July 2, 2003, Mt. Adams, South Side

After cooking on Lassen and spending a cold, windy, foggy night in the parking lot of Mt. Hood, I decided to ski Mt. Adams.  I began my hike at the early hour of 3AM from the Timberline Campground.  It was warm in the campground and for the hike up the trail.  However, those balmy conditions quickly and abruptly changed below Pikers Peak.  The west winds were relentless and cold, forcing me to trade my Red Steer hiking gloves for OR mitts and to don a fleece and my winter jacket.  I booted up to the top and used an ice axe.  After reaching the summit, it just got colder with clouds surrounding the area.  I felt that the snow would not soften under the present conditions, as the water in my platypus (camelbak) froze.  So, I skiied down to about 10,000 on edgeable sun-cupped snow.  Below this elevation, the snow softened up and I skiied stellar corn to the trail.  In all, I likely skiied 5,200 feet and the views were spectacular.