nalo Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 I have read about a few different options for possible bivouac locations on liberty crack. One, a small cave above the eighth pitch, and another larger ledge that is accessible via rapel from I think the 7th pitch. Has anyone spent the night in either of these places, or somewhere else? I know sleeping aloft is not the standard way to climb this route, but it sure sounds like a great way to pass the night to me. Thanks for any info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassgowkiss Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 why bivi? it's only 12 pitches long and the majority of the route can be climbed at 5.9/10. start early and you can do it in a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 why bivi? Â Just a random thought, but I'm guessing this might be the answer... Â "I know sleeping aloft is not the standard way to climb this route, but it sure sounds like a great way to pass the night to me" Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargent_Rock Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 Nalo: I think the best ledge would be the "Triangle Ledge" at the end of the 10th pitch. Comfortable with a good celestial view. I would stay away from the rappel/7-8th pitch bivi: 1/4 inch bolts(last time I saw them) and a jumar in the morning to get back on route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 above (or was it beneath?) the rotten block there is a possible bivy - ok for one person, sitting room for 2. i think here you are bivying on top of the rotten block. it has a great view and cool exposure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nalo Posted February 15, 2004 Author Share Posted February 15, 2004 Well, thanks for the great info guys. I am new to cascadeclimbers, and it really seems like a great resource and a great community. That 10th pitch triangle ledge... how big is it? also, I don't really mind the jumar, so how big is the 8th pitch rappel ledge? Does the opportunity exist to back up the 1/4s with some pro exist? I'll probably have 2 in my party, and I want to find somewhere we can actually sleep. Thanks again guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnV Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 If you're thinking about going as high as pitch 10 for a bivy, keep in mind that you're damn near to the top by then, and consider the summit itself for a site. Things get very ledgy as you approach the top, plenty of places to hang out without having to tie in, and your views would really open up. That may not be the exposed experience you're looking for, but it would be a great place for sunset and sunrise. And you're that much closer to water in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargent_Rock Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 I would stay away from the rotten block (for a bivy). It could be rather windy, uncomfortable, and (one of these days)it's going to peel off the wall. I agree with DonnV: a couple of pitches above the "Triangle Ledge" and you've got all the room in the world to bivi (large sandy ledges with summit views). I have just looked down on the ledge between the 7-8 pitch. It looks big enough and you might be able to back the bolts up with wide gear. I have to wonder if the 1st ascent team didn't back the bolt up with pitons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 (edited) The bolts were backed up by at least one 3/8"er last summer by Clint Cummins. Do a search for it on this site. Here it is. Â If those guys wanna bivy on top, they could just haul it up there the easy way one day and cache it, then climb Liberty Crack the next and hang out and bask in their triumph (although it wouldn't be that triumphant because they wouldn't have to carry all their stuff on the climb) Edited February 15, 2004 by chucK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 If you are aiding the first 3 pitches and you don't move that fast on aid then consider fixing them. You can then go back to the car to bivi. The next day you can jug the lines and climb the route easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nalo Posted February 17, 2004 Author Share Posted February 17, 2004 Yeah, I thought amd read about doing the route by fixing, but thought I'd check out the possibility of bivying aloft. Seems more straight forward to me, even if it's not, and more fun. So my question still stands: can anyone give me some info on the ledge accessible from rapel from the 8th? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Sleeping on the ground seems a lot more straightforward and easy to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pms Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 It's a large ledge with room for at least 4 or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nalo Posted February 17, 2004 Author Share Posted February 17, 2004 thanks guys. How is going up then back down then all the way up then all the way back down straightforward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 It's only a 20 min walk from the hwy. Once at the road you don't have to sleep tied in. You can eat a normal dinner and you don't have to poop in a bag. Also you don't have to carry the extra stuff needed for a bivi to the base and up the climb. Â Why bivi on a wall when you don't have to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redoubt Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Why bivi on a wall when you don't have to? Why climb when you don't have to? What's hard to understand about his original post? He thinks spending a night on the wall would be cool. So do I. So do lots of climbers. Alpine bivies are part of the allure of climbing for some folks. If not for you, fine. But I'm amazed that climbers who hate to bivy refuse to accept that not everyone feels the same way.  Go for it, nalo. You'll never know how you feel about wall bivies until you do one.  It's only a 20 min walk from the hwy. I think you're slanting the facts a bit to support your case. I would have remembered it to be more like 45 minutes to an hour, and CAG says "2 hours maximum." It's not a long approach, but it's not 20 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialed Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Approach to Lib. Crack is 20 minutes. Unless you are old fat and slow. Bivying on a wall is easy. Hauling up all the shit you need to do so is not. Â If you're too slow to climb lib crack in a day (I know a medium-fast party that did it car to car in 7hrs., and one in the party had never aided or jugged before), fix the first three then go down to the pub and return the next. Its WA Pass - alpinelite. Take advantage bro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redoubt Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Approach to Lib. Crack is 20 minutes. Unless you are old fat and slow. Well, let's see. Summit of Liberty Bell is 7720. East Face is 1200'. So that would put base of the face at 6520'. Or CAG says base of Thin Red Line right next door is about 6800'. Washington Pass is 5477'. So, let's say very conservatively that the approach is 1000' of elevation gain. Â Damn, you're right. I MUST be old and fat and slow to take up to an hour. Nalo, count on no more than 20 minutes for the approach, even carrying gear. Â And, by the way, the route goes free at 5.7, and you don't need more than about 6 pieces of pro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 The approach to Liberty Crack is so 20 min. I've done it a couple times. Â If you've never done a bivi on a wall then by all means go for it, but trust me the novelty wears off fast. Sitting in a bar in Winthrop sounds like a much better evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 I bet that approach is longer than 20 minutes now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 20, 2004 Share Posted February 20, 2004 i heard - did it in 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scratchandsniff Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 I think Chuck nailed the answer for me. Liberty crack is a great route, sleeping on top would be the cats pajamas. Except for carrying the crap up. So do the Beckey route up the back, stash and dash. Or even better: stash, rap, sleep in the car in a second sleeping bag, then dash, flash and grab the cache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrs Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 So, what's the current condition of highway 20 anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tread_tramp Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 This strategy seems rather contrived. It's not like you have to leave seattle trailing your gear on a bicycle. But if you want to cap off a climb of librty crack with a bivy on the summit, carry the gear up the route. Cacheing gear is fine for a PCT hike. But it seems the Gestalt of The experience would be lost in all the preparation in this instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scratchandsniff Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Ya thats true. Lot of hauling though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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