Mount Adams Wilderness
| Mount Adams Wilderness | |
|---|---|
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area) | |
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| Location | Yakima / Skamania counties, Washington, USA |
| Nearest city | Trout Lake, WA |
| Coordinates | 46°12′8.68″N 121°29′27.22″W / 46.2024111°N 121.4908944°WCoordinates: 46°12′8.68″N 121°29′27.22″W / 46.2024111°N 121.4908944°W |
| Area | 47,280 acres (191 km2) |
| Governing body | United States Forest Service |
The Mount Adams Wilderness has 47,280 acres (191.3 km2) of ecologically complex and geologically active land. Weather differs between the dry eastside and moist westside of the mountain. At 12,276 feet (3,742 m), Mount Adams is one of the major Cascade mountains.[1] The wilderness area is on the west side of the mountain and is part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The east side of the mountain is part of the Yakama Nation, with the southeast side part of the Mount Adams Recreation Area, and includes the popular Bird Creek Meadows.[2][3]
Recreation includes hiking, backpacking, mountain climbing, snowmobiling and equestrian sports. A Volcano Pass from the U.S. Forest Service is required for activities above 7,000 feet (2,100 m). Some areas of the mountain in the Yakama Nation are open for recreation, while other areas are open only to members of the tribe. The wilderness includes about 21 miles (34 km) of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, which passes to the west and north Mount Adams.[4]
Recreation
Climbing
Each year, hundreds of outdoorsman try to summit Mount Adams. Crampons and ice axes are needed on many routes because of the glaciers and how steep they are. But it is easy to climb up with just boots and ski poles on the south side of the mountain in the summer, via the South Climb Spur, partway on the South Climb Trail #183. The biggest hazard is the loose rocks and boulders which are easily dislodged and a severe hazard for climbers below. Climbing Mount Adams can be dangerous for a variety of reasons and people do die in pursuit of the summit.[5]
Hiking
The 46,353-acre Mount Adams Wilderness along the west slope of Mount Adams offers hikers an abundance of hiking opportunities. Trails in the wilderness pass through dry east-side and moist-west side forests, offering spectacular views of Mt. Adams and its glaciers, tumbling streams, open alpine forests, parklands, and a variety of wildflowers speckled among lava flows and rimrocks.[6]
Many trails access the Round the Mountain trail. On the south, The Shorthorn Trail leaves from near the Morrison Creek Campground. On the west side, there are three trails going up: Stagman Ridge, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Riley Creek Trail. On the north side are the Divide Camp, Killen Creek, Muddy Meadows trails, and again the Pacific Crest Trail. These trails generally gain between 1500 and 3000 feet in between three and six miles. Trails are mostly snow-covered from early winter until early summer. The Round the Mountain Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Highline Trail almost completely encircle the mountain, save for a 4 mile section known as "The Gap" on the east side of the Mountain, in the Mount Adams Recreation Area.
Many trails access the Round the Mountain trail. On the south, The Shorthorn Trail leaves from near the Morrison Creek Campground and the South Climb Trail starts as Cold Springs Campground and heads up the South Spur, a popular climbing route to the summit. On the west side, there are three trails going up: the Stagman Ridge Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Riley Creek Trail. On the north side are the Divide Camp, Killen Creek, Muddy Meadows trails, and again the Pacific Crest Trail as it heads down the mountain. These trails generally gain between 1,500 feet (460 m) and 3,000 feet (910 m) in between 3 miles (4.8 km) and 6 miles (9.7 km). Trails are mostly snow-covered from early winter until early summer. Other popular trails in the Mount Adams Wilderness include the Lookingglass Lake Trail, High Camp Trail #10, Salt Creek Trail #75, Crofton Butte Trail #73, and the Riley Connector Trail #64A.[7]
References
- ↑ "Mount Adams Wilderness". wilderness.net. University of Montana. Retrieved 20 Feb 2013.
- ↑ "Yakama Nation Mt. Adams Recreation Area". Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ↑ "Mt. Adams Recreation Area Map.pdf". http://www.ynwildlife.org/. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ↑ See Reference 1
- ↑ "Man Spends Night on Mt. Adams after Father Dies During Climb". KATU. Associated Press. September 17, 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ↑ "Mt. Adams Wilderness". GPNF. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ↑ "Mt. Adams Wilderness". GPNF. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gifford Pinchot National Forest. |