Cleaned Chimney late tody

That looks crappy for 6 weeks of burning. From how you described your chimney condition it sounds like:
1. You have about a 50' liner or
2. Your burning unseasoned wood

I would not be happy if I found my chimney or cap looking like that . . . glad you cleaned it.

The cap looks bad, but I think it's as much from design of the cap and because it's an outside chimney. The cap looks like it is too restrictive to airflow, so it will really collect the creosote on it. I didn't think the amount that you had in the stove was overly excessive. I would change the cap, and make sure you are burning seasoned wood for next year and you should be fine. Just my $.02!

I use to have a very tight chicken wire screen in my cap and it would clog up quickly. Every time I would check flue no creosote. Get rid of that cap.

The cap can be used as a good barometer letting you know how things are going. IN this case, it is saying your wood should be much better next year as it isn't good this year. btw, we put up a new chimney and cap in 2007. The cap has not been cleaned yet.

I think your draft will be greatly improved if you are running without a cap.

I'd have cleaned the cap and put it back on myself. Ive only done one cleaning so far and it wasnt THAT bad so take us an after picture of that cap

The cap can be used as a good barometer letting you know how things are going. IN this case, it is saying your wood should be much better next year as it isn’t good this year. btw, we put up a new chimney and cap in 2007. The cap has not been cleaned yet.

I agree and disagree. I've gone a full season without cleaning my flue, just visual inspections. My cap plugged up constantly when I had the tiny chicken wire on it. OP is that wire or solid on cap screen? I just cleaned the flue last week for the first time this year, only reason I did was because I climbed on roof and hauled brush and rods. Had less than half a coffee can of creosote. Better safe than sorry, I would still suggest if you are using seasoned wood and cap clogs take that screen out. Screen plugged up using old ashley, wonder if new epa stove would do the same? I'm not gonna find out though that screen went to scrap yard along time ago! Lol

My cap has looked like that twice this season. It's my first year and I've been burning some questionable wood. I just check it more often and clean the cap and chimney as needed. Now that I found hearth.com, I'll be better prepared for next year.

If you burn to low a temp will that also happen???

That happens some time with less than stellar wood. I have the sister to that stove and burning practices can have something to do with it too. This happens to mine because I have to throttle the stove down a bit much in shoulder seasons...