Adams .....ready?

[Topoftheworld]

I'm looking to climb Adams at the end of June. Probably a one day hike. I did this climb last year but in mid-July. Any thoughts on doing the hike at the end of June vs end of July? When do the crowds pick up?

[Seamstress]

Updated: 6/18/2012]

 

ROAD CONDITIONS

 

The 8040 road to the South Climb Trailhead is blocked by snow at Crofton Ridge trailhead; 3 1/4 miles from the Cold Springs trailhead. Park in a way as to not block traffic. Please remember to drive slowly and caustiously this road is very narrow and curvy. The 23 road is closed between Randle and Trout Lake due to snow.

 

The crowd is a result of the very short season that folks can get into the Cold Springs TH. You are looking at 22.5 miles and probably 8,000+ vertical. That is a lot for a single day, but quite doable for a day and a half.

[mplutodh1]

The crowd is a result of the very short season that folks can get into the Cold Springs TH. You are looking at 22.5 miles and probably 8,000+ vertical. That is a lot for a single day, but quite doable for a day and a half.

 

22.5 miles? Am I missing something? 5.7 miles from the normal trailhead to summit I thought, plus 3.25 miles due to road closure.

 

I've heard suskudorf ridge is the route still, what's the difference with this route? Hard to find beta online about it.

 

Planning to be up there 30th - 2nd on the South Spur and setting up camp at Lunch Counter

Edited June 20, 2012 by mplutodh1

[JasonG]

Cold Springs is the TH for the South Spur, and you have the math right. It's more like 18 miles RT with the current road status, though it felt like 22! The route is in fine shape right now and you'll have fun if the weather cooperates. Good luck!

[pioneerian]

Any word on getting to the mazama glacier via bird creek meadows? Hoping to hit it earlier since there was a lack of snow this year.

[mplutodh1]

Anyone head up that way or heard a report from the weekend? NOAA's weather outlook for the weekend doesn't look perfect but... might hold out to be OK.

 

 

 

Saturday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 44.

 

Saturday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers. Snow level 9900 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.

 

Sunday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

 

Sunday Night: A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.

 

Monday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Snow level 9900 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

 

Our current plan is to head down to Hood River Friday after work. Crash in Hood River and head up to the Trout Lake ranger station Saturday morning around 8 when they open. Get our volcano pass, blue bags, check on conditions, etc. then head up to the mountain. Trying to get up as close to the trailhead as we can with the snow. We're not planning on bringing snowshoes (thoughts? I'd rather not carry them if we don't have to have them). We'd plan to get to Lunch Counter on Saturday, setup camp and hang out. Waking up early (alpine start probably) to head for the summit with a hope of being back down to camp mid-day. If the weather ends up sucking we'll pack up and bag it (ugh that'll be a long day with the extra 3.25 miles) and if not we'll probably spend Saturday night on the mountain and head out Monday morning.

 

Anyone else planning on giving it a go this weekend?

 

Plan to call the rangers later this week to check on things.

[Quarryographer]

Try to catch a glimpse of this guy. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009390936_skunkbear27m.html

[JBo6]

I'd appreciate a report back if anyone heads out there. Thanks.

[JustSteve]

I was up the 8040 road yesterday morning, still blocked by snow at Crofton. Perhaps a vehicle with true 4wd and ground clearance could punch a bit further, as the blockages are drifts rather than solid layer of snow.

[Water]

skied it yesterday (sunday). Was mostly in or under clouds up till LC with periodic breaks. They mal-lingered around all day and re-sat on the mountain at times with 100ft visibility and othertimes view all the way from summit to trout lake There was like 6 inches of fresh snow (a day or a few old?) from lunch counter up, thinner in some spots. Also kind of a crust below. Fine on skis, seemed like maybe it would suck on foot with that crust if you were punching through.

 

we stopped maybe 100ft short of pikers cause a cloud had come back and seemed to really be holding, we didn't know if we were gunna be in white out for the rest of the eve or not..so we judiciously used the visibility we had and opened it up when it cleared a bit more at times. all clear by the time we got to LC and nice thereon out. An hour later the mnt had full sun top to bottom and clouds seemed to move higher overall. Went down crescent glacier route, i'd probably go up that way too having gone down it, even with the 'warnings' of the cornice on the ridge to the west of the crescent, imo it can be easily be safely ascended if you pick the right spot. it was fun to ski down that side. just keep your bearings so you dont funnel into the wrong drainage.

 

btw on the way out noticed someone in a 4wd vehicle had indeed smashed through some of the snow banks for a mile or so (1.5...2 not sure) beyond where we parked. Real soon its gunna be open to the snows edge. the road walk really aint that bad tho.

[mplutodh1]

Thanks Water. Appreciate the update!

 

We'll check in with the Rangers and see how things are going later this week (hoping for their update as well). Neither of us have been on the South Spur before but are doing as much research/prep as we can to be safe out there.

 

Both of us will have our GPS and downloaded a few tracks from EveryTrail so we have them as well (http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=665239)

 

Both of us are safety conscious so any hint of a white out we're either parking it or turning back like you did.

[Eric Anderson]

I just spoke to the ranger station to check on road conditions for our planned trip two weekends from now. She said two parties made it somewhere from 1.5 to 2 miles to the trailhead and the snow is melting fast. It should be driveable to 1 to 1.5 miles from the TH for any car within a week or less depending on the weather.

[mplutodh1]

We're bagging our trip for this weekend. Been watching the weather reports and haven't been liking what we see. Postponed for later in July.

[snowhat]

You missed out, the predicted thunderstorms never appeared, and we had gorgeous weather on Sunday.

 

16 miles RT. Parked a little over 2 miles from the official trailhead, and once the big clump of snow melts, you could easily drive another mile.

[mplutodh1]

Bummer - I'm more conservative with weather related things like that. Long trip down to have to bag it when I can't dedicate too many weekends a year to trips. We'll be up there the weekend of the 21st now. Hopefully by then we'll be fine getting to the trailhead, etc.

[Eric Anderson]

High-clearance trucks have been able to make it about 1/4 mile to the TH, by this weekend I think most cars should be able to get that close.

[Eric Anderson]

Climbed it this past weekend. Road is open all the way to the TH although turning around the last bit is tricky if the spots are all taken. Something like 380 people registered to climb Friday-Sunday.

 

Route was in great shape and an easy climb. I don't know enough about the route to say which we went but we went up and down two different routes below the LC. We could see people taking all kinds of routes up.

[KirkW]

Climbed it this past weekend. Road is open all the way to the TH although turning around the last bit is tricky if the spots are all taken. Something like 380 people registered to climb Friday-Sunday.

 

Route was in great shape and an easy climb. I don't know enough about the route to say which we went but we went up and down two different routes below the LC. We could see people taking all kinds of routes up.

 

We also climbed and skied Adams this weekend. Conditions on the standard climbing route were mostly perfect with only a few spots of rock that required us to take our skis off on the way up. Snow conditions from the summit all the way down the SW chutes were perfect! We were able to ski all the way back down to within a couple hundred meters of the TH except for the short traverse/ climb to get back to the climbing route, but it's melting fast and won't last long with these temps. There had to be at least 300 people on the mountain on Saturday.

 

Get some.

[yellowlab03]

Is there a lot of snow at lunch counter or are the tent spots melted out yet? Going up next week and want to know if I should pack a shovel or not.

 

[Water]

melted out.

 

did SW chutes yesterday. partner stashed some trail boots around 6800 so we had to traverse higher but a couple who followed us down continued and attempted to descend more and then go back towards the TH. could be their own navigational folly but they got back to the car like 20 minutes after us, and we took our sweet time traversing, drinking from a creek, having a beer, etc before the final bit to the vehicles. So I think the past week of weather confirmed Kirk's 'won't last long'.

[yellowlab03]

No shovel then huh? Awesome, I like carrying less stuff!