Sponsored by the Friends of Mount Adams
Featuring: Three beautiful all-day hikes on Mt. Adams: two on the southeast side and one on the southwest side, ranging from “moderate” to “strenuous”, led by 6 knowledgeable FOMA board members. Plenty of time for wildflower viewing/identification, photography, interpretation of the natural and cultural environment, climate warming impacts, stories of the colorful history, and getting to know new friends. Only 12 persons max. per group.
Hike Descriptions:
- Bird Creek Meadows Loop (Moderate: about 6 mi. r.t., less than 1000 feet elevation gain/loss, all on trails within the Yakama Nation Mt. Adams Recreation Area. Starting at Bird Lake (el. 5,585 ft.) on the mountain’s SE side, hike the Crooked Creek Falls Trail, Trail #9 through the famous meadows (av. elev. 6,140 ft) ; take a small loop up to Hellroaring Ridge for spectacular views (about 6440 ft.); then back to the B.C. Meadows picnic area, returning to Bird Lake via the Bluff Lake Trail. Highlights: flower-lined streams and subalpine meadows, waterfalls and lakes; variety of birds; views of Mazama Glacier, Hellroaring valley, Glenwood Valley and Columbia Hills in the distance. Leaders: Jurgen Hess, (hess@gorge.net , 541-645-0720, assisted by Bill Weiler.
- Horseshoe Meadow (Moderately strenuous: about 8 mi. r.t., 1,800 ft. elevation gain/loss on the mountain’s SW side, all on trails within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Hike the Stagman Ridge Trail (t/h 4,193 ft.) entering the Mt. Adams Wilderness and gradually ascending through a partially burned forest with wildflowers, meadows, and a few small streams. Join the Pacific Crest Trail at 5,800 ft., and continue into lovely Horseshoe Meadows (5,920 ft.). Optional short off-trail loop above the meadows. Highlights: recovering vegetation from the 2012 Cascade Creek Burn, wonderful views of the valleys, Mt. Hood, Indian Heaven, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Adams’ rugged SW face; wildflowers, meadows, streams, and birds. Leaders: Darvel Lloyd (darvlloyd@gmail.com) , 503-251-2784, assisted by Cheryl Mack.
- Ridge of Wonders Loop (Strenuous, mostly off-trail: about 8 mi. r.t., 2,100 ft. elevation gain/loss, in Yakama Nation Mt. Adams Recreation Area. Start at Bench Lake (4,920 ft.), drop to 4,760 ft., and take an old trail to Island Spring Camp at 5,320 ft. Then ascend off-trail to a spectacular viewpoint on the Ridge of Wonders (6,830 ft.). Descend to a saddle, then optional climb of Little Mt. Adams cinder-spatter cone (6,800 ft., 360 ft. vertical). Return by way of Hellroaring Meadow and Heart Lake. Probable wading of marshy area on return. Highlights: east-side vegetation, views of Klickitat Glacier cirque and Big Muddy canyon, possible mountain goats. Leaders: Darryl Lloyd (longshadow@gorge.net , 541-387-2217, assisted by Dean Myerson.
Cost: Free of charge, except for a small voluntary contribution to the driver for gas, wear & tear. Options 1 and 3 require a $5.00/car day-use permit from the Yakama Tribe, collected at their Mirror L. entrance. Option 2 requires a NW Forest Pass or Golden Age “Passport” per car. Maps and all other details (meeting time and place) provided by Hike Leader. Please register with the leader of the hike you’d like to attend. Give names, email addresses and phone numbers (incl. cell numbers).
Many flower-filled meadows and glades, and a dozen crystal-clear streams make up the subalpine parkland of Bird Creek Meadows. The famous meadows form a mile-and-a-half-wide triangular area, beginning at 5,700 feet and ending at 7,100 feet below a towering moraine of Mazama Glacier.
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Horseshoe Meadow is an island in the 2012 Cascade Creek Burn on Mt. Adams’ southwest side. The rapidly receding White Salmon Glacier lies below The Pinnacle and summit cone, with Pikers Peak on the right.
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Hikers on the Ridge of Wonders head toward the Klickitat Glacier cirque — second largest active glacial cirque in the Cascade Range. From the north edge of the ridge, one can look a thousand feet down into Big Muddy canyon and across to Avalanche Valley on the east side. Above the hikers, the summit is about 3.5 miles away and 5,500 feet higher.
