North America, United States, Washington, Cascade Mountains, Mount Adams, Lava Glacier Headwall

Publication Year: 1976.

Mount Adams, Lava Glacier Headwall. On June 21, Craig Eihlers, Clint Crocker, Matt Kerns, and I hiked the Killen Creek Trail #113 to Mountaineers Camp for our base. On June 22, we climbed to approximately 8500 feet by crossing over the lower portion of the north ridge. The ascent began by crossing the lowest and first of three schrunds of the extreme right or west side of the Lava Glacier beneath the north ridge. We ascended diagonally across the headwall using rock outcroppings for protection from continual rockfall. So far this route had been just right of the west portion route shown on page 63 of Fred Beckey’s Cascade Alpine Guide. We then crossed the west portion route just beneath rock cliffs and entered an obvious chute slightly above midcenter of the headwall itself and between the east and west portion routes. Referring to page 63, this chute is located immediately above “ea” in “Headwall.” We then ascended directly upward joining the east and west portion junction on the upper portion of the north ridge route. From here, follow the route to the summit. We descended by way of the north ridge.

David E. Rowland