Mt Adams southwest side sept 2022

[retired jerry]

Based on Brad, Dean, and other's information, I did a few days on Mt Adams

I would have done Three Sisters but too much smoke. https://www.ventusky.com/?p=45.12;-119.89;6&l=pm25 was useful to determine where smoke was. Click on "play" button.

I started from Williams Mine trailhead where PCT crosses road 23. Totally paved road from the south side - Portland. Except the last 1/2 mile of gravel.

I camped at Lookingglass Lake:

Mt Adams from the lake:

As you can see, that area was totally burned over, but you can still camp just fine. The trail was fine. Maybe burned tree trunks are aesthetically displeasing

It's 5 miles on the PCT up to the Round-the-mountain-trail (RTMT). No drinking water except for 1/2 mile from trailhead.

Then I went south on RTMT. The first drinking water/camp was in another mile on the stream that goes down to near Lookingglass Lake. Another good spot with good water/camping is 2 miles further near Crofton Creek - several good steams.

No drinking water beyond that until Bird Creek Meadows. It's another 2 miles to the south side climbing route. I thought maybe "cold springs" at the south side climbing route would have water - no.

I would have gone north on PCT but there was a lot of smoke from Goat Rocks fire.

I think we're mostly done with forest fire smoke this year?

Like Brad and Dean said, this is much easier than Mt Hood. Maybe 10 or 25 feet down to stream crossings rather than 1000 or 2000 feet on Mt Hood. And the streams were pretty easy to cross. But, there weren't as spectacular views like Mt Hood.
B

[Chip Down]

Lookingglass Lake is an interesting camp choice. I actually like that lake, even post-fire.

[teachpdx]

I’m getting up there in a couple weeks for the first time in a few years, provided we get a nicely timed window of adequate weather.
Planning to camp on and dayhike from The Bumper if the weather is good, and somewhere lower like Horseshoe Meadow if it’s not so much.
Thoughts on preferred access via Shorthorn vs. Stagman Ridge, anybody?
And a good day jaunt from The Bumper? There seem to be a lot of options up there, both on-trail and alpine.

[drm]

Jerry - Did you visit the large waterfall next to Lookingglass Lake? Not everybody knows about it, just over the small ridge next to the lake.

As to Stagman vs Shorthorn, not a huge difference. Stagman is a bit shorter, but you have to do the unofficial connector. It has gotten well worn from heavy use in recent years, but they don't clear it. For Shorthorn you can save maybe a half mile by finding a spot to go XC from RTM rather than going up to the trail junction and then back down.

That is to the lake. If you are going to The Bumper (where I went last week), Stagman is clearly the quicker route - unless you want to do a few more miles. Note that there isn't much water up there - unless we get some real dumps. The branch of Cascade Creek that runs up between The Bumper and Mt Adams is not running, though there are some small pools in it here and there. From The Bumper, you could go to The Hump, or even Crystal Lake. There is a lot of low angle XC terrain up there - fairly easy wandering.

[retired jerry]

I did not see the waterfall. Now I have to go back

Yeah, surprisingly little water up there. The stream that goes down towards Lookingglass and Crofton Creek and some smaller streams adjacent.

A few years ago I went off trail above PCT and Divide Camp Trail. That was pretty easy and you get spectacular views. I'll have to try that above the Bumper next time.