Mt Adams South Climb - 7/15/23
For mid July, conditions are shockingly bad. Yes, there is snow down to the 8000 ft level (as noted in the ranger report). But where there usually is a solid 30 degree climb on snow straight up to Pikers Peak, there's a big melted out section well above 11K (see 1st & 2nd pic). That section is truly miserable kitty litter with scree. There are a couple of trails on either side of the melted out section but it's tediously slow both up and down. Watch for falling rock and take care not to be too close and either slide into or kick rocks into a person below you.
The summit itself has one patch of snow just west of the obvious switchbacks, but it may be gone in days to a week with the hot weather. I took it up and plunge stepped down the switchbacks to get down. The upper glissade chute from Pikers is probably not usable/safe anymore. I didn't want to risk it. Took the one starting below the melted out section down to Lunch Counter.
In short, unless you really want to summit this year I'd just wait until next season because these conditions make it harder and more dangerous. I looked at previous trip reports and these are late August/early Sept conditions. So sad to see what climate change has done to this mountain in just 10 years since my first climb.
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