ADAMS PEAK (8,197') CLASS 2

Location: 8 miles NNE of Chilcoot, CA

ROUTE A
Drive: Take Highway 70 to Chilcoot, CA, which is 6 miles west from Hallelujah Junction (junction of Highway 70 and U. S. 395) or 2.2 miles east from the junction of Highway 70 and Highway 49. Turn north on "Frenchman Lake Road" or "CA 284" signed "176 N. F." After 4.8 miles, turn right on a dirt road signed "24N44" and proceed a few miles till a sign "Mt. Adams 3" directs one to turn right. Ignore the various spur roads and go past the "private property no trespassing" signs discouraging leaving the main road throughway. In 1.7 miles, come to a junction and go left. In 0.3 mile more, go past a spur road. After another 0.4 mile, come to a log cabin, where most will park. The road gets rough just ahead. Good 4WD vehicles can continue 2 miles to the high saddle from where cross-country travel begins.
Climb: From the log cabin, follow the main dirt road ahead, generally taking the most used track. There are many logging spurs that don't go very far. After about 0.4 mile, come to a fork and go left (upper fork). After coming to a survey marker in another 0.7 mile, arrive at a four-way junction. Go straight. After about 2 miles from the cabin, reach a saddle. 4WD vehicles can make it to here. Leave the road at this point and go cross-country left (north) up the spur ridge to the left of the first, false summit mass. This area will have some heavy brush. After about an hour's thrash, you should pass the false summit on its left (west) side, and then see the double-summitted true peak. Work your way through dense stands of mountain mahogany and talus. Heading to the saddle between the two highpoints seems to work best. The left (northernmost) summit should have the register, but the right (east) summit is also worth a visit.

WINTER SKI ASCENT: The area generally does not receive much snowfall, so any ski ascent must be timed to be done just after a heavy, cold storm. Route A seems to be as good an approach as any. Climbing the peak from U. S. 395 may be another possibility.

TRIP STATS: Route A, 2,000 feet gain, 3.3 miles one way.

Notes: Most of any possible routes will have heavy brush no matter which way you'll go, and Route A seems to be the shortest way. It is possible to turn left (north) on one of the logging spurs enroute and climb directly up east to the peak, but even more brush will be encountered.
This is the northernmost peak on the Sierra Peaks Section (SPS), Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club, list.

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