MT. ADAMS ROUND-THE-MOUNTAIN BACKPACK

THE SCHEDULE

DAY ONE:

Bird Creek Meadows Trailhead to Sunrise Camp - 3 Miles/6,100’ to 8,300’

We pick-up in Portland starting about 6 AM and drive to Bird Creek Meadows Trailhead (6,100’), load up, and head up the trail 3 miles to Sunrise Camp (8,300’) at the base of the Mazama Glacier. This involves off-trail travel through loose rock and snow.  After setting-up camp and having a snack, we’ll cover glacier travel techniques. Then, while your guides prepare dinner, you can relax and enjoy the views.

Sunrise Camp to Avalanche Valley - 4 1/2 Miles/8,300’ to 6,600’

This is our alpine traverse day. There is no trail between Sunrise Camp and Avalanche Valley, and this section is called "the Gap".  This section involves roped travel while descending the glacier and challenging off-trail travel through loose, steep rock.

Since we want to cross the Glacier early, we’ll have a 5 AM wake up, have breakfast, break camp, and depart by 6:30 AM. We will walk to the edge of the Klickitat Glacier, rope-up, and traverse across the glacier to Battlement Ridge.  We then scramble up to the ridge crest.  After descending the ridge, we thread our way across multiple streams to our campsite in Avalanche Valley. Ira Spring and Harvey Manning, in their book, 100 Hikes in Washington‘s South Cascades and Olympics, describe Avalanche Valley thusly: "What’s to say about this green vale where cold springs gush from lava tubes and meander through the flowers beneath cold walls of the Wilson and Rusk Glaciers, beetling crags of Battlement Ridge, Victory Ridge, The Spearhead, The Castle, and the hanging glaciers on Roosevelt Cliff? Well, when good little hikers finally check in their boots, this is where they go."

Avalanche Valley to the PCT - 9 1/2 Miles/ 6,600’ to 6,640’

After breakfast and breaking camp, we climb up and down on the Highline Trail. We pass under Wilson Glacier to the Devil’s Garden, under the Lyman and Lava Glaciers, and then to Foggy Flats where the Highline intersects which the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Your neck will be sore from checking out the awesome views of the North Cascades to the right and the chaos of Mt. Adams to your left.

Here we will meet our support guide at our campsite at a secluded lake.  They will provide us with the remainder of our food and take our ropes and glacier gear which we no longer need.

Killen Creek to Horseshoe Meadow area- 10 Miles/ 6,640’ to 5,900’

We continue south on the PCT, passing under the Adams and Pinnacle Glaciers.  At Horseshoe Meadows the PCT turns west.  We continue east, rejoining the Round-the-Mountain trail.  We get views of four volcanoes, including our first look at Mt. Hood.  Our campsite is on a ridge next to a glacial stream with great views of Adams above us.

Horseshoe Meadow area to Bird Creek Meadows Trailhead – 7.5 Miles/ 5,900’ to 6,100’

On our last day, we traverse up and down on the Round-the-Mountain Trail as we travel east toward the intersection at 5 miles (6,200’) with the trail to the Cold Springs Trailhead.  We then cross into the Yakima Indian Reservation and pass through the beautiful fields of wild flowers and the sparkling streams of Bird Creek Meadows (6,100). As incredible as all the views have been, it is good to see our vehicle at the trailhead. Our journey on Mt. Adams is over, but the memories of this amazing trip will haunt us forever.

"Oregon Peak Adventure's Round-the-Mountain of Mount Adams was challenging and exciting.  Both Shannon and I are still reminiscing about the peak experiences we gained from the trip. Coming from the Midwest and being our first mountain backpack, we learned a lot from the guide's experience. Whether blister maintenance or the efficient use of trekking poles, Oregon Peak Adventures far exceeded our expectations.

Although the trip demanded physical endurance, the views were inspiring. The humming birds through the lava beds before Crooked Creek Falls, nightfall overlooking Hellroaring Meadows, the lake at the end of Mazama Glacier, and the list goes on and on.  Both Shannon and I are looking forward to our next trip with Oregon Peak Adventures."

Clients Bob Vendramin and Shannon Goins