Guided climbs · Mount Adams, 12,281 ft
Guided Mount Adams climbs, compared
The South Spur is a long, non-technical snow climb, which makes Adams a common first Cascade volcano. Four companies run it, two of them also as a ski descent. Their prices include very different things, so read the notes.
Start here
What kind of trip do you want?
Copied from each company’s own pages on Oct 19, 2026. Every “See dates” button opens the page we used. Where a page says which season a price is for, we show it. Prices change; the operator’s page wins if it disagrees with this one.
Free · no guide
Climb Mount Adams yourself
Everything above is for hiring a guide. If you have the skills, this is what you need to do it on your own, free. Facts come from the summit’s own page on PeakSeeker, with sources.
- Normal route
- South Climb (South Spur)
- Grade
- Class 2-3
- How long
- 1-2 days (commonly climbed car-to-car in a long day or with a high camp)
- Best season
- Late May through September
- Permits
- A Mt. Adams Climbing Pass (via recreation.gov) is required for anyone 16+ traveling above 7,000 ft from May 1 to September 30; a free self-issued wilderness permit is required at other times/elevations. A separate Cascades Volcano Pass covers Sno-Park/trailhead parking.
- Start from
- Cold Springs Trailhead (South Climb Trail #183), 5,555 ft (1,693 m)
- Climb from there
- 6,700 ft (2,042 m) of ascent over 6 mi one way
- Getting there
- Trout Lake is the last services stop before the Cold Springs trailhead, roughly a 90-minute drive from the trailhead to the South Climb route; the trailhead road is gravel and can require high-clearance vehicles early in the season. Nearest airport: Portland International Airport (PDX).
- Hazards
- Glissading injuries, rockfall on the upper slopes, sudden weather changes, and crevasses late-season on the Crescent/Mazama glaciers
- Gear
- Ice axe, crampons, helmet, sun protection, and a climbing pass are the essentials for the South Climb; glacier travel gear (rope, crevasse rescue kit) is required for the Adams Glacier or North Ridge routes.
South Climb (South Spur)
Line from OpenStreetMap; profile approximate. Map and GPX download →
Sources: recreation.gov ↗fs.usda.gov ↗mountainschool.com ↗alpineascents.com ↗
Read this before you pay a deposit
Alpine Ascents is the cheapest scheduled novice trip ($975, 2 days), and its price includes the $20 climbing pass. Mountain Madness costs $150 more but adds a third day plus transport and food.
Northwest Mountain School is the cheapest per head with 4 friends ($700 each), but the pass and your food are extra, every dollar is non-refundable, and it isn't running set dates in 2026.
Plan for a weekday trip. One operator says USFS rules bar guided parties from camping on the South Climb on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights.
Refunds are tight everywhere: nothing back inside 89 days (Alpine Ascents), 120 days (Mountain Madness, AAI), or ever (NWMS). Buy trip insurance.
- From May 1 to Sept 30, everyone 16+ above 7,000 ft needs a Mt. Adams Climbing Pass: $20 per person per climbing trip, sold online only (the former Cascade Volcano Pass). October–April, only a free self-issued wilderness permit is needed. recreation.gov ↗
- Gifford Pinchot NF will not consider new outfitter/guide proposals for Mount Adams Wilderness or for climbing Mt. Adams. Guiding is limited to existing permit holders, and no public list of them was found. fs.usda.gov ↗
- Northwest Mountain School says USFS rules restrict guided Adams trips to Monday–Friday, with no guided Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights on the South Climb, North Ridge or Adams Glacier. This is the operator's statement, not confirmed on a USFS page. mountainschool.com ↗
- The eastern half of Mt. Adams is Yakama Nation land and largely closed to recreation. The South Spur starts on the south side from Cold Springs. fs.usda.gov ↗
- Guided parties usually take 2 days, camping at Lunch Counter (~9,000+ ft). Alpine Ascents estimates 4–6 hours from camp to the summit. alpineascents.com ↗
The companies
Alpine Ascents International
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- $500 deposit at registration, of which $300 is a non-refundable registration fee. Balance due 120 days before the climb. 3% surcharge for card payments.
- Refunds
- 120+ days out: full refund minus the registration fee. 90–119 days: 50% refund. 89 days or less: no refund. Cancellations must be sent by email. No refund for not reaching the summit.
Policy from: alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com
Mountain Madness
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- A spot is held once the deposit is paid by credit card. The deposit includes a non-refundable registration fee (amount not found). For US trips the balance is due 90 days before departure.
- Refunds
- 121+ days before departure: refund minus the registration fee. 120 days or less: no refund.
- Private
- Washington custom trips: $675 per person per day at 1:1 ($695 overnight), $495 at 2:1. Includes guide, on-mountain meals, tents and group gear.
Policy from: mountainmadness.com, mountainmadness.com, mountainmadness.com, mountainmadness.com
Northwest Mountain School
- Since
- 1994 · Leavenworth, WA
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- 25% deposit reserves a space on any NMS trip.
- Refunds
- All deposits and final payments are non-refundable; payments are also non-transferable after their due date.
- Private
- Custom 2-day Adams climb: $1,200 each (2 climbers), $800 each (3), $700 each (4). Day rates: $600/day at 2:1, $400 at 3:1, $350 at 4:1 or 5:1.
- Contact
- 509-548-5823
Policy from: mountainschool.com, mountainschool.com, mountainschool.com, mountainschool.com
American Alpine Institute
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- $500 registration fee, non-refundable.
- Refunds
- Domestic schedule: more than 150 days out, tuition beyond the $500 fee is refunded. 150–120 days: AAI keeps the fee plus half the remaining tuition. Under 120 days: no refund. Requests must be in writing.
- Private
- Mt. Adams Skills and Climb is bookable privately with custom dates; price on request.
Policy from: alpineinstitute.com, alpineinstitute.com, alpineinstitute.com
Get an email when bookings open
Get an email when 2027 Adams dates and prices are posted.
Before and after the trip
Most programs start in Trout Lake, Washington. Lodging is extra on nearly all of them.
Mount Adams on PeakSeeker → routes, live summit weather and permits.
More comparisons
How this page makes money: links to Booking.com, Viator and 57hours may earn PeakSeeker a commission if you book. Links to the guide companies themselves don’t, and nobody pays to be listed or to change what we say. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Sources
- recreation.gov/activitypass/mt-adams-climb
- fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/permits/outfitting-and-guiding-services
- mountainschool.com/mt-adams-guides
- fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/about-area/mt-adams-climbing-conditions-report
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-adams/itinerary/
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-adams/
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-adams/price-schedule/
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-adams/private-climbs/
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-adams-ski-descent/price-schedule/
- mountainmadness.com/trips/mount-adams
- mountainmadness.com/policies/trip-terms-and-conditions
- mountainmadness.com/trips/cascade-express
- mountainmadness.com/custom/washington-custom-trips
- mountainschool.com/content/main/rates/
- mountainschool.com/content/main/registration/
- mountainschool.com/content/main/make-a-payment
- mountainschool.com/content/main/about-us/
- mountainschool.com/mt-adams-ski
- alpineinstitute.com/programs/mt-adams-skills-and-climb/
- alpineinstitute.com/policies/terms-conditions/
- alpineinstitute.com/programs/southern-cascades-volcanoes-skills-and-climb/
- Each climb’s own page, linked from its “See dates” button.