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When I started hiking in the Cascades 30 years ago, the then-bible of trails, 102 Hikes in the South Cascades raved about Mount Adams High Camp.
Within a year or two, I made the trip and could see why.
The campsites inhabit a gorgeous meadow at 7,000 feet elevation. The moraines from Mount Adams are a short distance away, then the mighty Adams Glacier climbs toward the peak's 12,276-foot summit.
Over the years I've been back three or four times, most recently for two nights last weekend.
I still can't think of a better place in Southwest Washington to see major mountain splendor close up, without much crowding.
It's a good place for wildlife watching, too. One morning at 6, a herd of mountain goats grazed about a quarter mile uphill from my tent while a herd of elk moved elsewhere through the meadow.
The newest crop of guidebooks still recommend the area, also known as Adams Creek Meadows, with such phrases as "a grand place to sit" and "from start to finish, the trail here offers outstanding views of Mount Adams' many personalities."
High Camp is a good one-day hike if you're camped at one of the lakes mentioned above. It's also a moderately difficult overnight backpack trip.
The route starts on Killen Creek Trail 113. From the trailhead parking lot on Road 2329, the trail climbs 1,500 feet in 3.1 miles. It's a wide, sandy trail that breaks out into meadows in the upper reaches. There's one stream crossing that provides water along the way.
At about 6,000 feet, you hit a few patches of snow this time of year -- and a lot of mosquitoes.
The Killen Creek Trail intersects with the Pacific Crest Trail, but for High Camp continue uphill on Trail 10. This one gains about 900 feet in one mile, including some steep slogs over snowfields and shale.
Clumps of alpine trees separate about a dozen campsites. Streams gurgle from the snowfields, providing an easy water supply.
The camp is a staging area for climbers heading for the summit. Mere hikers can follow the climbing route, which veers northwest over snow and rock fields to a lake at 7,500 feet.
Little icebergs float on the silty water. From there, people without any special climbing equipment can follow the well-worn climbing route to 8,500 feet -- higher than the top of Mount St. Helens.
Or, from the campsites, amble in the opposite direction to a gently sloping valley. Check out the 30-foot-tall snout of a curving snowfield.
As with much of the high country, Adams High Camp has a short season. The snow on the campsites melted out only in late July. By mid-October, snow will likely start to fall again.
Wilderness permit required
The Northwest Forest Pass required to park at many trailheads in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is not required at the Killen Creek trailhead. Free wilderness permits can be filled out at the trailhead. And, if you're heading higher than 7,000 feet, the Forest Service wants you to purchase a Cascades Volcano Pass, which costs $15 Fridays through Sundays or $10 on other days.
