Search trip reports
IMG_6971.jpeg

Trip Report    

Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Adams/Adams Glacier

Adams Glacier is in low snow conditions. Route finding issues through ice fall and a large crevasse with no snow bridge turned our team back at about 10k ft.

Ben Chapman Ben Chapman
June 19, 2023
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • Mosquitos at TH. Trail was mostly dry to the PCT, then mostly snow above. No flotation used.

    Adams Glacier is in low snow conditions, significantly lower than July of 2022 when comparing photos. Exposed glacier between 9,500 ft and 10k ft led to pleasant alpine ice climbing.

    Ice fall is severely broken up and a large and complex crevasse at 10k ft with no apparent way around turned out team back.

Climbing permits ($15) are required for climbing higher than 7k ft - pick one up at recreation.gov before heading to the TH.

Trail was in fine condition to Glacier Lake. Glacier Lake had open water and plenty of dry, flat, wind protected campsites.

IMG_6961.jpeg

We left camp at 2:40a on Saturday and had some route finding difficulties getting to the base of the route ascending too far to climbers left towards the North Cleaver (following a rock band on climbers left), but got back on track after traversing a snow slope around 8,100 ft and crossing a rocky ridge to gain the glacier at 8,400 ft. We arrived at the base of the route (~9,200 ft) at about 5:40a. The snow was hard and required crampons. We place a few pickets in the first 500 ft, then the route steepened and the glacier ice was exposed requiring ice screws to protect. We climbed this section using running belays and used all 8 screws we brought. At 8a, we arrived at a bench at the base of the large ice fall (10k ft) that can be seen clearly from camp. We explored this area for about 2 hours trying to find a way through/over/around and could not find a route that was passable.

IMG_6974.jpeg

We decided to descend the route using 3 rappels from v-threads using a 50m rope to get to the bottom of the icy section, then down climbed back to the base of the route and arrived back at camp by 12:20p. We departed camp at 1:40p and were back to the cars by 4p.