July 7, 8, and 9, 2012, Mt Adams S.W. Chutes

  Tamar, Luke, the dogs Davey , Whisper, Irie, and I headed for the SW Chutes. This was my second year in a row doing the chutes on this particular weekend, which happens to be my birthday weekend. Last year at this time we had a 2 and 1/2 mile hike up the road to the trail head. I was very pleased when we drove right to the trail head on Saturday afternoon. When we stopped at the ranger station the ranger said there had been a little over 300 people that had went up Adams already that weekend. It was evident when we reached the trail head as there were a steady flow of people coming off the mountain. We had planned this to be a 2 night trip so that we could enjoy the mountain a little bit. The first night we stayed at 6800'. I had got a new Marmot 0 degree bag for my birthday, so needless to say I slept great in my 1/4 dome REI T-3 tent. I just got this tent as well and am very happy with it. We left the camp at about 9 AM and headed for the Lunch Counter, taking are time as we went up. Staying on top of the sunscreen and being hydrated as the weather was rather hot. We arrived at the counter at about 3, set up camp and started melting water. There was significantly less snow this year at this time than last, making finding water to pump much easier. We were the only people on Sunday night camped at the counter. There was some people a little lower, but there was a mass exodus of people off the mt on Sunday leaving us alone with the lightning storm that came in right at sunset.  I happened to already be asleep, so I missed the show and the photography experience, but oh did I sleep well. The lightning stayed below the tree line. I kept hearing my buddy Luke Saying stuff about how beautiful the sunset was, but I just kept sleeping and let him have the spoils of the images. Once again we didnt get up real early and were packed up and hiking by 9AM once again. We arrived on Pikers Peak at about 12:30 and decided that we would forgo the Summit and eat lunch and begin are descent. The snow was deep soft corn. Are route took the right chute and the snow was really wet sliding which gives you a very different feeling riding that moving sluff down the mt. We had a blast in those amazing chutes, stopping every couple hundred yards to enjoy and bask in the moment. Well we started traversing the Mt. at 6300'. This being my first time traversing back to the trail head. Last year our car being parked much lower, I had realized as I was watching my GPS that I was on a creek(I believe it might be Morrison creek) and it showed that if I followed the creek it would take me within a 1/4 mile of my car, and since there was considerable more snow we skied the creek and then had to bush wak for about a mile down the creek until it paralleled the road and hiked over 50 yards and we were on the road right next to our car. It was a perfect out that took us about 4 1/2 hours from summit to car. This year traversing back to the trail head, it took us 7 hours. I wonder if it would be a better route to drop your stuff at the trail head and park lower and catch a lift back up to the trail, and then just do the creek exit. I know there would be more bushwacking this year than last because of the snow pack, but still a direct line and no hiking back up and down all those little ridges. On my descent I guess I didn't attach my things good enough, I lost a green large REI ice axe and the top half of my whippet, and found one Black Diamond crampon. If somebody lost this crampon send me a message and I'll get it back to you.