Careless_Ev

Oh yeah, how could we forget the most recent ski descent on the route? Or the events of last summer? Below is just ONE of the more recent accidents on that easy walk up called Liberty Ridge. Text from A.N.A.M. Fall on steep ice while skiing, unroped travel, Liberty Ridge (Perrson SAR) A climber at Thumb Rock high camp on the Liberty Ridge called Mount Rainier National Park with a cell phone on the evening of May 24th to report that his climbing partner was missing after a skiing accident on route. David Perrson, 31, was telemarking Liberty Ridge from the top when he lost an edge and cartwheeled out of control, disappearing down the Willis Wall. Perrson fell from the 12,500-foot level near the Black Pyramid, a 50-60 degree icy section of the route. Rangers flew reconnaissance the next morning and identified a body at the 9,800-foot level on the Carbon Glacier. The body lay in the avalanche debris cone of Thermogensis, a climbing route notorious for ice and rock avalanches. Shortly after spotting Perrson, a tremendous avalanche of ice ran the route and partially covered the body. Recovery operations were postponed due to the increasing daytime temperatures and obvious objective hazards. Plans were then drawn for a predawn recovery next morning before the sun warmed the ice cliffs above. On May 26th, a helicopter pilot inserted rangers at sunrise near the accident site however no sign of Perrson could be found. Another pilot flew avalanche reconnaissance while two other rangers provided safety and support for the recovery team. An hour of search was needed to locate the body. It had been pushed a substantial distance down-slope and reburied by successive avalanches the previous day. There was no chance that Perrson survived the fall and moved under his own power. The body was retrieved without incident and flown off the mountain.

The orginal Careless Ev always spoke in the third person. It's historically accurate.

Careless Ev thinks roping up on steep, moderate terrain with huge exposure and no pro is for sissies. But then bitching self-righteously about other climbers' actions also makes you a sissy. How did Liberty Ridge become a classic climbing route for beginning mountaineers? Sounds like Accidents in North American Mountaineering will have plenty to comment on in the years to come.

Carless Ev thinks snow caving at Thumb Rock is a great idea! Especially if your avatar is "Flatland" and you've chosen Liberty Ridge as your first route on Mount Rainier.

Careless Ev thinks the 10 essentials are for sissies.

"anyone know how the crevasse situation might be for an unroped climber? is it really well covered up?" Careless Ev thinks roping up is for sissies...