Fuggedaboudit

Thanks a lot to everyone who posted. Have been to the Icefields twice in September, but never in August, and based upon what I've now read, will look at mid-Sept to late September. The August 15 2004 accident happened at 11AM which is sobering because I wouldnt think of that as being late in the climbing day. Quite to the contrary, before reading your posts I would have assumed that if we were off the route on Andromeda by noon in the middle of August we would be ok. Now I'm thinking that noon in the middle of August does not sound as good as noon the middle of September. And I'm thinking noon doesn't sound as good as 10AM. I've since learned that the estimated time of actual climbing on the NW Shoulder Direct is supposed to be 4-6 hours so we'll try to be at the base of the route 5AM. About the only climbing skill I excell at is getting up early. Hopefully that earlier than originaly planned start time in September will cut down on the objective hazzard.

Hello. I am thinking about this route. Has anyone done it in the last few years? With the recent warming is it still predominantly an ice/snow route or is it more mixed now? Would you recommend late August early Sept (when I am thinking of going)? What is the approach time from the climbers parking lot to the base of the climb? How would you rate the difficulty of this climb against say the North Ridge on Athabasca or the North Face of Assiniboine (winter conditions)? Assuming you would belay anything WI3 or higher, or any climbing on slopes over 50 degrees how many belayed pitches are involved? Are there any fixed (pitons) belays? I live in Brooklyn which by no means is a climbing mecca. Some of these questions may seem silly to the reader but its hard for me to get a sense of what this climb is like from summitpost or "Suspected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies". Dont have lots of climbers with experience I can reach out to in my hood. I've seen the mountain from afar but only up close from the AA col/Andromeda Strain side. Thanks in advance!

Yep, that was us. Funny to hear Barry's feet got a little cold cause that guy is not feckin human.

Alpinfox: Best wishes for a speedy recovery by your partner. Thank God you all got out and didnt have to spend the night there until morning for help.

Now a bunch of Kiwis are going to post. I had a pair of the old Black Prophets, the ones with the rubber covering the entire shaft that I started climbing waterfall ice with. Not only are they much heavier than my Quarks but the picks on those old things were shit as well. Get yourself a pair of used modern tools like I did. You really will feel a huge difference. Not only are they going to allow you to climb better (seriously) but you will enjoy it more. You just cant "finesse" a stick with those old tools.

Originally my friend Chris and I had hoped to climb Robson by the Fuhrer Ridge, but heavy snow made that too dangerous. We had booked some time with Barry Blanchard and spent a day at Yamnuska doing a chimney climb. Then we helicoptered into the park and hiked up to the Hind Hut on 9/5/05. Left hut 5:30 AM the next day. Chris Barry and I were going up the North Face while Jonathan and Martino went for the North Ridge. Weather was great but there was lots of snow, crampons stayed on the entire day. Made slow but steady progress to a rock scramble (low 5th class but with east face 3000' exposure)which led to the summit cornice. On top at 3:30 PM, waited for Martino and John to summit and then we all decided to rap down together. 20plus rappels, none of us were able to keep count. Burned all of our slings and pitons as well as some nuts. Dropped my ATC about half way down. About five times we went to pull the ropes and they got hung up. Shit!!! But the weather was great and we were back at the hut at 12 midnight on the dot. Hiked out the next day to the Assiniboine Lodge (great people there, gave us cookies and coffee). Apparently the guests had been watching us in a telescope from the lodge. Rested a day and then headed up to the icefields as weather forecast turned for the worst. Got about four pitches up peak A2 (subsidiary peak of Athabasca) before the snow really started comming down. Snow/rain for the next few days ended the trip. A beautiful mountain, stunning. I'm sure better climber with better conditions could race up and down, but I prefer the winter conditions. Couldnt have been more perfect for me.

Climb: Assiniboine-North Face Date of Climb: 9/6/2005 Trip Report: Gear Notes: One tool and one trad ice axe each, could have used more gear for the rappels Approach Notes: Helicopter!!!

Dave: You will have to start drinking to ice climb in NH or VT or the Aidirondacks. The hangover is how we simulate altitude.

Actually stopping the fall wasnt to bad, when he went in the rope pulling you forward kinda helps your reaction time. The practice the day before helped, it had been at least two years before that I had simulated this situation. I had never used a fluke before and I will tell you right now it is a lot easier to get in a fluke with one hand than to push a picket down into the snow. Since I was prone over my axe with my left hand firmly on the adze I had to reach down to my right hip with my free hand, remove and set the SMC fluke and then slowly let the weight of Dave onto the fluke via my waist prussic. I then was able to sit up a bit, swing my pack off, pull out a picket (while still on the axe) and get that in (vertical), so it backed up the fluke. Then I took the axe out, plunged it in vertical and used a ti-bloc biner and a sling to make the axe a third piece. Now I had enough slack to escape the rope. Then I stood up and stomped on all three. Then I just about shit myself since I was totally unroped and Dave had just fallen into a crevasse that was totally hidden and there I was stomping on the glacier. So I did a quick figure 8 on a bight with about 10' of slack and clipped in. Then I exhaled, realized that the lip was 25 feet away had to use a second ti-bloc above the knot to re-clip in, then undid the figure 8 and went to the lip. Did that 30 minutes the day before help? YES, especially when I realized that face down with 240lbs pulling at your waist is not the first time to try and figure out how to get a piece in. We had access to a screw, a fluke and a picket each off our harnesses. Yes I feltlike a nerd walking from Schurman to the flats with all that stuff rigged. No I will never feel like a nerd again.

I was the other climber on the rope. I have to tell you that I had a great time on the climb, and was humbled just a little bit by the sheer bulk of Rainier. While I have climbed multi-pitch WI4 and 5 routes in NE and been up Baker, Shuksan and Athabasca in Canadian Rockies I had never been above 11,000 feet or so before this. This was also the first time I had encountered CROWDS. But it was to be expected and I must admit that I wasn't fer passing other ropes once I got above 12K. So this is what altitude is? Didnt mind the other people though, its part of this type of climb. My attitude is that if I didnt want to see crowds I shouldnt be on that side of the mountain on a Sunday, and to bitch about it out loud was to make an ass of myself, something I heard a lot of from others, unfortunately. My 4th time in the cascades and I have never seen a spell of weather like this before, absolutely cloud-free beautiful summit day. As for the crevase fall, everything Dave said is accurate. You are not just keeping the leader safe but yourself as well- if the crevase is over 40' deep and you dont arrest the fall, shit your going in too! I'm sure 90% of you all know all this crevase stuff backwards and forwards, and are much more familiar with it than I am, but maybe because I'm not as used to moving on glaciers I'm a little more scared/cautious? We saw about a dozen people walk UNROPED within 10' of where Dave went in. They were walking between the flats and Schurman. The crevase was deep enough to kill in an unroped fall. Finally, when Dave went in, once I had held him and built a 3 point anchor (fluke, picket and my axe), I freed myself from the rope and then uncoiled my half of the rope, used a prussick from my harness to the free/unweighted end of the rope and then belayed myself off the same anchor over to the lip. When I got close I got down on my belly and crawled to the edge until I could see in. That was really the first time I could actually hear Dave clearly. The crevasse really swallows up one's voice. Anyway it would have been a good idea if we had established that three "tugs" on the rope would tell the other ropemate that the one who has fallen in is conscious. Thanks again to Pete and Drew.

"An alpinist is an optimist with bad short term memory" - Barry Blanchard

Would you consider Lib Ridge if still in condition at that time? Have made 2 prior attempts and partners cant try again til next year.

On Sat 4/23 flew into Sea-Tac from NY, bought food and fuel. By 8AM we (party of 2) were at Ipsut Creek trailhead after self registering. At that time the weather forecast was for possible showers eve of 4/24, partly cloudy (no precip) Monday and Tuesday. Packed food for 3 days, fuel for 4. Road into Ipsut trailhead is in good shape this year, much better than last year. The trail up to Dick Creek campground is in good shape and pleasant. There is a log bridge just before Dick Creek camp that is washed out. it still spans creek but it is upside down. In AM on way in we forded the water but on way out in PM the water was much higher and faster so we straddled the log and slid across slowly. Just past Dick Creek there is snow on the trail up and on the switchbacks. As you near about 5,300' or so the snow gets DEEP. We postholed through wet deep snow knee deep for hours. By 6,000 we were punching through to our waists at times. Made camp at 6,300 or so just as rain, light hail started. Rained all night but not super heavy. Mon Am we break camp and head up to Curtis Ridge intending to drop down onto Carbon and head up to Thumb Rock for eve. But the wind is really blowing, about 30 mph, possibly gusting higher. Looking at Carbon there is plenty of snow, the route across glacier from both from St. Elmo or from Curtis is laid out. Looked like it would be easy to get up onto toe of Lib Ridge by obvious large snow ramp on Liberty Wall side of toe. Lib Ridge itself has lots of snow on it, lower lib ridge (up to T.R.) looked plenty covered by snow as far as rockfall goes. However there were snow plumes comming of Thumb rock at least as long as thumb R. is high as we scoped route. Huge snow plumes comming of upper Curtis onto Wilis Wall, hundreds of feet long. Wind up there was probably 50mph, and funny thing was it was comming from East. We called Rangers for recorded forecast. The two days of good weather were gone, replaced by low pressure, thunderstorm that eve and showers the next day. That killed our window. No point in pushing through deep snow on glacier to be stuck in 1-2 days bad weather at Thumb, run out of fuel and have to descend. As we hiked out saw large lenticular over Columbia Crest. So next year (third attempt) wil have to be the charm. For the rest of you, good luck and my 2cents of advice: aproach from White River!!! We saw only one other set of tracks, 3-4 people, one with snowshoes that made it to about our camp and turned around. I dont think anyone else has been up as high as we made it. The snow conditions are just shit. Simply no reason to endure that elevation climb on Ipsut approack with W. River opening next week. The route from our high point on curtis ridge looked good, snow on upper route, especially the all-important slope between top of Black Pyramid and 13,000'. Also looked like there was a snow slope that you coud take to right of 13,000' up over bergshrund to Lib Cap. We brought 4 pickets and 7 screws but didnt look like we would have used screws. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU AND HOPE THIS SAVES SOME HEADACHES AND HEARTBREAK. Finally, just wanted to say that when I ask for route conditions on this site I really dont think you need to post S&R photos of helicopter body recoveries instead of telling me whether or not the snowbridges on Carbon were still solid last mid May, which is what I was looking for when I asked for "info" not "people can get hurt or die doing this". I think this site is a great rescource for information but am really turned off by someone anonymously parenting me to "climb the mountain on her terms not yours". You dont know me, I dont know you. The difference is, I keep my mouth shut.

Party of 2 heading into park from Ipsut Sat about 1pm. Are your plans still 4/21-26? You might already be on your way and not get this but in case you do GOOD LUCK. Just this AM the forecast took a slight turn for the worse for Sun-Tues, 10% showers up to 30%-40%. If we meet up at Thumb Rock or so more than happy to switch leads breaking trail if its postholing. Sounds like you may be the first party(s) on route this season.

Should be in the park 4/23 Sat eve to camp, start early for nice easy day Sun on the approach in from Ipsut, taking my time since I'm comming from sea level. Looks like you guys have had stable weather for a few days, hope it holds out through Tuesday! I'll post something once I get back. All you locals get up there Friday-Sunday and kick in some steps!!

Alex- thanks for Athabasca reference. Have been under NF before so appreciate the point of reference. Hope to use alpine start and full moon to cross Carbon and get onto ridge before dawn on day 2. Partner very skilled at glacier travel, so with full moon should be doable. Have been told same thing about rockfall dropping off once above T. Rock by another who has done route. Going end of April, sooner rather than later. Thanks, hopefully something worth posting in six weeks or so.

Alpinfox- Good advice on the full moon that I will use to schedule my trip, whether in May or April. Dru- obviously weather will dictate everything but my point is that I have to plan at least 1 month ahead, so I'll be out west whether it is bluebird or not. Nothing I can do about the weather, my question has more to do with whether the ridge conditions will likely be better earlier than later, and it appears that the sooner the better. Dulton- I plan on bringing fuel for 6 days and food for 4 days, so I was already planning on the route taking at least a day or two longer than the normal 3.

Looking to return for a second try this year. Since I am flying out from NY have to plan in advance (work, wife, etc). Originally I was looking at mid-May but have since learned that Paradise has only gotten 50% of usual snow through March 1 this year. Any advice on whether mid-May looks good or whether I should try to move it up into April appreciated. Input from people who have been on mountain this year or have done Lib Ridge themselves especially appreciated!

Climb: - Date of Climb: 9/5/04 Trip Report: Originally hoped for the North Face. Climbed with THE MAN, Barry Blanchard, contact him through Yamnuska Guide Service. We got up into the bowl at the base of the NF, about 20 meters in elevation below the first ice, but Barry felt the entire bowl was unstable after doing avy tests on way up the bowl (it had been heavily slabbed the day before). Weather looked like it was going to crap and we saw party abandoning the Silverthorn. Nice thing about climbing with a living legend, Barry was like- whadya wanna do- super mello- wanna descend? I'm like shit, came a long way from Brooklyn and I'm like F-it can we get up another way? As if he's gonna say, no. The thing is, nothing I can second in my life is ever gonna phase this guy to lead. So we dropped down and traversed left. Went up a snow gully that is between the N Ridge and the NF (hence, the NF bypass). This then took us to the upper N Ridge (crappy rock) and then up and over to the summit. Of course as we hit summit ridge (beautiful) the weather cleared and it was gorgeous at the top. Descended the AA col. The endless scree on descent sucks, no two ways about it. Gear Notes: I brought two Quarks. Wished I had brought a ski pole! Approach Notes: Watch out for avalanche risk as you approach NF! One bad thing about using guides, you can rely to much on them and forget to be self-reliant. Need to take Avalanche Awareness Courses before I head back out west. If it was just me and a friend I would have just plodded up.

I think you should look at the LaSportiva K4S. They are the best think I ever bought. They felt fine on a 14 hour Athabasca climb this past September, and in 10 degree New England Ice climbs this past winter were warm enough. They are a single leather boot with a synthetic rubberized coating on the outer lower boot. So far, waterproof, but they are still single boots, so my main concern is always that you cant take out inner boots and dry them out in sleeping bag overnight. But on 40 degree French slopes they make Invernos feel like chewing glass. I'm sure the boots you are looking at are a bit lighter than the K4s, but unless you can aford a closet full of specialty boots, this one boot should cover anything in the Cascades.

Actually ... on second thought ... a friend who is a VERY experienced climber was at the base of the ridge and said the rocks were comming down like rain. He was going to be my partner ona September attempt. If HE thinks its too much objective hazzard then thats it, 2005 it is. Heading up to Athabasca instead. Thanks guys for bringing me back to reality. The riot shield image helped alot.

Hopefully the climber that they saw on the Carbon has a partner who can be helped. Those climbing rangers and the helicopter pilots are doing one hell of a job this year. And if your only source of information about Rainier and rescues has been the last two tradgedies as reported on TV all a cellphone would give you confidence of is quick notice to next of kin. Neither of the two parties resorted to cellphones until a serious fall had occurred. Neither party called for assistance because they were in over their head, they called in to attempt to save an injured companion's life. I dont think it is quite the Chamonoix syndrome yet where people call in helicopters because they forgot their brie.

Will light a candle for Jon's family this Sunday in St. Patricks Cathedral. As in the previous posts, THANK YOU for giving other climbers who have or will attempt this same route the FACTS about what happenned. Hope your knee is doing OK.

Thanks guys, especially fear, pete a and brukb. The way might very well be an overnight push up the ridge, getting near bergshrund by early morning. Hey- on the plus side there wont be postholing or avalances! And no crowds at thumb rock! Hell, even if we can't get up on the ridge due to glacier conditions at all, its still such a beautiful mountain that I'll be coming out there. After not even seeing it for three days (weather) on my first attempt I'd take just seeing it up close as a step forward. I know it will still be there in May. Problem is its there in September too. I probably will just have to learn my lesson like "brukb" did, and by the way- congratulations on your fifth! Post some pictures and a trip report. Its always cool to read about someone's success, but its much cooler to read about someones perserverance.

Made an earlier attempt this year the week before Memorial Day. Three straight days of rain/sleet, low visibility and wind, barometer kept on dropping. Didn't even get up on the ridge to force the issue, and flew back to NYC just as the weather improved. Want to give it a go again this year. Will be party of two and looking at a block of four days around Labor Day weekend. While I know the route was first climbed in late September, and have read the story in Dee Molenar's book is there anyone who has done it or attempted the route in late summer early winter conditions? I would expect there to be greater objective (rockfall) danger, and so would plan on getting to the Curtis Ridge camp on day one, setting up camp and then scouting the Carbon (which I expect would be pretty fractured) for a route onto the ridge. Day two would be a alpine start and push up to thumb rock. Then spend the day at thumb, sleep early and break camp about 1AM to be above black pyramid before dawn. This sounds like a great plan from my livingroom. But so did leaving Gore Tex shell behind on the last trip to "travel light and fast" .