Day 2.
Why am I wet??? Oh, man…The Camelbak has leaked during the night, wetting down my sleeping bag, backpack, (which I drug into the tent), and sleeping pad. Beautiful…Just freakin’ beautiful…I sop up the mess with dirty clothes, and scramble out of the tent, not wanting to get wet to start my climb.
…I can see the top of the mountain, well, at least I can see where the top of the mountain should be…
It’s 4:00am, and still dark and windy, but I can see the top of the mountain, well, at least I can see where the top of the mountain should be, and its completely enshrouded in cloud cover…It’s relatively clear everywhere around me except for the summit…Not good. I’m a little disgusted, but determined to climb as far as I can, just in case it decides to clear later. By 5:00am, I begin up the last vestiges of trail climbing with my headlamp on. I have to pick my way up to the side of Crescent Glacier, and keep it on my right shoulder, as the map that I have shows the way up keeping left of it.
It’s a tedious process in the dark, amidst shifting volcanic rock that litters the area. I want to keep a close eye on where I put my feet, otherwise, I risk turning an ankle, not something that I want to do now. As I approach the 9000ft mark, I look to my right across the glacier, and I can see other headlamps bobbing in the early morning amidst the rolls of rock, disembodied lights moving to and fro down towards my location, a flat spot here at the top of the glacier.
…I tell them that I’ve decided to head back down…
By now, first light is beginning to play across the landscape, and it affirms my fears that the weather is not getting better, but worse. The clouds are still dense, and I can’t see the top of the mountain, and to top it off, it’s starting to rain. Lightly, but still enough to get everything wet. I wait until the owners of the headlamps reach my location, and ask them if they still plan on going up. Yes, they reply, and I tell them that I’ve decided to head back down.
…All along the way back, I’m noticing how everyone else is dressed for summit day. Most are not wearing mountaineering boots, and several have shorts on!
I don’t want to climb a mountain in white out conditions, and it doesn’t appear that the conditions are going to change, so I head downslope. Of course, I’m discouraged, but figure there will be another day. The light of day makes for easier travel back to camp, with the rain still coming down lightly; I pack wet gear into my backpack and head for the car. All along the way back, I’m noticing how everyone else is dressed for summit day. Most are not wearing mountaineering boots, and several have shorts on! I brought my parka, climbing pants, helmet, crampons, ice ax, boots, etc. to the show, and I feel grossly overdressed!
…Dissapointed? Sure…But, I vow to come back again, and this time, better prepared…
I make a mental note, that when I come back again, I will be outfitted differently. The entire time these last two days that I spent on Mt. Adams, I’ve not seen any snow, only lava rock and sand. True, there are the glaciers, but if you travel to the sides, you don’t even need crampons! Back to the car, I stow my gear, and head for home. Dissapointed? Sure…But, I vow to come back again, and this time, better prepared. I’ve had my experience of camping on the side of the mountain, and….Next time, I will start from the Cold Springs Camp, in hopes of getting some sleep, not listening to the howling wind…