is beautiful! Spend the night and bring your camera. Relax and enjoy! For me, Adams was the first thing I climbed with the exception of climbing out of bed. Living at a whopping 800' elevation, Adams was a hard climb for me. But it taught me so much. I came back home knowing what I needed to do to train to climb higher. July 11th will be my first attempt of Rainier.

"I'm new here and expected to be treated as such." You're new here and should expect to be treated kindly and with respect. That's what this site is suppose to be about.

Water - thank you. you are always a true gentlman on here and have answered more "newbie" questions of mine then should be required! But....on that note (wink) I do have a question for you. Where did you get the neat grey chart showing the conditions on Rainier??

[jhiggy]

Hah this whole thread made me laugh. I tend to side with Rob on this one. All he was doing was giving recommendations, not telling you how to live your life. You definitely don't have to take the recommendations, in fact if anything scroll past the info you don't want. That's the great thing about forums, you get thousands of peoples knowledge and ideas packed onto one site. Take it or leave it, no need to be harsh back. I will be making my first PNW summit this spring as well and decided on Mt. Hood. Let me know how Adams goes as I would like to try that next! Best of Luck.

[kroc]

Good advice for an out of towner is to heed the forecast. My ex wife encountered a vicious ice storm/whiteout in Aug. That's when the size of the volcano can make finding your tent or not walking off a cliff or onto a glacier a challenge. While the weather hardly competes with the himalaya, the broad, low gradient, featureless S slope of Adams makes it possible to get lost when you can't see.

 

When I climbed Adams I wore shorts (no glisside ) no axe, and never put my crampons on. Great views.

 

If the forecast is poor go do something on the eastside of the cascades. That's my advice, please don't be offended.

[Alex]

Another vote for Adams. I don't think it will be disappointing. It is alot of work and a good workout, and sweet views in all directions.

 

Somewhere early on the thread it was mentioned that Adams has only 30 degree snow slopes. While Adams is still a hike, I disinctly remember a steepish headwall that (at the time) felt quite steep...something that in firm conditions you would HAVE to self-arest on should you slip. So please take ice axe and campons and practice some self-arest with a partner on a short but steep slope with good run out before you go to the top.

[pcg]

I disinctly remember a steepish headwall that (at the time) felt quite steep...something that in firm conditions you would HAVE to self-arest on should you slip.

Here it is. You can avoid this while going up by traversing more to the east below lunch counter, but it's too hard to explain if you aren't familiar with the area. It's only a short section, but there are rocks at the bottom. There was a fatality in this area last year. Go slow, be careful, and you will be fine.

If you are uncomfortable downclimbing this then remember where it was and don't go down into this area on the way back. Stay to the east instead.

Edited March 15, 2011 by pcg

[Water]

pcg:

 

how are you getting a picture of the south slope's incline with mt hood behind it, since the slope faces south.. This taken from far to the east side towards mazama glacier? having trouble placing it

 

I think the term headwall is not the correct geographical term? maybe just me but compared with the term headwall used on many a volcano that term would never come to mind for southside route of adams. As far as adams slope being something you have to self arrest on in firm conditions -- the same could be said any moderate snow slope of any size with a bad runout? slope + firm conditions generally warrant self arrest no matter the mountain, nothing unique to features on adams.

 

larger size available in gallery. image 3 is just before pikers, so, the 'steepest' part of the south climb. at least in june conditions of 2010.

 

[RaisedByPikas]

I disinctly remember a steepish headwall that (at the time) felt quite steep...something that in firm conditions you would HAVE to self-arest on should you slip.

Here it is. You can avoid this while going up by traversing more to the east below lunch counter, but it's too hard to explain if you aren't familiar with the area. It's only a short section, but there are rocks at the bottom. There was a fatality in this area last year. Go slow, be careful, and you will be fine.

If you are uncomfortable downclimbing this then remember where it was and don't go down into this area on the way back. Stay to the east instead.

 

This area is not the "headwall". Its down lower above the creek with the huge cairns and below the final slog to the lunch counter. You have the option of going straight up left to a ridge or traversing up some fairly steep snow. The "headwall" just below the false summit isn't as steep as this snow. Its only slightly steeper than the rest of the snow field but feels a lot steeper when you are staring down 2000 ft.

[pcg]

pcg:

how are you getting a picture of the south slope's incline with mt hood behind it, since the slope faces south.. This taken from far to the east side towards mazama glacier? having trouble placing it

Yes, it can appear confusing. It is skier's right of the lunch counter. There are a series of gullies that merge into Morrison Creek. I went down that way in late June and it was a blast to ski. There was enough snow on the drainage to ski all the way down to the RTM trail and then it was just an easy 20 min. hike back east to the Cold Spring trail. This makes for a shorter day than doing the SW chutes because the trip back to the CS trail is much shorter and easier.

 

This area is not the "headwall". Its down lower above the creek with the huge cairns and below the final slog to the lunch counter...

Yes, you are correct. It's what I thought you were referring to because it's the steepest region on the south side.

 

Edited March 15, 2011 by pcg

[HappyCamper]

iclimb - if you have an extra day, try and add a trip up to St. Helens. Its similar to Adams in terms of technical challenges (or lack thereof), but a much shorter day and its a reasonably close trip from Portland. As mentioned before - Adams (and Helens) can be pretty fun on skis\snowboard - especially if its sunny and the snow corns up.

 

I don't know if it was mentioned elsewhere, but either have a flexible ticket in case the weather sucks (Adams isn't a lot of fun in bad weather) or a lower elevation back-up plan.

 

[sossity]

iclimb - Do Adams. It's beautiful and a great intro to the Cascades. But yeah, like some others have said, book a longer trip. Start with Adams, then hit St. Helens or Hood or Rainier.

 

Here's a story and some photos I wrote about a trip up the south side for the Oregonian in 2009.

A Day on Mount Adams

[medicsandy]

and don't go through Portland without hitting Voodoo Donuts!!

[dhrmabum]

Ah, skip Voodoo. . . Get your calories from any of the plentiful breweries instead. That is, unless you like candy and cereal on your donuts. .

[stevetimetravlr]

Nice TR on Adams Sossity. But, the best glissade in the Cascades isn't Adams. Colchuck Peak way mo bettah!

[medicsandy]

some of us that get pms love donuts with our beer!!