Page 1 of 1

Mount Adams - Cold Springs Trailhead - Road Conditions?

PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 12:04 am
by KathyW
I'm wondering about road conditions to the Cold Springs Trailhead. I'm going to give Adam's South Side a go in the beginning of August and will driving a rental vehicle; so I'm wondering if I need to rent an SUV or will a passenger car get me to the trailhead?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Mount Adams - Cold Springs Trailhead - Road Conditions?

PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 1:13 am
by Wastral
KathyW wrote:I'm wondering about road conditions to the Cold Springs Trailhead. I'm going to give Adam's South Side a go in the beginning of August and will driving a rental vehicle; so I'm wondering if I need to rent an SUV or will a passenger car get me to the trailhead?

Thanks in advance.


There aren't any Forest Service roads in the Washington Cascades that require high clearance vehicles let alone 4wd vehicles. I have driven a lot of them in a old volkswagon diesel rabbit and other low clearance "normal" vehicles.

Now maybe over in the Rockies or Blue mountains, but over here in snootville USA? Hardly. Idiots over here think that if a road is unpaved and has a pot hole it requires 4wd... The closest that used to exist was the middle for Snoqualamie which essentially was river bed for a half mile or so. Was a blast to drive until the forest service closed it due to "maintenance" cost. What a joke, they never touched it. Only reason they closed it was because they wanted a deeper wilderness experience. There are still a few "mudding" side roads on HWY 2... But those aren't forest service roads. =) Ok, there are a few over in the Okanagon that are fairly bad, but still drivable with a little experience in the art of not being an idiot. =)

As for the road in question, several thousand drive, park, and climb via this route. If any road is well up kept it will be this one. Then again I have not driven this road personally. I would be shocked if you couldn't easily drive 45mph avoiding potholes along the way.

PS. If a road in Colorado is marked high clearance vehicle they mean it generally.

Re: Mount Adams - Cold Springs Trailhead - Road Conditions?

PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:01 am
by kylenicolls
Last year (significantly more snowfall last year, although it came earlier) the road was open around the 26th of July, because thats when I was there. Also, there was a Prius at the camp-ground TH last year.

But not, you shouldn't do 45 or probably more than 30 in the upper sections. Somewhat narrow dirt road with kind-of tight corners.

Re: Mount Adams - Cold Springs Trailhead - Road Conditions?

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 4:32 am
by KathyW
Thanks for the replies.

I decided to call the Mount Adams Ranger Station and they also said I'd be fine in a passenger car and high clearance was not needed. That will save me $200 and I should be able to sleep just about as well in a full size car as a small SUV.

Re: Mount Adams - Cold Springs Trailhead - Road Conditions?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:48 pm
by Hemoglobin
I did Adams on July 6th and while the road was not clear to the campground (TH) on Friday, it was on Saturday afternoon! :-)

Re: Mount Adams - Cold Springs Trailhead - Road Conditions?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:24 am
by philoparts
Hopefully I'll be up there first weekend of August. Last year I was up on the 4th of July and the road was blocked over 2 miles from Cold Springs with snow and blowdowns.