Alex_Mineev

Regarding the pace: people say it normally takes 2 hours to get to the ledges. With your time of 1.20 to beehive you probably needed only one hour to reach the ledges. 2.20 - not bad at all...

Take it easy. You learned this time much more than if you climbed it.

I regret that I did not climb closer to make route-line clearer. I think you do not need to rap down, probably just downclimb or traverse along the rock to the snow slope that meets the upper part of the Gib chute. I think Girlclimber can draw the line.

See red arrow on the attached image (image is not mine). Pictures are made on the Nisqually side of the crest.

Hiked to the Beehive that day, made some pictures: Nisqually Ice Cliff click here to see fullsize Gibraltar Ledges click here to see fullsize Sun shining thru the cloud

While doing my homework on Lib Ridge I came across these five TRs. They open quite a few useful details on pro to use and possible snow/ice conditions. At least one of them looks like a mild epic. Here is the main page: http://naclassics.com/climbs/rainier/beta.htm Here are direct links to TRs: http://naclassics.com/climbs/rainier/da_501.pdf http://naclassics.com/climbs/rainier/dr_700.pdf http://naclassics.com/climbs/rainier/ls_699.pdf http://naclassics.com/climbs/rainier/me_598.pdf http://naclassics.com/climbs/rainier/gk_795.pdf

Hi Josh, check PMs

http://www.grivel.com/products/pi.php?ope=scheda&lang=en&cod=27 Is it any good? I am getting gear for Lib Ridge this spring. Want to bring this Air Tech Evo and Grivel Third Tool (which I already have). Do not want to bring any heavy hardcore ice tool and not sure that simple mountaineering ax will do. Thoughts? This Evo is light - 16+ oz. May be too light for comfortable placing into hard ice? On the other hand - what's the probability of vert hard ice on Lib Ridge? bergshrand at the exit?

Which route? If from Paradise then call ranger station at Longmire. You can probably register with them by phone. In reality I think you can just stop by Longmire and get all the documents in place. May is not the busiest month (compared to July-August). They accept visa. $30 for calendar year permit.

Almost forgot to mention. Could be useful. We were driving from paradise after 6.30 and the Longmire gate was closed. There is an inn in Longmire and the guy at lobby knows the code. He wrote 4 digits on a piece of paper and asked to leave credit card while we driving thru the gate. Returned the card after we returned the code I asked how often they change the code - weekly.

yep

I was waiting for the weather for two months sitting on my backpack ready to go at any moment

Climb: Mt Rainier-Ingraham Direct Date of Climb: 2/12/2004 Trip Report: Climb: Mt Rainier-Ingraham Direct Date of Climb: 2/12/2004 Trip Report: Excellent weather. Excellent snow. Beautiful mountain. Started on Wednesday from Paradise, 5 hours slog with heavy packs to Muir hut. Light wind helped a lot, otherwise it would be too hot. Met RMI group of 15+ people preparing to go Ingraham the next day. Initially we planned to camp on Ingraham flats to assess route conditions, but RMI group did crevasse rescue training around flats that day and guides were pretty confident in good conditions. So we decided to stay at Muir and start an hour before them next morning... Which was not the case - I did not hear alarm and we woke late at 3.45. So we left the hut at 5 - about an hour after the crowd (5 teams). Almost full moon was bright enough - we did not use headlamps. Caught up with RMI on the flats. They stayed on the mountain for a few days (RMI winter program?) and were very strong, my guess they get just used to the altitude. Anyway, we climbed a separate line up the Ingragaham ice fall in attempt to pass the groups. While on Ingraham one big block of ice 100 meters to the right fell down. This was 10 minutes after sunrise. Other than that things were very smooth. Wind was worm. Snow was very dense all the way up. No problems with route finding. No big crevasses that we had to walk around... At about 13500 we got slow and behind the two leading RMI teams (the first one was leaded by Geo Dunn . Summited at noon, 7 hours sharp from Muir. One hour for pics and rest and 3 hours on the way down. Columbia Crest My summit shot My partner, Aaron

Just to be accurate these slopes are the Ingraham and where the route tops just above the DC. I do not think that usually they are lee, but the last few days wind was N, NW making them exactly on the lee side...

What time did you start? I guess you did not see closely but anyway: was the Cathedral Gap windslab loaded? Did you check what's underneath the crust? Experts, which route could probably be safer in these conditions (S, SE aspects windloaded): Gib Ledges or Ingraham direct? From what I know Ingraham has more options to choose from in terms of terrain but you longer remain on 30-35 degree lee slopes. Thoughts?

Last time I was at Camp Muir (mid Jan) I saw an RMI group. I passed them below Panorama in the afternoon. Weather sucked, I spent that night in a cave at 8300 and finished hike to the hut on the next morning. On the way down I met them second time, they were quite loaded and were moving slowly. Taking into account that weather was good for the next two days I think they summited. BTW, snow was perfect, and Gib Ledges route was definitely in.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=484490

http://atmizzou.missouri.edu/jan04/glove.htm

Well, some posts about post-coital rage somewhere in the middle are funny You are right - finding the right partner is the key openning most of the doors. The problem is to find this key

thanks again! I do not care getting wet, it's part of the fun.

Thanks sobo, I've ordered some books The question is more about which routes are (or could be) in shape from the list of the known easy ones? If possible I want to avoid driving there to figure there is only water and no ice.

In two hours I can get to Yakima, so I guess I meant the radius of about 150 miles.

Hi experts, looking at all these teasing posts about WI climbing I've decided to try some WI for myself. Are there any entry-level routes that are (or might be) in shape preferably within 2 hours of driving from Seattle?

Does anybody know any good reason to pay extra $40 for '03 model?

I've got this one: http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8001&catalogId=40000008001&productId=29674906&parent_category_rn=25467138 A little bit less than I wanted but still quite good for its price. ++: very precise and accurate, good range (-800 to 30k) easy on-screen help, easy calibration, big buttons, PRICE --: time and altitude are on different screens, measures speed in ft/min, would be better if ft/hr