Muddy Fork on Mt Adams Highline

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drm
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Muddy Fork on Mt Adams Highline

Post by drm » October 4th, 2017, 9:37 am

Betsy and I headed up to the northeast corner of Mt Adams for a chilly late season trip. The earlier hope had been to go to Devils Garden and on to Avalanche Valley, but the weather did not cooperate. I had dropped ideas for this trip altogether but the forecast improved - somewhat - so off we went.

We headed up the Muddy Meadows trail under thick clouds on Sunday afternoon through occasional sun patches interspersed with rain and snow bands. The trail was nice and damp (i.e. not dusty like in the summer) at the start at 4400 feet.
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Much different by the time we reached the Highline Trail at 5900 feet
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A couple miles later we got to camp next to the first Muddy Fork and more precip was threatening, so we set up our tents, made a quick dinner, and then the snow started so we got in our tents for the night.

According to the forecast it should have been the sunny the next morning, but it was still cloudy and cold - in the low 30s. There was some ice in my water bottles. Late in the morning we headed up the trail towards Devils Garden but stopped on the ridge before the second crossing of the Muddy Fork. The sun finally came out for a while and this was as clear as Mt Adams got
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Then the clouds returned and we headed back to camp and just hung out. As the afternoon progressed the sunny periods got longer but clouds returned near sunset. Just before, there was a large lenticular cloud on Adams
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Betsy and I all bundled up for the cold
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That night was quite windy but the next morning finally dawned clear
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The sun got higher and finally started to warm things up a bit
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Through a gap in the trees behind my tent there was a view of Goat Rocks, with Old Snowy Mtn on the left and Ives Peak on the right.
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As we headed back I got a view of Mt. Rainier
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This being fall, there was some nice huckleberry color
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And upon returning to Muddy Meadows at the trailhead, was the view we were denied at the start
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bushwhacker
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Re: Muddy Fork on Mt Adams Highline

Post by bushwhacker » October 5th, 2017, 12:36 pm

Betsy and I all bundled up for the cold
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That doesn't look like it's near as much fun as you are saying in your write up :lol:

Guess shorts and tee shirt weather is done for at least in the high country. I spent Tuesday night (10/03) over on the NW side of Adams. One forgets that when the sun angle is so low this time of year it takes the sun forrrrr everrrrrr to peak over Adams on the NW side. I about froze Wednesday morning. May need some pants like Betsy has. And some down booties too.

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drm
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Re: Muddy Fork on Mt Adams Highline

Post by drm » October 5th, 2017, 2:38 pm

bushwhacker wrote:That doesn't look like it's near as much fun as you are saying in your write up :lol:
That's because I didn't do the writeup when I was there all bundled up, I did the writeup while warm at home. :twisted:
bushwhacker wrote:One forgets that when the sun angle is so low this time of year it takes the sun forrrrr everrrrrr to peak over Adams on the NW side. I about froze Wednesday morning. May need some pants like Betsy has. And some down booties too.
On cold nights, given a choice, I will take the sun first thing in the morning. All to often, mean clouds have a say in that. Betsy made those down pants herself. And if you get down booties, make sure to get the type that let you walk on wet ground and even a bit of snow without soaking through. Like mine would. :(

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