Spider Meadows #1511

This was the back up trip to Mt. Adams, which was snowed in. Three scouts from troop 438 in Bellevue and two adult leaders went for an overnight at Spider Meadows. We had not expected the high level of the stream crossings. Three required alternatives to boots, but we all got a little wet. Patchy snow started at the wilderness boundary at 2.5 miles, but it didn't get too deep or create trail finding issues until the last mile and it was still pretty firm even in the afternoon. A large avalanche debris field is just about 3.7 miles in, but is only a couple of hundred yards across. This avalanche came from the other side (west) of the valley and the trees are blown uphill where the trail was. Spider meadow is just shedding the last of it's snow. Only two campsites were snow free, and the upper end is completely snowed in due to avalanche debris. A couple were going to camp at the knob above the meadows, but turned around due to the high snow conditions.

Besides the avalanche debris, only one large tree over the trail near the trailhead. It was very hot, a few flowers were popping out, but I can only imagine how it will look in three weeks.