Climbed via standard Suksdorf Ridge Route in August. A long drive from Seattle. Camped at Trout Lake the night before and drove to trail head at first light. While driving, we saw a young black bear rear up on its hind legs in the forest, look at us, and then run away. Blowing dust on the lower slopes. Beyond false summit, got blasted with strong wind and saw gaping crevasse below. Reminded me of a lunar scape. The scree pumice on the final summit slope was as soft as butter. 8 hrs 15 minutes from parking lot to parking lot; next time we hope to take it slower. Didn't use ice axe or crampons though one of my minimalist friends once topped Adams in a tennis shoe and a Teva sandle.
skydiver777 - Mar 5, 2009 5:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2008
The second of three
My friend Gary and I climbed the South Spur Route in two days. The mountain got 200% snow fall that winter so the access road was closed 4 miles from the trail head. That sucked. Long hike in the first day. Camped at the Breakfast table. Summit morn, the top of the Mt was socked in by fast moving clouds from 9,000 ft up. We waited until 7:30 for our summit push. We relyed on wands and GPS to get us to the top. High winds, 60-70 mph, about 25 degrees. Found the summit Stick, Took pict/video hiked down to the false summit. It cleared up by then. Glasaded the next 3,000 down to our camp. Oh Yeah. Packed up and hiked down to the trail head. By then, I was tired of hiking in my double plastics. Oh Crap, four more miles of snow covered roads to get to the car. Made it, and went to find a large Pizza. Then onto Mount St. Helens.
Mark Straub - Mar 1, 2009 11:47 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2008
High Winds
It was a great trip, although we were not successful. We spent the night at Lunch Counter and headed up for a summit push in the morning. We left at 3:30 a.m., and a long and tough push up the mountain got us to Piker's Peak at 6:45. Winds of about 70mph and ice drove us back down (We did not have crampons with us.) Nevertheless, a fun trip to be on.
farrisgl - Feb 28, 2009 1:53 am Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2002
Southside Spur Route
I had climbed Rainier the previous week as part of an expedition training course and when in the PacNorWest looked to another peak. Camped out below the Lunch Table, then up the southside spur route the next day. Very little snow made for slow going on the scree / loose rooks. Weather was spotty for most of the day. Final 200 wind blowing with limited visability. Reached the summit house, found the signin box on the back side, took a quick self portrait and headed down. Weather cleared a bit to reveal a decent view.
justing - Jan 27, 2009 4:45 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 1999
First cascade peak
Will always be a memorable climb for me as it was right before I moved to Chicago for grad school.
sassyplatt - Jan 24, 2009 7:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2005
South side
Nice climb with the kids, fine glissading.
sourstraw - Jan 13, 2009 12:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2007
North Cleaver
Rocky, lots of scree ... base camp is spectacular. Fun climb! way less crowded than the south side, but no glissading down!
oregonmtnman - Dec 11, 2008 12:02 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2005
South Side Route
Made summit with Chemeketans out of Salem, Oregon. Beautiful weather and fantastic mountain. Awesome glissades, very fast.
Curtissimo - Dec 8, 2008 9:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 1996
PAH-TO: sacred mountain of the Yakama
Greatest glissades ever! Yakama name for peak (PAH-TO)so much more accurately describes its nobility and beauty.
Ianhboom - Dec 3, 2008 4:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2006
South Spur
Climbed it solo. Perfect day. Only saw 3 other people all day. Took 12 hours round trip. Good trip! Will do it again!
dresser - Oct 14, 2008 4:50 pm Date Climbed: Oct 13, 2008
Columbus Day South Spur
Very windy at the top. Snowy from about 8500 feet from previous weekend snowstorm. Crampons highly recommended from lunch counter up.
oso1212 - Sep 15, 2008 1:00 am Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2008
South Side
Didn't need crampons. Great weather.
EastKing - Sep 11, 2008 11:08 am Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2008
South Spur
Long day but six volcano views. not much glissading but I didn't care because the six volcano views made it more than worthwhile.
BCJ - Sep 2, 2008 4:42 am Date Climbed: Jun 10, 2006
Standard route
Good conditions, but icy from the Lunch Counter to Piker's Peak.
Turned back due to high winds approx 1000 feet above Sunrise Camp(8300 ft). Great trip anyway. Had the camp all to ourselves for most of the week end. We had a large party(11), as this was a fund raising climb for breast cancer research (FHCRC, the "Hutch" in Seattle). Avoid South Spur and its crowds.....climb the Mazama instead.
Michael71 - Aug 27, 2008 10:43 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2008
long but nice climb
started at cold springs at 4:10 am, reached the summit at 12:30, took me longer than estimated; hardest part is the snowfield below the false summit, that almost got me; no real need for crampons but could be different in other conditions; glissading was hardly possible anymore in the afternoon;
met a lot of nice people up there;
take care when going down if you glissade down the Crescent glacier, there was a large open crevasse there, but almost no one seemed to mind but me; I missed the right way down the Crescent ridge and (just as warned on the Climbing Report page) got lost on my way down, meaning having to go back another 300m up which finished me;
nevertheless a great trip, best done in my view in one day, beautiful mountain and scenery with Hood, St. Helens and Rainier
oso1212 - Aug 9, 2008 12:31 am Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
First Cascade Mountain
South Spur day trip. Left car at 0630, summitted at 1400, back to car at 1730. Great trip.
Levi - Aug 7, 2008 1:10 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2008
Back for the Summit
Camped at the Lunch Counter and started the next morning at 5. Made the summit at 9. The smoke and haze cut down on the view. Rainier, St. Helens and Hood were all visible from the summit but no further. After failing last year it was great to reach the summit.
whaynal - Jul 31, 2008 1:32 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2008
Mazama
Left from the South Spur TH and then generally followed the Around-The-Mountain trail to the base of the Mazama Glacier, where we camped. The next morning we roped up (it was my first time on a big glacier--quite exciting) and made the summit in the early afternoon.
Merlin736 - Mar 6, 2009 9:35 pm
Great experience!Climbed via standard Suksdorf Ridge Route in August. A long drive from Seattle. Camped at Trout Lake the night before and drove to trail head at first light. While driving, we saw a young black bear rear up on its hind legs in the forest, look at us, and then run away. Blowing dust on the lower slopes. Beyond false summit, got blasted with strong wind and saw gaping crevasse below. Reminded me of a lunar scape. The scree pumice on the final summit slope was as soft as butter. 8 hrs 15 minutes from parking lot to parking lot; next time we hope to take it slower. Didn't use ice axe or crampons though one of my minimalist friends once topped Adams in a tennis shoe and a Teva sandle.
skydiver777 - Mar 5, 2009 5:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2008
The second of threeMy friend Gary and I climbed the South Spur Route in two days. The mountain got 200% snow fall that winter so the access road was closed 4 miles from the trail head. That sucked. Long hike in the first day. Camped at the Breakfast table. Summit morn, the top of the Mt was socked in by fast moving clouds from 9,000 ft up. We waited until 7:30 for our summit push. We relyed on wands and GPS to get us to the top. High winds, 60-70 mph, about 25 degrees. Found the summit Stick, Took pict/video hiked down to the false summit. It cleared up by then. Glasaded the next 3,000 down to our camp. Oh Yeah. Packed up and hiked down to the trail head. By then, I was tired of hiking in my double plastics. Oh Crap, four more miles of snow covered roads to get to the car. Made it, and went to find a large Pizza. Then onto Mount St. Helens.
Mark Straub - Mar 1, 2009 11:47 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2008
High WindsIt was a great trip, although we were not successful. We spent the night at Lunch Counter and headed up for a summit push in the morning. We left at 3:30 a.m., and a long and tough push up the mountain got us to Piker's Peak at 6:45. Winds of about 70mph and ice drove us back down (We did not have crampons with us.) Nevertheless, a fun trip to be on.
farrisgl - Feb 28, 2009 1:53 am Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2002
Southside Spur RouteI had climbed Rainier the previous week as part of an expedition training course and when in the PacNorWest looked to another peak. Camped out below the Lunch Table, then up the southside spur route the next day. Very little snow made for slow going on the scree / loose rooks. Weather was spotty for most of the day. Final 200 wind blowing with limited visability. Reached the summit house, found the signin box on the back side, took a quick self portrait and headed down. Weather cleared a bit to reveal a decent view.
justing - Jan 27, 2009 4:45 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 1999
First cascade peakWill always be a memorable climb for me as it was right before I moved to Chicago for grad school.
sassyplatt - Jan 24, 2009 7:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2005
South sideNice climb with the kids, fine glissading.
sourstraw - Jan 13, 2009 12:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2007
North CleaverRocky, lots of scree ... base camp is spectacular. Fun climb! way less crowded than the south side, but no glissading down!
oregonmtnman - Dec 11, 2008 12:02 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2005
South Side RouteMade summit with Chemeketans out of Salem, Oregon. Beautiful weather and fantastic mountain. Awesome glissades, very fast.
Curtissimo - Dec 8, 2008 9:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 1996
PAH-TO: sacred mountain of the YakamaGreatest glissades ever! Yakama name for peak (PAH-TO)so much more accurately describes its nobility and beauty.
Ianhboom - Dec 3, 2008 4:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2006
South SpurClimbed it solo. Perfect day. Only saw 3 other people all day. Took 12 hours round trip. Good trip! Will do it again!
dresser - Oct 14, 2008 4:50 pm Date Climbed: Oct 13, 2008
Columbus Day South SpurVery windy at the top. Snowy from about 8500 feet from previous weekend snowstorm. Crampons highly recommended from lunch counter up.
oso1212 - Sep 15, 2008 1:00 am Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2008
South SideDidn't need crampons. Great weather.
EastKing - Sep 11, 2008 11:08 am Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2008
South SpurLong day but six volcano views. not much glissading but I didn't care because the six volcano views made it more than worthwhile.
BCJ - Sep 2, 2008 4:42 am Date Climbed: Jun 10, 2006
Standard routeGood conditions, but icy from the Lunch Counter to Piker's Peak.
CORDILLERAORIENTAL - Aug 28, 2008 8:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2006
MAZAMA GLACIERTurned back due to high winds approx 1000 feet above Sunrise Camp(8300 ft). Great trip anyway. Had the camp all to ourselves for most of the week end. We had a large party(11), as this was a fund raising climb for breast cancer research (FHCRC, the "Hutch" in Seattle). Avoid South Spur and its crowds.....climb the Mazama instead.
Michael71 - Aug 27, 2008 10:43 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2008
long but nice climbstarted at cold springs at 4:10 am, reached the summit at 12:30, took me longer than estimated; hardest part is the snowfield below the false summit, that almost got me; no real need for crampons but could be different in other conditions; glissading was hardly possible anymore in the afternoon;
met a lot of nice people up there;
take care when going down if you glissade down the Crescent glacier, there was a large open crevasse there, but almost no one seemed to mind but me; I missed the right way down the Crescent ridge and (just as warned on the Climbing Report page) got lost on my way down, meaning having to go back another 300m up which finished me;
nevertheless a great trip, best done in my view in one day, beautiful mountain and scenery with Hood, St. Helens and Rainier
oso1212 - Aug 9, 2008 12:31 am Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
First Cascade MountainSouth Spur day trip. Left car at 0630, summitted at 1400, back to car at 1730. Great trip.
Levi - Aug 7, 2008 1:10 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2008
Back for the SummitCamped at the Lunch Counter and started the next morning at 5. Made the summit at 9. The smoke and haze cut down on the view. Rainier, St. Helens and Hood were all visible from the summit but no further. After failing last year it was great to reach the summit.
whaynal - Jul 31, 2008 1:32 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2008
MazamaLeft from the South Spur TH and then generally followed the Around-The-Mountain trail to the base of the Mazama Glacier, where we camped. The next morning we roped up (it was my first time on a big glacier--quite exciting) and made the summit in the early afternoon.
Sierra Ledge Rat - Jul 18, 2008 12:48 am
1987: N RidgeClimbed the N Ridge in a whiteout