North Ridge descent from Adams Glacier

[vsigler]

We are planning on going up the Adams Glacier in a couple of weeks and then to descend the North Ridge to get back to our camp at the lake at 7505 ft. I have read that a chute exists that many parties use to get off of the ridge, and that it saves a bit of time getting back to the camp, as well as prolonged agony on the ridge. Can anyone elaborate on the details of this chute (elevation, approx. coordinates, photos, etc.)? Thanks in advance.

[JasonG]

The NR isn't bad, and you will have a good look at the chute on your way up the Adams Gl., and likely from camp as well. I never was tempted to drop off the ridge into the chute when we did it in July awhile back. The Adams Gl. is a really pleasant climb, with some of the most scenic camps in all of the Cascades! Enjoy!

[DPS]

We dropped into a chute on the west side of the ridge, perhaps somewhere between halfway and 2/3 of the way down. As Jason mentions, the Adams Glacier is a wonderful route. We found mostly moderately technical terrain, a few steep pitches which we belayed, and interesting route finding with a few 'will it go' moments.

 

The NR isn't terrible, but it isn't good either. I wanted to get off it as soon as possible. I'm sure conditions play a part, but we found just enough snow to make the scree slippery, thus we bailed down the chute. The chute was perhaps 35 degrees, maybe a bit steeper? We climbed the route mid July.

 

Be sure to call the Ranger station to make sure the road (I think there are two possible ways in) is snow free to the trail head, or else you will be walking the road.

 

I like to bivi as high as possible, so we hiked through the beautiful meadows and camped at the edge of the glacier on sand next to a tarn. The NR descent dropped us right at camp.

Edited June 8, 2012 by DPS

[YocumRidge]

I second taking the chute instead of the NR all way down. As Dan mentioned, if you look up from the camp, the exit to the chute is about 2/3 up on the NR and next to the obvious chossy gendarmes.

 

40 deg at most. Two times I was up there, my partners glissaded the whole thing.

 

Also, see p.61 in the brown Beckey. The chute is the upper dotted line connecting the upper NR and lower Adams gl. via the snow slope.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

The ridge is not as bad as people complain about it being. There is only one place where routefinding is tricky - you move from skiers left of the ridge over to skiers right. We were never tempted by the shortcut... every way off the ridge seemed unsavory (mid-July). Good luck with whatever you do.

[mbiundo]

Good luck. We will be heading up July 6th from Killen Creek trail head. If you get road status could you kindly post??? I will if we make it before you...

-Marc