Day Hike to the Adams Cabin - Denied

[Perry]

Last Saturday I decided to give a go at the Adams Cabin Trail in the Wasatch Mountains. The cabin sits on forest service land at about 7650 feet and is available for public use. I thought it would be a challenging hike with a 3,200 feet gain in about 2.25 miles and was curious to see the cabin. Along the way I realized I could also possibly attempt to summit Thurston Peak, the highest point in both Morgan and Davis counties. Unfortunately I would be turned back from both due to steep snow fields which I did not feel comfortable crossing.

A view of the valley from the first snow field I encountered a just above 7000 ft...



Another view from about 8000 ft...



Looking north with Ben Lomond in view...



A snow field which would turn me back from reaching Thurston Peak today. It was a long way down to the bottom...



On my way down...

 

[regehr]

Mountains aren't going anywhere, you can always come back later!
Looks like you were geared up for it just fine though.
I always cringe seeing people w/o an axe on Timp. In summer 2011 I saw more than one bloody hiker who had slipped on the steep area below the pass that overlooks Utah valley.

 

[Perry]

Mountains aren't going anywhere, you can always come back later!
Looks like you were geared up for it just fine though.
I always cringe seeing people w/o an axe on Timp. In summer 2011 I saw more than one bloody hiker who had slipped on the steep area below the pass that overlooks Utah valley.

Yeah I don't think most folks realize how quickly things can get serious. They think they'll be able to stop no problem.

I'm heading up to Snow Basin on Saturday to find some safe slopes to practice my self arrest. I think there is a tendency to think it looks easy but after watching multiple videos of both successful and failed self arrest attempts I'm pretty sure its not as easy as it looks to do.

 

[regehr]

Yeah I guess self-arrest depends a lot on the situation. No problem at all on easy slopes, but probably impossible once you get a bit of speed on hard snow at 50 degrees.

If you want an easy Wasatch snow climb, Red Baldy has long been one of my favorites:
https://blog.regehr.org/archives/553
I always wait until later in spring, though, so that the last of the big wet avalanches have happened.

 

[Perry]

Yeah I guess self-arrest depends a lot on the situation. No problem at all on easy slopes, but probably impossible once you get a bit of speed on hard snow at 50 degrees.

If you want an easy Wasatch snow climb, Red Baldy has long been one of my favorites:
https://blog.regehr.org/archives/553
I always wait until later in spring, though, so that the last of the big wet avalanches have happened.

That looks awesome. Thanks for that.