Written by: Chris Eby
Where: Mt Adams, Washingon
Who: Chris Eby + Mike White
Gear:
- Skis: Atomic Backlands
- Skins: Black Diamond Ascension Skins
- Boots: Dynafit Radical Boots with Dynafit Rotation Binding
- Poles: Leki Helicon Lite Ski Ploes
- Trail Shoes: Altra Lone Peak 5
- Axe: Petzl Gully Ice Axe
- Crampons: Petzl Vasak Crampons
- Backpack: Black Diamond Cirque
- Sunglasses: Goodr Wrap G Sunglasses
- Snacks: Mixed Nuts, Fruit Leather, Dried Mango, Cliff Block Gummis, Stinger Waffles
- SUNSCREEN!
Trip Report:
To close out their ski touring season, Mountain Shop Staff members Mike and Chris set their sights on Mt. Adams and the iconic Southwest Chutes, one of the PNW’s classic summer descents.
A late departure kicked things off a little chaotically: barely any sleep the night before (thanks to a curious deer), a delayed start the next morning, and warm July conditions that promised plenty of slushy snow.
The first two miles flew by on dry trail. But just before the Lunch Counter, the snowline began, and they switched to boots and skis. A mid-summer objective meant plenty of transitions over exposed rock before reaching the base of Pikers Peak. After collecting snow to refill water bottles, they began skinning up a sun-cupped, soft slope toward the false summit. Halfway up, Chris ditched the skins to bootpack but quickly realized it was a mistake. He post-holed nearly waist-deep for the rest of the climb. After what felt like forever, they reached the top of Pikers and crossed the plateau below the true summit.
With tired legs and daylight moving fast, they dropped into the Southwest Chutes. Surprisingly, the snow held up well, with smooth turns up top gradually giving way to patches of rock lower down. After navigating their way through the bottom section, they switched to trail runners and began the three-mile bushwhack back to the Round the Mountain Trail.
Loose sand, scree, boulder hopping, and slick snow made it slow going. But once they hit the trail proper, it was smooth sailing back to the car. Exhausted but stoked, Chris and Mike wrapped up their summer backcountry series with one last big mission and some great turns to show for it.
