Foggy Flat – Mount Adams
What: A day hike or backpack past lava flows to the open north slopes of Mount Adams.
Where: From the town of Trout Lake, follow Forest Service Road 23 for 24.4 miles to Forest Service Road 2329. Turn right and follow this road for 10.2 miles to the junction with Forest Service Road 5603. Turn right again, driving another 1.7 miles to the Pacific Crest Trail trailhead parking area on the north side of the road. The road beyond this point, crossing onto the Yakama Reservation, is closed to public traffic.
Length: 13.4 miles out-and-back, or 14.4 miles with a semi-loop trip via the Killen Creek trailhead.
Difficulty: Moderate due to modest elevation gain and gentle grade.
Beginning elevation: 3,600 feet.
Elevation gain: 1,800 feet.
Map: USGS Green Mountain, Glaciate Butte, and Mount Adams East
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Notes: Explore the often forgotten north side of Mount Adams on this hike through the Mount Adams Wilderness. Fall is a great time to explore this area before the snow flies, with crisp nights, bug-free days, and little in the way of crowds. You’ll gently climb through open pine forests and sweeping meadows to up-close views of the glacier-carved north face of the mountain. By planning to camp a night or two in the meadows of Foggy Flat or along Killen Creek, you can explore the intriguing volcanic landscape above the tree line, with rushing glacial meltwater, hidden tarns, and boulder fields. By leaving a second car at the Killen Creek trailhead, you can also make a pleasant semi-loop hike that adds only about a mile to the total trip.
Dave Wortman
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