Home > Trip Reports > June 10, 2006, South Climb, Mt. Adams

June 10, 2006, South Climb, Mt. Adams

6/10/06
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5753
8
Posted by Stimbuck on 6/11/06 12:53am
Judging by the thread in Random Tracks, there are a few out there who are curious about Mt. Adams.

On Friday afternoon Opp and I loaded up the Cruiser and headed out from Ellensburg to Mt. Adams.  We drove to within 1/2 mile of Morrison Creek.  There were plenty of cars along the road with quite a few folks car camping. 

We left on skis around 5 a.m. and were soon carrying skis as the road to Cold Springs is melted out in a number of places.  Skis on/off for the first 1.5 miles, then more skiing than carrying, and finally solid snow.  We choose the route along the ridge to the west of the Crescent Glacier.  This ridge usually has numerous cornices, but they are absent this year (likely due to more southerly flow this past winter). 

Skinning was quite good as there had been a solid freeze the previous night and an inch or so of new snow had fallen the previous afternoon.  The skiing was looking to be incredible; unfortunately some rather large cumulus clouds were forming.

Opp and I decided to forego the whiteout and rime ice conditions between the false summit and true summit.  We instead waited for a break in visibility for the descent.  Just as we were indulging in our summit speedballs, who should arrive but Larry, Moe and Curly (names were changed to protect their identity).  Hopefully one of you might be reading this, thanks again for your insights!

Anyway, the skiing was awesome!  The visibility was near zero for the first 3500', with a pretty good snow storm happening as well.  We arrived back at the Cruiser around 2 p.m. and the road was a zoo (hikers/ climbers/ sno-mo€™s/ tourists, etc.).  Lots of good turns on Mt. Adams (we skied ~7000'), the snow is great, and the road access should improve quite a bit over the next two weeks.

Cheers,
Stimbuck



Clouds moving in:




Summit Speedball:

Thanks for the info. We are planning on going there next week for a day at Hood and a few at Adams.  Sounds good.

I think that Morrison Cr. trail will be a direct route now. I used to ski down that ridge to the west of the Crescent all the way to the forest for a mellow toothpick-tele route. That may be a good way up out of Morrison Cr.

author=Stimbuck link=topic=4904.msg20695#msg20695 date=1150041225]
Anyway, the skiing was awesome!  The visibility was near zero for the first 3500', with a pretty good snow storm happening as well.

Sweet. Thanks for the report!

author=Randonnee link=topic=4904.msg20704#msg20704 date=1150085005]
Thanks for the info. We are planning on going there next week for a day at Hood and a few at Adams.  Sounds good.

I think that Morrison Cr. trail will be a direct route now. I used to ski down that ridge to the west of the Crescent all the way to the forest for a mellow toothpick-tele route. That may be a good way up out of Morrison Cr.

I am a bit confused.Are you going to be there on the 22nd and 23rd? Or 15th and 16th? If it the former, I hope to see you, along with my small party of elderly Canadians.

Later,

Bob Wiebe

author=Telemon link=topic=4904.msg20818#msg20818 date=1150345639]
I am a bit confused.Are you going to be there on the 22nd and 23rd? Or 15th and 16th? If it the former, I hope to see you, along with my small party of elderly Canadians.

Later,

Bob Wiebe


Who are you calling elderly you old goat :)

author=Nick-BC link=topic=4904.msg20819#msg20819 date=1150347295]
Who are you calling elderly you old goat :)


Called you small, he did.  I heard him distinctly. 

Nick, I'm reuniting with Shelley et al at Mt. Hood this weekend.  Have you given up on instruction entirely, or converted to the dark side, or what?

author=markharf link=topic=4904.msg20822#msg20822 date=1150352844]
Called you small, he did.  I heard him distinctly. 

Nick, I'm reuniting with Shelley et al at Mt. Hood this weekend.  Have you given up on instruction entirely, or converted to the dark side, or what?


No Mark I'm still open to instruction - heaven knows I need it  :). I might have been tempted to do Shelley's course again after reading that recent post on ttips if Bob, a friend from Toronto and I hadn't planned the trip to Adams the following week. 

As to converting to the dark side, well I have to admit I have been looking at those dynafits and thinking "hmmm, more new gear, what's not to like"  :D, I hefted Silas's skis with dynafits last Saturday on Mount Cheam and they were very light.  However, I don't think I would renounce the duckbill if I strayed from the path of light, AT would just be another option.

author=Nick-BC link=topic=4904.msg20837#msg20837 date=1150431762]
However, I don't think I would renounce the duckbill if I strayed from the path of light, AT would just be another option.


That's what they all say. But the reality is once you try Dynafits, you'll never go to the duckbill again.

author=Jeff Huber link=topic=4904.msg20841#msg20841 date=1150500008]
That's what they all say. But the reality is once you try Dynafits, you'll never go to the duckbill again.


Well that may be the case Jeff, but if I do totally betray the duckbill tribe I sure as hell won't be sleeping with my dynafit mounted skis - all those sharp metal bits - eeew  :D freeheel bindings are just sooo... more cuddly.

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june-10-2006-south-climb-mt-adams
Stimbuck
2006-06-11 07:53:45