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millsb40 - Sep 9, 2005 6:45 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: September 6th, 2005There was not a lot of snow left, a bit above the lunch counter. We were the only ones camped at the lunch counter and the only ones on the summit before noon. It took 4 hours to get to the lunch counter and 3 to get to the summit from there. This hike is longer than "only 5.7 miles" (my GPS read 7.4 miles, which I believe). Definately gets a little cool at night once you get into September.
Desert Solitaire - Sep 5, 2005 4:03 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: July 15, 2005Started out at 1 am, summit at 7:30 am. Got a bit off track at the last cairn in timberline and had to battle quite a bit of loose talus and scree to get to the connecting ridge to the Lunch Counter. The wind was howling with gusts at 50 mph at the lunch counter. Saw quite a few tents already pitched. As I started climbing the snow slope when the sun came out, the wind stole my glacier goggles high on the mountain. With clear blue skies, the climb was great, but concerning because of the bright snow. Saw a large group of 12 teenage girls on a rope being led down the summit - big smiles on everyones faces! At the summit a group of real nice guys let me borrow a pair of goggles to get back to the car. The climb itself isn't difficult, just long. The views from everywhere are incredible though, and the glissade from Piker's Peak to the Lunch Counter was the best I've ever had. Soft snow to cleave into, and long continuous tracks made for plenty of butt sliding action! Back to the car by 11 am.
brother - Sep 4, 2005 2:27 am
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: July 2005Left parking lot at 4:30 PM on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. slept out at ca.9300 ft and left for summit at 4:15 AM. Excellent snow for cramponing, to the top and down before the small herd of summiters made it up pikers. a great day to be out!
vancouver islander - Sep 2, 2005 12:36 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: July 20 2005Camped at Lunch Counter the previous evening enjoying the humming birds doing their thing even on the sparse flowers to be found up there. Had the whole mountain to ourselves. Left camp at 5.30 and summited at 9.40. Perfect snow condtions for cramponing. Bit windy to linger too long on top. Great views in all directions with even Baker peeping above the far northern horizon. Still icy when we left the summit, so cramponed back to Pikers. Looked over the edge of the slope to see a line of folk heading up. Solitude lost!! Snow now soft enough to glissade, so 20 mins to reverse what it took us 3 hours to climb. Leisurely lunch back at Lunch Counter (is that why they call it that?) and back at the car at 4.15pm. Great trip.
Rick Kent - Aug 17, 2005 8:38 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2005Another nice climb. Wanted a closer look at some crevasses so I ventured out a short distance onto the glacier to the east. Got some fairly nice photos. Snow on the way up was icy in the morning but absolutely perfect for glissading by about 11am. This was one of if not the best glissades I ever had (down to the Lunch Counter). Loads of fun! Weather was great. Not a cloud in the sky and just a cool breeze to help cool you down (the day prior clouds obscurred the summit). Camped in a pleasant sheltered area well below the Crescent Glacier among some short trees at around treeline. This worked quite well though would probably have been a little simpler as a dayhike.
ridekj - Aug 7, 2005 7:51 pm
Route Climbed: south spur Date Climbed: july 29, 2005love the reward of a great view of rainier at the top
rangermike - Aug 6, 2005 11:29 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: 1 August 2005What an amazing mountain! Very windy and cold on top, but the view made up for it. Snow started softening up below Pikers after 9am. A friendly word of advice- if the glissade chutes are frozen solid, consider walking instead. (I've got bruises on top of bruises!)
Pawkala - Jul 24, 2005 10:50 pm
Route Climbed: Mazama Glacier Date Climbed: July 18, 2005Wow! What beautiful weather... We took off from Bird Creek on the 17th and got up to Sunrise camp in time to get up to the nearest cravasse and practice our rescue techniques. Spent a windless night sleeping out of my bag due to the way above freezing temps and also listining to the massive rock/ice falls. Woke to a beautiful sunrise and left camp by 6:30 to summit by 11:30. Enjoyed perfect visibility at the top and some great glassades down and managed not to find any cravasses, with our bodies that is. Broke camp by 3:30 and headed down in 86 degree weather. What a great route.
rayjohn32 - Jul 23, 2005 8:08 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: July 18Started at 5am from Lunch counter, Summit at 8am with a breakfast on the false summit. One of the best days in the NW! Windy and clear at the top, perfect snow for the wet but fun glissade. Some locals were attempting the ice in high tops, unsuccessful. One of our party had to wait for the ice to melt 'cause no crampons. Then he summited without difficulty.
Moni - Jul 22, 2005 5:08 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: 21 July 2005With Phoebe Duke. Excellent weather with still plenty of snow down to 8000 feet. There's an ice layer not far below the snow, so crampons would be advised, especially early in the day. Camped at the Lunch Counter the night before. Left camp at 6:30 am, summited at 9:30 (only 1 person ahead of us)and back to Cold Springs at 2:30 pm. Bad weather was moving in by late afternoon.
jajeet - Jul 18, 2005 9:57 pm
Route Climbed: South Date Climbed: July 17, 2005It was a perfect day for any climb in the NW. Started out from Cold Springs CG at 5am and summited @ 11am, back at the car by 3pm. The snow was perfectly hard for climbing up and perfectly soft for glissading down. What an awesome trip...even with only trail running shoes on. An awesome summit to make it to only 3 months after rehabilitating my foot from a massive ligament surgery and 6 months of downtime! Whe-hew!
althegreek - Jul 12, 2005 6:16 pm
Route Climbed: south spur Date Climbed: july 8 2003great campsite. great skiing. nice pleasant hike to summit
Bill562 - Jul 12, 2005 4:39 pm
Route Climbed: South Side (Spur) Date Climbed: July 5, 2005Camped on a shelf 500 ft below the Lunch Counter. Afer a warm and windless night started at 5 am for the summit, summit views were stupendous in all directions - Rainier, St.Helens, Hood, Jefferson. Back by the tent at 3 pm and to the car by 6. Great weather until about 1 pm when clouds started rolling in. Plenty of snow above 8K. Enjoyable solo climb.
mt_daydream - Jul 7, 2005 7:36 pm
Route Climbed: Adams glacier Date Climbed: July 3, 2005Climbed the Adams glacier with Kurt. Saw a huge serac break off and thunder down an avalanche on Friday (July 1) from high camp. Rested all Saturday - luckily, things seemed to be stable all day on Saturday. Hence went for it on Sunday. Great route - sustained at 45 degrees with some 50 degree portions. Had quite a few crevasses, but it was pretty straightforward to dodge most of them. The route might be out within a few days though.
bbirtle - Jul 7, 2005 12:51 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Route Date Climbed: Sept 4, 1999Quite an endurance challenge: climbed in one very long day from the campground at 5600ft. Without crampons! Mistake! Dicey! Never try it without crampons! Summit and indeed most of the climb completely socked in, but cleared into beautiful sunset red strange cloud formations as I pushed the remaining hour to the car.
Pawkala - Jun 23, 2005 6:15 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: 6-22-05Started out with a nasty day but it was the only day we could do it and thus we voted to suffer vs. turn around. This was my first time on Adams and was bummed we didn't summit. A combination of weather, getting started too late, and one of the party members needing to be back to town by a certian time caused the lack of summittness. Although, we made it to 11K feet in 5 hours and would have probably summited in alittle over 6. Oh well, next time.
mtnsavy - Jun 21, 2005 1:57 am
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: 2000A casual but memorable trip with my wife. The Lunch Counter is one of the coolest camp sites around.
MarieP - Jun 17, 2005 10:53 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: July 2004Very fun route! Easily done in a day, beautiful views of Mt. Hood.
washingtonclimber - Jun 17, 2005 9:21 pm
Route Climbed: south spur Date Climbed: June 17 2005My first climb up a big mountain i enjoyed it i am looking forward to going back and doing a diffrent route when i have time and have gained a little more experience the mountain is beautifull and huge so be sure to bring your camera and plan accordingly
IdahoSummits - Jun 13, 2005 5:03 pm
Route Climbed: South Spur Date Climbed: June 11th, 2005Windy, but clear. Great views of Hood and Rainier.