Mt Adams: August 20th - 21st

[Tyc]

Went up with my dad on the 20th. Both of us had climbed Adams in the past but never got a chance to do it together. We arrived at Cold Creek Campground to find every parking spot full, but we were able to find a spot after moving a small log. Before heading out I checked around the parking lot to see if my friends truck was there (My friend and his dad went up 19th - 20th). I did find it and on the way up to Lunch Counter I passed above him and yelled down to him but he didn't hear me. At Lunch Counter we set up our tent and found a small stream of water to refill. After unpacking and getting my backpack ready for tomorrow we watched about 100+ hikers going up and coming down from the summit. Was the busiest day I have seen on Adams. I stayed up late to watch the stars and enjoyed a few beers (Fort George Vortex IPA & 21st Amendment Back In Black). After a few hours of watching the stars I decided to lay down and get some sleep.

I woke up before sunrise and saw at least 30 people heading up towards the false summit with headlamps on. My dad was already up and we both decided to get ready and set out before sunrise. I quickly reached the first ridge before the false summit and saw my dad below still coming up and decided to go on without him knowing he would catch up. On top of the False summit I couldn't see him anymore and waited until he crested over the first ridge. Once he was in view I headed up to the summit. I reached the summit at 9:20 am and hung out with a few other hikers for 15 minutes, took some pictures for other climbers, then hiked to the east overhang to see the east slope of Mt Adams and castle rock. Around 10:00 am I could see my dad heading up the final slope of the summit and I headed over to him. 10:05 am he reached the summit and another climber took our picture.


Ready to go


















My friend yelling back to his dad as he passed on a ridge below me.


This plane flew over the summit at least 4 times within two hours.




Below Lunch Counter


Looking over the ridge below Lunch Counter


Tons of people still heading up to the summit as I got to Lunch Counter.


Running water at Lunch Counter


My dad decided to lay down once he got to camp


Angry guy heading into Lunch Counter




Right before the sun set




Sun set


People in the morning heading for the false summit with headlamps.


Mt Adams Shadow




Sun just rising before I hit the false summit




People on the summit taken from the false summit


Zoomed of my dad heading up for the false summit. (Red jacket)


Unzoomed of my dad heading up for the false summit. (Red jacket)


Snow formations on Pikers Peak


My dad and I on the summit


Myself on the summit


Mt Adams east slope


Mt Adams east slope and Castle Peak


Little Mt. Adams




Me waiting at the false summit on the way down for my dad

[rogersjd74]

Beauty climb/hike.... Tons of snow still on both the false and true summits.

[Born2BBrad]

Totally awesome! Great pictures and TR.

Questions:
Did you need crampons, ice axe or ropes?
Did you or anyone else get altitude sickness?
How dangerous is the climb to the top as it pertains to slipping or death falls when exercising common sense?
Could you see Avalanche Valley on the east side in the Yakama Indian Reservation?

I ask about the climb because I have heard it is similar to the South Sister climb in that no special technical skills required and that it is just a long, sometimes steep hike to the top without dangerous inclines or skirting cliffs. I need to convince more than one person that a prepared person in good shape who acclimatizes for a day or two can safely do this climb.

I ask about Avalanche Valley because it is on my bucket list.

[Tyc]

Thanks Born2BBrad

Totally awesome! Great pictures and TR.

Questions:
Did you need crampons, ice axe or ropes?
Did you or anyone else get altitude sickness?
How dangerous is the climb to the top as it pertains to slipping or death falls when exercising common sense?
Could you see Avalanche Valley on the east side in the Yakama Indian Reservation?

My dad and I did not use crampons, ice axe or ropes, but I did have a few ropes in my bag. I would suggest crampons as a extra level of safety but not required if you watch your footing up the false summit.

I didn't see anyone get altitude sickness, but a group above us had a member "Jose" who was sick after making it to Lunch Counter. Not sure if it was from the altitude or just pushing himself to hard.

The climb is not that dangerous if people take their time and watch their footing. Early in the morning the snow is frozen solid and a fall could potentially cause a significant injury especially if near the rocks. Places to watch out for are near the false summit and looking down the eastern face of Adams if you head over that far. Also I watched a few people get injured glissading down from the false summit when they picked up to much speed and wiped out hard.

*Edit* Forgot to mention there are a lot of deformations in the snow to watch out for, but they are usually obvious and easy to avoid.

I did have a decent view of Avalanche Valley from the eastern ledge but my camera ended up with 20 corrupt pictures out of 322 and of course that was one of them.

"a prepared person in good shape who acclimatizes for a day or two can safely do this climb."
Yup for sure and you shouldn't need to acclimatize unless someone has a known problem with altitude.

[Aridd]

cool, I really want to hit this sometime with year with only boots and poles...looks like its about time.

[Tyc]

Beauty climb/hike.... Tons of snow still on both the false and true summits.

Thanks Rogersjd74. I couldn't believe how much snow was on the mountain this year. Only one tiny edge of the summit building was visible.



-

Compared to August 2nd, 2009

[rogersjd74]

To funny.... I have that same photo of 2009, shot the second week of August 2009. The snow is plentiful this year.

Great shots and great looking trip this year!

The trip is very similar to South Sister and I describe it as an endurance climb... Cramp-ons in the AM worked well for us, but by late morning the snow was way to soft and mushy... With the amount of people that climb Adams, I am suprised that we do really hear about more problems... More people get hurt in the glissade chutes than on the actual climb, I am guessing.

Speaking of that how were the glissade chutes this year?

-Jason

[Born2BBrad]

Thanks for the info. I’ll use it to convince my hiking friends that it’s doable and to convince my wife that it’s really not dangerous at all as long as I am prepared, in good shape and don’t do anything stupid. She worries when I go on difficult adventures, but it’s part of a wife’s duty to worry.

I did have an issue with altitude sickness (mild) last year climbing South Sister, but it’s probably because we drove from Portland at 200’ in the morning to the Fall Creek TH, then hiked almost straight to the top the hard way via Green Lakes. This was because cloudy weather was coming in fast and we didn’t want to expend the effort the next day to see nothing. Obviously I would not do the same thing on Mt. Adams.

[mayhem]

Cool pictures great perspective especially of the Angry hiker..looks a lot like Eric Peterson when he was guarding the shack:)
Do you know why the hiker was angry or was it frustration ?

Yep! I really need to add that hike to my loony bin!

[Eric Peterson]

This can be done as a 4 am start Mayhem and be done before DN wakes up from his beauty sleep...