Mount Adams Route Suggestions?

[Ryan Wichelns]

Hey all! Not a local climber but I'm spending some time out here getting as much in as possible with a few friends. I'm experienced, one friend is relatively experienced and the other barely experienced (last weekend on the Eliot Glacier Mount Hood was her first time in crampons).

 

Anyway, our next stop is Mount Hood but I'm having trouble picking a route. Spending some time on a glacier is pretty important to us. We were hoping to spend a day exploring some crevasses and setting up a small toprope to practice steep climbing and rapelling. But I don't want to throw, especially the newbie, into something really difficult. I liked the Mazama Glacier (especially with the option for my experienced friend and I to take on the headwall) but from what I'm reading, we won't be allowed over there till July.

 

Anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks!

[Water]

really not allowed over there? or just to drive to bird creek meadows TH? Believe you can get over to the mazama glacier just fine from cold springs TH, just a longer approach..

 

Quicker back to the car too.

[PuckerJunkie]

If you can get the permits and have 2 days, Rainier DC will get you the most bang for the buck. Emmons is also a great route and permits might be easier. No technical climbing but plenty of glacier in either case.

[Bdubs]

I actually e-mailed the Yakama Tribe about this recently. Their response:

 

"Regarding your question if Mazama climb is open July 1.

 

The short answer is that the Yakama side of Mount Adams will not be open this year because of the 2015 Cougar Creek fire in the Bird Lake / Bench Lake areas. We lost most of the camping sites, watering sites, and the trails have hazards trees and blowdown all over. It will take us at least this season to assess the area.

 

Although we are technically closed, it's likely people will access the Mazama Glacier from other routes and the area is unlikely to be patrolled. It's common to see hikers on that route from May through October, weather we are open or not."

[Ryan Wichelns]

really not allowed over there? or just to drive to bird creek meadows TH? Believe you can get over to the mazama glacier just fine from cold springs TH, just a longer approach..

 

Quicker back to the car too.

 

Ah, ok, this is something I wondered! Cool!

 

Although we are technically closed, it's likely people will access the Mazama Glacier from other routes and the area is unlikely to be patrolled. It's common to see hikers on that route from May through October, weather we are open or not."

 

Double cool, it looks like that might be something we'll do.

 

If you can get the permits and have 2 days, Rainier DC will get you the most bang for the buck. Emmons is also a great route and permits might be easier. No technical climbing but plenty of glacier in either case.

 

Personally, I'm trying to get up as many as I can while I'm out here. After Adams, were going to keep going north to the Emmons. I did DC a few years ago.

 

Thanks, all!