Training climbs for Liberty Ridge?

[gabo]

Anyone have any suggestions on which volcano routes would be good training climbs/warm ups for LR? I was considering the Sandy Glacier Headwall on Hood, the Lava Glacier Headwall on Adams and the Coleman Headwall on Baker. I'm more interested in something with less objective danger that will give a good feel for the conditions.

[Dulton]

The North Face of Shuksan gets to be about 45 or 50 degrees in some places if you wanted to get used to the exposure without the factor of altitude.

[Greg_W]

Eldo in a day would be a good hump.

[Dru]

if you are interested in less objective danger stay off coleman headwall

[Alex]

Adams Glacier

N Ridge of Baker as an overnight

[Alpine_Tom]

Leuthold Couloir on Hood. It's kind of cool because the climb is comparatively long, but it's a very short descent.

[Bronco]

Emmons Glacier the week before.

 

You get Acclimation, descent route beta, and accurate conditions beta for the mountain. This is the one route I'd definetly do.

[Greg_W]

Emmons Glacier the week before.

 

You get Acclimation, descent route beta, and accurate conditions beta for the mountain. This is the one route I'd definetly do.

 

Unless you have to hike from the Ranger Station through knee deep snow and then listen to avalanches in the pre-dawn hours at Glacier Basin. Then you might want to do something else.

[gabo]

Drew, you're right, the Coleman was a bit of a stretch since it completely condition specific. I've done the Emmons, but doing it again for the true beta the week before is an excellent suggestion. I haven't done Eldo, but I think it is similar to doing Whitehorse in a day with some bushwhacking?

[pzack]

NF Buckner

NFNWR Adams

NF Maude

NF McClellan Butte

[To_The_Top]

Doing Eldorado in a day has much less bushwacking and you could probably do it in 10-12 hrs, depending on conditions, which maybe more difficult earlier in the year.

[gabo]

I've always been interested in the NF of Maude. Is it really a 3/4 like the description in summitpost suggests? I seem to remember it wasn't rated at that level of difficulty in Nelson's book, but I could be wrong or global warming has made the route more interesting.

[Stephen_Ramsey]

Regarding Maude's NF: In good conditions in early summer, NF Maude (if it is approached via the 7FJ/Maude Col) is a 1200' 50+ degree climb on neve. When we climbed it in mid June 2003, we protected it with pickets and some rock pro. If you approach it from further down and climb the entire NF from the Entiat glacier, you might have to deal with a schrund crossing. Beware of icefall from parties higher up on the route. Entiat Icefall is more interesting, and also longer.

[ivan]

Leuthold Couloir on Hood. It's kind of cool because the climb is comparatively long, but it's a very short descent.

?? i have a hard time seeing the similarity between the two, but i guess i've never actually seen liberty ridge w/ me own two eyes...i certainly wouldn't consider luethold's as a classic

[layton]

If you are in pretty good shape, can lead WI2+, and are savy on mtn/glacier stuff(weather,crevasses,1st aid, etc) then just go do it. You don't need a training climb, it would be a good 1st alpine ice longish route. It's pretty easy, just long.

[Bug]

N Face of Shucksan

[lummox]

stop smoking. stop eating crisco with sugar.

start riding a bike. take the stairs. do a little running. do a little more running. do some downhill running. start today. it will take a month or so to boost your indurance. the climb will still hurt.

[Alasdair]

Leuthold Couloir on Hood. It's kind of cool because the climb is comparatively long, but it's a very short descent.

?? i have a hard time seeing the similarity between the two, but i guess i've never actually seen liberty ridge w/ me own two eyes...i certainly wouldn't consider luethold's as a classic

Agreed. Leuthold can be done in hour and half from illumination rock if you are in decent shape. Go climb something you want to climb the week before. As far as acclimatization for altitude goes climbing something the week before is likely to make no noticable difference.

[JoshK]

If you are in pretty good shape, can lead WI2+, and are savy on mtn/glacier stuff(weather,crevasses,1st aid, etc) then just go do it. You don't need a training climb, it would be a good 1st alpine ice longish route. It's pretty easy, just long.

 

I've never done LR, but from what everybody says, this seems to be the case...the crux is the length of the route and keeping an eye on weather, etc, since that can be tricky from tha side of the mountain. Being in good shape and moving quick are probably your best bets.

 

I would second the NR of Adams recommendation. You get nearly 10k or vertical from trailhead to summit, it's a reasonably long ridge (*nothing* like LR, granted) and you get altitude. I did it in like half a day, so if you are in shape for LR, you should definitely be able to do that.

[Alasdair]

If you are in pretty good shape, can lead WI2+, and are savy on mtn/glacier stuff(weather,crevasses,1st aid, etc) then just go do it. You don't need a training climb, it would be a good 1st alpine ice longish route. It's pretty easy, just long.

 

 

I've never done LR, but from what everybody says, this seems to be the case...the crux is the length of the route and keeping an eye on weather, etc, since that can be tricky from tha side of the mountain. Being in good shape and moving quick are probably your best bets.

 

I would second the NR of Adams recommendation. You get nearly 10k or vertical from trailhead to summit, it's a reasonably long ridge (*nothing* like LR, granted) and you get altitude. I did it in like half a day, so if you are in shape for LR, you should definitely be able to do that.

 

Is there any real glacier travel on the N. Ridge? Is it a good solo?

[lummox]

Is there any real glacier travel on the N. Ridge? Is it a good solo?

yeah. maybe.

[layton]

it would be a very good candidate for a solo. just follow a team down on the descent if your nervous.