The United States Congress designated the Mount Adams Wilderness
(map ) in 1964 and it now has a total of 47,078 acres All of
this wilderness is located in Washington and is managed by the
Forest Service. Second in height only to Mount Rainier
statewide, 12,276-foot Mount Adams looms over at least 10
impressive glaciers and a Wilderness of forested slopes and
subalpine meadows. The huge volcanic bulk of the mountain takes
up a considerable portion of the Wilderness and rises to its
only peak. As many as 25 climbing routes, from nontechnical to
technically challenging, provide access to this very popular
summit. Elevation gain is approximately 7,000 feet. Approaching
the mountain from the south you will find relatively gentle
terrain, a nice contrast for hikers in comparison to the
treacherous ice and sharp ridges on the west and the treacherous
ice and vertical cliffs on the east. The glaciated north face is
less imposing. The eastern half of the mountain lies within the
Yakama Indian Reservation. The Pacific