Mt Adams Killen Creek - High Camp 8/8-10
Posted: August 11th, 2019, 11:58 am
On Friday, we explored the meadows around High Camp, and then descended (somewhat treacherously) down the Adams Creek drainage to the crossing at the PCT. We considered crossing sooner, but the creek was raging and it didn't seem safe. After crossing on logs we hiked south on the PCT for a couple of miles, then turned around to get across the creek before it rose too much more. There were some great flower meadows on the headwaters to the Lewis River. We hiked up a different drainage back to High Camp.
We could see (and hear) thunderstorms to the north, with one squall parked about 5 miles north of the mountain for what seemed like hours. We were feeling pretty lucky, with thunder all around us but clear skies above, until about 8:30, when our luck ran out. For the next 3+ hours, it rained buckets, with lightning in the general area and at times directly overhead (flash - boom! no counting of seconds, just like in the movies!). It was one of the most dramatic nights I've ever spent in a tent. Fortunately, my new REI quarter dome was up to the task.
We woke to mixed clouds and sun on Saturday, and decided to climb one of the ridges above High Camp. We finally saw a small herd of about 10 goats on a ridge across the way, after encountering hair, tracks and poop the past 2 days. At about 7700' we could see the clouds ascending out of the valleys below, and before long we were in whiteout. So we descended quickly, and decided that with more rain likely and views unlikely we would pack up camp and head out. On the way out, we dropped our packs at the junction and hiked north on the PCT, and had lunch at a falls on the creek that drains the snowfield just below where we had camped. With drizzle on and off during the afternoon we were happy to have ended a day early. Still a great trip.