A couple of questions

[cicleclimb]

1. What routes do people usually descend on the north side if doing a route like liberty or ptarmigan ridge if approaching from carbon river road (i.e. when white river is closed assuming car shuttles are out and cannot be afforded anyway with gas prices so high anyway)?

 

2. What's up with gas prices anyway?

 

Would prefer answers to question 1, but if you have a particularly witty answer to #2 bring it on.

[Norman_Clyde]

#1 (Not that I've done it, but I've thought about it): easy to answer, but not easy to accomplish. The easiest way off the mountain on a side somewhat close to Carbon River appears to be Tahoma Glacier, with a LONG traverse back to Ipsut Creek. The upside is that it's beautiful country. I suppose a descent of Sunset Ridge would be possible. You could also ski down one of the Mowich Face routes if so inclined-- this has the advantage of great directness. I doubt anyone has descended via Ptarmigan Ridge but MattP has descended Lib Ridge: no doubt riskier, but nice and direct.

You could also consider approaching Ptarmigan via the west side road. Certainly longer than an Ipsut Creek approach, but descent via Tahoma glacier would be slightly more direct.

All of the above ideas assume that you either have only one car, or wish to avoid using up an entire day dropping a car off on the other side of the mountain. A carryover to Paradise would be the shortest way off, White River being closed, but you would have to invest driving time that would eat up available climbing/approach time.

Mike G. no doubt has perspective and may weigh in on this question.

 

#2: Gas prices are beginning to reflect the true economic/environmental/geopolitical cost, to our nation and the world, of our dependence on oil. When prices reach six dollars a gallon, perhaps Americans will be forced to become pragmatic realists about the real price we pay for our lifestyle. Or instead Americans may "respond with violence" to the threat to the American Way, as some on this page have advocated.

 

Moderators, if you want to split this thread and move half to Spray, go ahead. Most readers are probably annoyed to have to skim through the Rainier part.

[Cobra_Commander]

great answer NC

[swaterfall]

You could also ski down one of the Mowich Face routes if so inclined-- this has the advantage of great directness.

 

YES!

[knelson]

Why not just go down the Emmons, hang a left at Schurman Hut, and go down the Winthrop until you meet up with the "normal" route from St. Elmo's Pass.

 

Then you can just traverse from the Winthrop over the lower part of Curtis Ridge, to the east side of the Carbon. From there, pick up the boot track that leads you back into Moraine Park and head back to your car via the Carbon trail.

 

Seems like the best way without car shuttles and just a little longer than the "normal" route out via White River.

 

-kurt