Mt. Adams || Climbing Washington’s Forgotten Peak

IG: @radishuprooted
Mt. Adams is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, and it is Washington States’s 2nd highest peak behind Mt Rainier. Dubbed “Washington’s Forgotten Peak,” it is more remote and inaccessible than the surrounding volcanoes such as Mt. St. Helens, Hood, or Rainier-and it is more difficult to catch a glimpse of it from metropolitan centers. The mountain presents a fantastic 2 day climb up to its peak at 12,280 ft above sea level.

[@franciscolopez7101]

If you take those girls back up there, don't make them get up at 2:30 in the morning. There's no reason to do it on this route on Mt. Adams. There are no crevasses or snow bridges that you need to cross on this route, and so I think it's safer to have the snow a bit softer on this route anyway. Why get up in the middle of the night so that you can climb on hard snow or ice when you don't have to worry about the stability of snow bridges? It's easier to self-arrest if you fall on soft snow, and it's not as scary when you're glissading back down from Pikers Peak. If you're going to camp at Lunch Counter, then sleep in, eat a nice breakfast, drink plenty of water, take advantage of a few more hours to acclimate, and then go for the summit. You'll have a better time and you'll feel better.

[@fredantonius8606]

Great video! Mt. Adams is no joke. In the '70s when I was 15 myself and a couple others took the same route up Adams, although it was in the summertime. Like the folks here, we were from the lowlands and we, too, we were all giggles starting out from the parking lot. However, as we gained elevation and began to tire, things got a lot tougher. The slog from lunch counter to the false summit was long and slow and the altitude and sulfur smell did me in. I made it to the false summit, but that was it. I have a lot of respect for those that summit the northwest's peaks. Doing so ain't easy.

[@RadishUprooted]

Thanks for sharing your story!

[@adamwilson8559]

Great video! Super fun to watch and y'all did an awesome job recording the journey. One very very important note: it looks like you climbed up Suksdorf Ridge and were NOT on the Mazama Glacier. I'm not saying this to be pedantic-I'm a member of the mountain rescue team that covers this mountain and the vast majority of the injuries and fatalities on Mt Adams are related to climbers not knowing where they are, so I don't want anyone to watch this video and think that the Mazama Glacier is what they saw in the video. The Mazama Glacier is further to the east and is a technical mountaineering route requiring rope teams and crevasse rescue capabilities. If you're planning a climb up Adams, PLEASE do not venture onto the Mazama unless you're adequately skilled and prepared. That aside, this video really is awesome; thanks so much for putting it together and posting it for all of us to enjoy! p.s., thanks for giving credit to the Klickitat peoples who take their name from this mountain. They, along with their neighbors to the northeast who call the mountain Pahto, still live here and you can just go ask them if you every have questions! :).

[@queenbeeyaiare]

Wow so amazing!!

[@sdauggie]

I think the girls ate the rest of your habanero sauce and got sick! Great job, great video, and great story telling, with maps and such. Loved it!

[@johnconklin5180]

I did this hike/climb in the early 80’s wind was crazy and cold even end of July. Enjoy watching others do the same walk.

[@carlosmoreno9094]

Thank you for sharing.

[@tootsla1252]

This is how you ward off PCT Post Thru-hike Blues (BTB)! This was a great video. Thanks so much for sharing ❤️

[@RadishUprooted]

Haha exactly, thanks!

[@jeffreycarman2185]

The descent was brutal for us, we were all pretty destroyed by the climb. Thanks for sharing your adventure.

[@jeffreycarman2185]

We just climbed this at the end of September of this year (after the first major snowfall of the year) and the route-finding was rough. We were able to park at the main trailhead, but the snow covered the trail a mile or two up. We did have to break trail, so we got off trail a few times. That, plus a late start on day one, made it so we ended up camping a lot lower on the slopes at about 8300 ft.

[@mitollan9104]

Great video. My screen saver is the shadow of Adams with the moon to the left. Great mtn to climb

[@RadishUprooted]

Seeing mountains casting their sunrise shadows onto the western sky is one of my favorite moments of alpine climbing, Cheers!

[@jeffreycarman2185]

Our experience of the weather was reversed. We started in clouds, hiked above the clouds and when we got up to our camp it was clear. Luckily we got some amazing views. But what an experience. There is nothing quite like mountain climbing.

[@grinningturtle]

Pahto is the mountain’s true name. ❤️

[@RadishUprooted]

Thanks for pointing out its original name! Hopefully one day it’ll be restored to that name. Klickitat is another indigenous name of the mountain for those reading🙂

[@JWKF13]

I feel on the dehydration; it didn't hit until the day after I got back thankfully, but I had a raspy voice for a week (not a hyperbole). So sorry you missed that amazing Rainier view!

[@ericnesbitt6008]

Mt. Rainier next?? 👀 Love your vids! -Ranger Danger

[@RadishUprooted]

Ranger Danger! It’s good to hear from you! I have a Rainier climb planned tentatively for the first week of August

[@AnowerFb]

Me: So were you are going for summer vacation? Wednesday : Mount Addams.

[@chaseadventures]

Looking to climb Adams and Shasta next year so thanks for the information. I also just started adventure filmmaking and your channel is really cool. Subscribing to keep an eye out for your next adventure

[@RadishUprooted]

Happy to hear that-good luck and have a blast!

[@thomasdetrick315]

That hot sauce is so good!

[@emilymurphy2462]

Awesome vid and congrats on the summit!!! Maybe I missed it in the video but what date did you climb? Trying to base these snow conditions on a future climb

[@RadishUprooted]

Thanks! This was from May 12th 2021. Happy climbing!

[@scottfulton267]

Great video! I'm hoping to climb this one sometime this year. Looks like one of you guys has the same pair of Vasques that I have. Do those seem suitable for putting on crampons and climbing this? I was told that it's best to have plastic mountaineering boots but I would rather just use my Vasques.

[@RadishUprooted]

Thanks! And yep, I felt the Vasques were more than adequate for this particular climb. The route is non-technical, and mostly a (very) long snow ramp. If you move into more technical terrain then I would agree, mountaineering boots would be preferred. For context, in the later months, I went back and did this same climb in trail runners and micro spikes. But YMMV!

[@SomeDudeSomewhereOverThere]

Great videos! What mount do you use for your GoPro on your backpack?

[@RadishUprooted]

It’s the PolarPro StrapMount BackPack Mount. I found it on Amazon and it’s been working quite well so far!

[@txetwon8237]

I climb in one push because too lazy to carry overnight gear.

[@williebutsch8948]

What were the temps like?

[@RadishUprooted]

This was in May, and I believe at the Lunch Counter it was around mid 50s during the day and high 20s at night.

[@dorsalfishing]

Thanks for the video, I'm going to try an October trip to avoid the crowds. Random question, why are so many of your video shots so overexposed?

[@joshuajackson1458]

Do you have a gear list you used including brands for this climb?

[@RadishUprooted]

Not for this climb, but if you have gear questions I’m happy to answer them!

[@joshuajackson1458]

Thanks for responding! Your channel is awesome and inspiring! I was wondering the best clothing choices for this climb. If you would like to email that would be great.

[@seasonti8312]

Was this just recently climbed as of May 2021?

[@RadishUprooted]

Yep! We climbed this early May of 2021.

[@seasonti8312]

@@RadishUprooted thanks for the beta climbing it at the end of this month . How deep was that snow on the road by the way ?

[@RadishUprooted]

The snow on the road was patchy, but in large enough drifts we couldn’t drive over it. Makes for some horrible post holing later in the day.

[@omelnikov]

@@RadishUprooted Early as first week of May or second or third? Trying to figure out - how many miles do I need to rad-hike to the traihead! Thanks

[@RadishUprooted]

2nd week of May

[@andrewmitchell5807]

Forgotten? This is one of the most overcrowded mountains in the world