August 21, 2010, Adams/Hood conditions photos

Left Seattle a little too late to effectively get the alpine start I wanted on Adams. With the forecasted weather due to make its arrival in the afternoon, I was loathe to start up the mountain in mid-morning. In actuality, the weather seemed to have held until 4-5pm, but I couldn't have known that in advance.

The webcam is no lie; the Chutes are in incredible shape for August. A. G. Headwall still looks like it goes. Glacial ice just poking out on the White Salmon; the entrance from above is no longer trivial. Skiers on the S. Side will probably start skinning on the roll above the Crescent and ski to the base of the crescent. S. Side glissade is getting thin in one spot just below the summit. Looks like July 21 up there, not August 21.

Waddled up to the RTM trail just to see what there was to see, then checked out the sights in Trout Lake that I've always passed up in favor of the mountain. The "Big Tree" is a big tree, and worth the very short 1/4 mi drive to see it. The ice caves are unexpectedly cool, and probably even cooler in May/June. Bring a helmet, a headlamp, and consider studs/crampons for getting around in the back of the cave; the absence of friction begins immediately at the base of the stairs. There's a Saturday market in TL that ends at 3pm; I saw authentic-looking mention of Mexican food there too. There are supposedly fields of huckleberries near the ice caves, but I didn't see them. Husum Falls gives nice photo opportunities, and Beacon Rock is nifty.