Mt. Adams

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 8/9/2026, By: daway8
Info: This is a wild traverse! Only managed to get 4 out of the 6 peaks normally done (kudos to chipmunk and bergsteigen for the beta and for getting them all!). I did the exposed class 4 overhanging ridge crux on the first peak which was sweet, then past the second peak of the day was when everything got wild. Third peak gave an opportunity to rest prior to Adams where I got lured onto a ledge system that felt like it was going to have me wrapping around the peak 10 times. Still had great weather but also a 4.5hrs drive to Fort Collins with obligations the next day so had to skip the 5th and sixth peaks of the day. One more ridge to drop down followed by some willow bashing before finding a remnant trail then reconnecting with the main Kit Carson trail. May have to add a TR to give some more insights into this fun multi-peak day. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 7/20/2026, By: 5ClimbingCooneys
Info: Dry. Incredibly dry. No snow to worry about, but the forest looks like it's on the verge of death/collapse on most south-facing slopes. Be careful. Be VERY careful. Until this area sees sustained rain, it's one spark away from annihilation. There are a few pleasant pockets of green around Willow lake where some tributaries feed in and there's still some sourceable water, but if you've been up here before, be prepared for a depressing hike through stressed timber and dead underbrush. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 7/13/2026, By: rocks512
Info: Fun climb, minimal mosquitos. Had a cayote follow us and our 3 dogs from 12,500 to 13,500. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 6/12/2026, By: AsTheDuke
Info: Summer conditions for Adams (west ridge, east slopes) and its nearby unnamed 13ers (Peak 13552, Peak 13543, and Peak 13159).

Just note that if you are camping at Willow Lake, be aware that the marmots were out in early June and were snooping around tents. Neither my friend's tent or my tent had any food in them, but my friend found a marmot underneath the rain fly of her tent and scared it off before the marmot did anything. Meanwhile, my tent had its door zipper chewed right off (damaging it beyond repair) and chewed my sleeping bag and sleeping pad.

Our assumption is that marmots around Willow Lake have found food in tents previously and have associated tents with food and will try to break into tents whether there is food in them or not. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 5/26/2026, By: mikemalick
Info: Summer conditions. A couple very small patches of snow right near the entrance to that ramp/gully just before the summit but easily avoidable. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 8/4/2025, By: E_A_Marcus_949
Info: West Ridge via Willow Creek up and down gulley to S. Crestone Lake and out to loop it. Easy to follow route up through Willow Creek - saw some deer and herd of big horn sheep. Fun little scramble at the top. Horrid gulley on the way down to S Crestone Lake and some horrid willow bushwhacking. Fun to loop but not sure I'd recommend that side unless you're ready for it. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 8/3/2025, By: sehessler92
Info: Has a little bit of everything. Willows, ridge walk and scrambling. 8 hours car to car. Mosquitos didn’t seem AS thirsty at the trailhead but they definitely still make their presence known. Did get to hear a pack of coyotes howling on the way down and saw a pack of bighorn sheep. 

Route: Horn Creek
Posted On: 6/20/2025, By: Outbounder
Info: The horn creek TH can be accessed by any vehicle. The approach trail (5 miles one way) is wet and muddy in spots; waterproof shoes are suggested. This is one of the more densely wooded areas in the sangres, so be bear aware. I saw one on the trail (it didn't give me any trouble).

When you reach the lakes, the willows are THICK. Try to find the easiest way around them. The hike up the slope to gain the ridge is longer than it looks. The ridge itself is a fun climb and can probably be kept to a class 2. I did opt for a few class 3 sections because they looked fun and safe. While this is conglomerate rock, there are still loose sections; check your holds!

If you don't like the ridge, you can eventually drop down to some grassy ledges below the summit and hike up that way. Either way works :) 

Route: up south ridge from 13543 down NW ridge from 13159
Posted On: 6/16/2025, By: coopergould
Info: Awesome day on Mt. Adams, what a cool mountain. Ascended UN13543 via Willow Lake - minimal willow bashing in the upper basin and simple contouring around the remaining snow leading up to the summit. Adams' South Ridge was the highlight of the loop - super fun terrain and 100% snow free. Only one ~20ft section of true class 3 (I'm sure there is a way around it), rest can be kept at 2/2+ easily if desired. Crestone conglomerate abounds, and there is a great section of light scrambling right at the summit. Descendent off the summit block to the east was dry and less steep than expected, grassy ledge traverse mentioned in several trip reports is obvious. A few short snow crossings heading down the NW Ridge to UN13159 - I found sticking right on top of the ridge lent itself to the most stable, grassy, snow free terrain. Getting sucked off the ridge to the west is fine but there is more talus and side hilling to deal with. Final descent off UN13159 to South Crestone Lake went quick, and the trail back to the trailhead was a nice changeup from the Willow Lake side. Overall incredible loop in essentially summer conditions - highly recommend! 

Route: Via S Crestone Lake
Posted On: 5/27/2025, By: Lubellski
Info: Came from UN 13,159. Excellent rock quality sticking to the northern precipice. Lots of snow on the face, but could descend via plunge step, if I had an axe the glissade would have been perfect. A very fun climb. Almost no snow until South Crestone Lake, and snow could have almost been entirely avoided with careful route selection. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 5/25/2025, By: Jbakeman
Info: Started at 5 am. Trail is mostly clear until the lake. Notch still had snow but microspikes were sufficient. Melting quickly here. Ridge was good but lots of snow on south side. Needed crampons and axe for descent off summit block. 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 12/30/2024, By: Yikes
Info: About as easy as it gets for a winter ascent. Road to summer TH is open (which usually isn't the case in winter), saving extra miles. Trail to the lake is packed snow in the trees and dry in the open (probably several miles of bone dry trail). Snow is deeper near the lake but not bad. Slope above lake is dry. The upper basin is a little bit of a grunt with soft snow and bushes, but it passes pretty quickly. Snow slope up to the saddle is hard pack. Upper ridge is fairly dry. A few steep snow sections where you wouldn't want to fall. 

Route: from n crestone lake
Posted On: 9/1/2024, By: Laxer04
Info: summer conditions. summit register is missing the lid and notepad/pen 

Route: West ridge via Willow Creek
Posted On: 9/1/2024, By: wintersage
Info: I went up Willow Creek and summited UN 13552 first, I then took the ridge directly to Mt Adams. The summit register at UN 13552 is completely soaked and should be replaced so if you are going up there, bring a paper and pen. Ditto for Mt Adams but it seems like the cap for it is missing. This side of the mountain was completely dry despite the overnight rain and there werent many mosquitos on the approach either. Back at the Willow Lake campsite there were many deer and bighorn sheep sniffing around the tents. They are completely socialized now it seems and did not fear approaching hikers. 

Route: Horn Creek -> Adams -> 13,543 -> 13,533
Posted On: 8/12/2024, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: Wet in the morning from all the rain and water levels were running about as high as youd expect in late June! Foggy and eerie from 13.2k and higher until around 3pm. No summit views from Adams but the Challenger/Kit combo and Willow Lake afterwards made for some sweet views!!!

Be prepared to intensely bushwhack at the bottom if you choose to head down the NW slopes of Little Baldy. Still dont know how our feet didnt get wet