Exciting weekend trip up Mt. Adams!

[Mongoose]

Actually, I didn't really go up Mt. Adams... I went up Adams 4 and then Sam Adams. The wind and cold was too much for me to go up Mt. Adams. It was -15F with (I'm guessing) 30-40mph winds. Mt. W was reporting 70mph winds but it couldn't have been that fast where I was. It was still BITTERLY COLD. Any areas of exposed skin felt like I was getting stabbed with a frozen icepick! A group of 3 said they made it up Mt. Adams, but most people weren't poking around above tree line for long.

That night I stayed at the Grey Knob shelter. Instead of camping out I decided to "cheat" and stay at a shelter. The temps went down to -23F. Inside the shelter, it only went down to 12F according to the thermometer on the second floor. Only me, the caretaker and her dog were there that night. Surprising considering it was a holiday.

The trip was an excellent adventure and the scenery was incredible! Something about the intense cold and wind makes for an awesome, powerful landscape!

More photos here: http://www.mongeese.org/photos/thumbnails.php?album=19

 

[stu]

Cool!

I did a similar trip a few years back. Greyknob is the best. Did the caretaker light the stove? I think it got up to the low 20's inside. I sat a few inches from it and almost doused off. cheers, Stu

 

[forestgnome]

Thanks for the TR and pics. It's nice to see a view in a such a difficult place to be. Very few people can handle those conditions to experience such a reward.

happy trails

 

[Mongoose]

We actually decided NOT to light the stove that night. It was only me and the caretaker and we were both comfortable with our gear on. Even without the stove, the temp inside the shelter was 30-40 degrees warmer than outside. She said the previous night with 16 people and their stoves going, the temp went up to 40F when it was around 0F outside and she never lit the stove. I can't wait to do it again!

 

[Darl58]

Gray Knob Cabin

We were some who stayed Sat night and it was 40 in the cabin with all of us, would of loved to of had a little fire to dry our gear. In the morning the water was frozen inside the cabin. That was a cold day for hiking, it was biting cold on any exposed skin.
We were the 2 girls coming back from Hiking over to Mt Madison on Sunday, from Gray Knob. It was a tough hike back over Adams 4 to the cabin. Those winds were nasty and were getting stronger as the day went on.

Glad you had a nice stay at Gray Knob, we sure were glad to have spots Sat night. It was a nice hike out to the car with the moon shining through the trees and being below tree line was sweet.