Mount Adams | Cascades

12,276-foot glaciated volcano near Seattle

0 ft

Elevation

U.S.

Country

Days

2A

Difficulty

Late June

Start

Early Aug

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

Mount Adams (12,276 ft) may not be as tall as Mount Rainier (14,410 ft), but it is every bit as beautiful while being far less crowded. As a glaciated volcano, Mount Adams has been shaped from above and below into a massive playground of lava and ice. At its base, you’ll find alpine forests and meadows streaked with bubbling streams and waterfalls. Then, once you’ve crossed over snow and ice – typically via the Mazama Glacier – to reach the summit, you’ll look out to Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood, and even the grandest mountain in the Cascades, Mount Rainier.

“It's pretty defeating to climb for hours and then see another huge climb in front of you to the actual summit.”

- Sarina Clark

Mount Adams is an excellent ‘learning peak’ as it offers plenty of opportunities to use crampons in a low-risk environment. For that reason, most mountain guides do not require prior climbing experience for Mount Adams. Backpacking experience, however, is highly recommended, since climbers generally carry a full kit up to high camp, complete with a tent and sleeping bag. If you haven’t used crampons previously, high camp is typically the place you’ll learn since there’s room to try out self-arrests on small slopes.