Majestic Peaks of Washington: Mount Adams

took me awhile but solid place

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

MOUNTAIN DRY EARTH

The road is not terrible, washboardy in a few places. There is like 3 or 4 places where you need a bit of clearance and to go real slow (I did see some new Subaru s that looked stock out there). I slept in the parking lot to try and acclimate a bit. Started really late at 8am. I saw a Pine Martin about a mile in. Then the first stream comes in at like 2.6, the trial goes right through it and its super easy to cross. I stayed at glacier camp because I saw what looked like a big seasonal stream, there was and it was about 100 meters away. I was happy I stayed there and not lunch counter because you get good views of the surrounding mountains and the cool little valley. Also get to hear the water stream at night, its warmer, and made more sense for which route I was planning on taking. Woke up to a mountain goat at 6 am and started the climb. I really just wanted to get to pikers peak because I had no micro spikes or axe. I did find a stick around half way up that really helped. So I took the ridge all the way up. There is a metal cable that shows up every now and again on the floor woven between the rocks. This is the trail and you really should stay on it. Whoever did this I love you because it would have taken me so much longer with out it. There are like two or three streams after this to get water, you can't miss them. But this is only if you take the ridge trail. At Pikers I realized I could probably summit and headed over to the base of the switchbacks because I saw two people coming down. They confirmed I should be fine and to go to the Eastside and check out the glacier which i am really glad he told me to. So I floated on up and got there at 10am. I was trying to acclimate myself even more and it was a perfect day so I stayed till 3:15pm before heading down. Flew down to pikes peak and that's when I lost it. I was going to hang out there but I started to feel a bit sick and just wanted to get down. I thought it was the other ridge because I remember being way climbers left coming up. But realizing I was going into an abyss I quickly backtracked a bit a found the right place. So I am on the right ridge now for sure but I can't find the dam wire/trail. Now remember its literally an inch thick steel cable on the floor woven threw the rock sporadically on a steep mini bolder field. So its hard to lose but can be very difficult to find if you start off wrong like I did. This goes on for what seems like forever. 100% would not recommend if you aren't part mountain goat/great rock hopping skills/trail finding ability. You can take the wrong ridge very easily because they are so steep you cant see the bottoms. Was pretty dangerous so you really have to pay attention all the way down. Alot of loose rock, like every few steps. Then I realize that I am on the wrong ridge again, I mean fml right. Thank God I realized when I did so I didn't have to back track or do a sketchy traverse. Shortly after this I found the wire and I knew I made it. Stopped at one of the streams mentioned before and this is when I started to feel really sick. Guys if your sick don't feel like you can't lie down. I did for about 10 min which I think made me not throw up and felt so much better. Made it to camp 7:45pm and went right to bed. Woke up late felling better. Helped some people look for their car keys that they lost, bummer. Was visited by a humming bird at camp (didnt know they go up that high). All in all I think going up the ridge is the move it was pretty easy and I think way faster but not for everyone. Also maybe glizade down or just not get lost af but its easy to stray. The hardest part for me was coming down pikers but thats mostly because I was off trail/lost. Going up to Pikers was the second but honestly it looks alot worse than it is.

Gorgeous mountain. Taken on a hike here and put in situations like leader intentionally wandering near crevasse until I said something; taken a very winding difficult way up icy terrain (requiring poles and crampons and balance with pack and pickaxe, while others are just walking up the rocks on the side of the ice slope) and you're left wondering why; you watch them put too many drops of water cleaning solution into your only water bottles, which you asked if they would carry for you.