Mount Adams Beta

So I want to ski Adams via the SW chutes (everyone seems to rave about them) this year and had a couple questions...

First, how early in the season have any of you skied them? I understand the road into Cold Springs Campground keeps its snow pretty late into the season, so is it worth even attempting the climb/ski before the end of May?

Second, would there be a better climbing route for earlier in the season using either the bird creek approach or Killen Creek approach? I would be comfortable climbing a slightly more technical route like the northwest ridge or Adams Glacier, but I suppose this would entail dropping a car a the Cold Springs Campground, right?

Thanks.

...tick list...

this year.

Nothing else to report

During 98/99 which was a huge snow year, we were amoung the first group of cars into cold springs and that was in mid/late June. Calll the Trout Lake, WA forest service office to get their thoughts... they are pretty up on Adams conditions. I think late May is more typical time for the snow to melt off the road. If you're going overnight, you could always skin up the road to cold springs before the road melts out. I think that only the last 2-3 miles of the road are the part that holds snow late.

No knowledge of alternate routes...

Paging Squirrel99...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aj_77

So I want to ski Adams via the SW chutes (everyone seems to rave about them) this year and had a couple questions...

First, how early in the season have any of you skied them? I understand the road into Cold Springs Campground keeps its snow pretty late into the season, so is it worth even attempting the climb/ski before the end of May?

Second, would there be a better climbing route for earlier in the season using either the bird creek approach or Killen Creek approach? I would be comfortable climbing a slightly more technical route like the northwest ridge or Adams Glacier, but I suppose this would entail dropping a car a the Cold Springs Campground, right?

Thanks.

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May is early. The best snow will be in June and July.

If you climb the north side, ski the north side. The North Face of the NorthWest Ridge is the best line on the mountain IMHO. But if you climb the north side and ski the south side, yes, you'd need a car shuttle.

http://students.washington.edu/pbeli..._04/sunset.jpg
This photo was taken on July 5, two years ago.

ahhhhhh the legendary 333 chutes
3 chutes 30 degree slope 3000ft vertical

best way is to cold springs
if there is snow,just consider that a bonus cuz u r getting a longer run down!
that campground is at 5000"something so you could possibly get over 7000' continuos vertical!!by parking lower

one more thing

eat your wheaties!

oh yeah, a white out up there will fkkk u up
smells like sulphur up top
one time in the summer we skied suncups the size of large hottubs
it was like a giant golf ball

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UNIBONGER

one time in the summer we skied suncups the size of large hottubs
it was like a giant golf ball

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classic description.

Cool. Thanks for the help everyone. I'll probably wait a few weeks and give it a go in late May.

check cascade climbers dot com or dot org. that's where the real g's hang.