Mt. Rainier Liberty Ridge

[Mike_Gauthier]

Oh, I can't resist...

 

[Bug]

Looks cold.

What were the temps?

[Pandora]

I didn't have a thermometer, so I'm not sure of the exact temperature. But I can tell you that I was struggling to keep my hands warm before leaving the tent! Once we got moving it wasn't so bad, though the windchill was frigid . Here are a couple more pics:

 

 

[pbelitz]

BIGGER PHOTO PLZ!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[alpinespider]

Get a picture of the route (which you have already) and go climb it. Take enough gear to cover a variety of situations....the conditions on ranier obviously can change daily from snow to bullet proof ice. I would personally carry extra body weight, you lose it in the first day or two of climbing anyway and it just gives you more reserves if you end up having to wait out a storm or other unforeseen event. Other than that just make sure you know what you are getting into....Lib ridge gets someone almost yearly.

[Pandora]

BIGGER PHOTO PLZ!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I LOVE THAT GIANT PHOTO. LOOKING AT IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I AM THERE FREEZING MY ASS OFF AGAIN.

[neoday2]

Anyone want to know what the view looks like from the top in April?

[dbconlin]

yeah, id o how was it? how were the conditions?

[neoday2]

We are working up a TR and should have it done within the week, let me know any specific questions and I will try to answer them. This was an amazing route and it was beautiful to have it all to our selves. I always love watching the sun rise from above the clouds!

The conditions were varied. Powder snow, alpine ice, styrofoam, wet snow, sunburn, moonlight, wind, no wind- we got it all! Most of the route was knee to mid thigh deep powder with a firm base. Occasionally it was waist deep. We took a direct finish on the cap and that was about 20 meters of WI 2-3 and then one about a 10-15 15 meter WI 4ish.

[Kraken]

friggin sweeeeeeeeeeeet! Can't wait to give 'er a try here in a month!

[Mike_Gauthier]

Had a nice chat with these guys today... They shared a few details ... but intend to post more soon.

 

As it stands, Rainier has only seen 2 ascents in 4 months. Liberty Ridge and of course, NIC... This could be a very interesting year.

[Couloir]

http://www.nealmueller.com/

News story about these cats on LR.

[faster_than_you]

Woh, did you see the eyebrows on the tv guy?

[layton]

oh my god! oh my god! somebody somebody...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[DPS]

Did you all catch that quote "potentially the most difficult route in the continental US."

Edited April 19, 2006 by danielpatricksmith

[pup_on_the_mountain]

I think he says "..potentially one of the most difficult.." still BS may be .

[zaugg]

further evidence minnesota = land of 10000 losers

[layton]

I don't want to be too down on this. He seemed like a cool guy, and also nabbed that route when all of us locals were doing nothin' or failing on other routes in the mountains. I'm sure that really cool for folks to watch in the Midwest. But yeah, "potentially the most difficult route in the continental US" was a bit much, but i think that was more for mom and dad shock value.

[G-spotter]

potentially the most technically difficult man and dog mountainspeedclimb on a cascade jewel! no foolin there!

[zaugg]

okay, 9998 losers. and two fibbers.

[ryland_moore]

The guy definitely has some creds. However, he seems like a bit of a media whore, which detracts from his greatest accomplishments, like climbing Everest unguided. Is he doing it for himself or for personal gain to build himself up? You decide. Still, a great ascent of a classic (not hardest) route in NA.

 

I will always remember crossing paths with Steve Schneider (shipoopi) in Punta Arenas, CHile after his solo ascent of a new route (Golazo) on the central tower of Torres del Paine. He was totally laid back about his accomplishment, really quite modeswt, and really didn't want the media to know. He was content with knowing that he set out to do it and did. He did a slide show tour, to help fund his climbing, but you only saw a little blurb in the rags about it, which he did not send in and a clip in the AAC journal back in 1999 - that was it. He was even asking us about our ascents of peaks in Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina, even though they were standard routes, like Polish Glacier, and really nothing more than Emmons glacier type slogs at a much higher altitude. I learned a lot about climbing and see people and how they react to their own accomplishments.

 

Is it a great feat to climb the 7 summits? Sure it is. Does anyone care if you are the 2 person in MN to climb the 7 summits or the 1st person to climb the 7 summits from your business school? I doubt it. It is as if he has to justify himself by placing himself on an imaginary pedestal by creating imaginary categories for his successes. Did you know that I was the first person at my elemetary school to get a thumb tack stuck up my nose? Also the second person that year to accomplish such a feat in my home town.

 

It is unfortunate that this detracts from his accomplishments, but a little bit of humble pie goes a long way. Reminds me a bit of our ol' friend Dan ____........

 

p.s. Did someone forget to give me the memo that we can't use Mr. ____'s name on cc.com? Mr. H? Dan H.? Danno? Dan the Man Howitzer, Dannimal? You enter his name, and the computer mods automatically strike his last name out Dan your last name rhymes with Dowitt but the first letter is an H? I am just trying to see what the mods will accept here. Sorry for the thread drift.......

Edited April 19, 2006 by ryland_moore

[Chriznitch]

"midwest pride and fortitude"!!

[Couloir]

...and also nabbed that route when all of us locals were doing nothin' or failing on other routes in the mountains.

EXACTLY. The media probably contacted him after hearing about it somewhere and he was speaking off the cuff and not reciting a well-prepared, fully-researched statement in a press conference. Who knows? Give the guys some credit.

[DPS]

The media probably contacted him after hearing about it somewhere and he was speaking off the cuff and not reciting a well-prepared, fully-researched statement in a press conference. Who knows? Give the guys some credit.

 

This guy has his own Web site promoting himself complete with the embedded newscast. This guy is all about publicity. I will give them credit however, they did climb a moderate, popular route in the early season.

Edited April 19, 2006 by danielpatricksmith

[chucK]

Gawd! You guys are such a bunch of tittering granmas.

 

Fuckin' A those guys climbed a cool route in what looks like very difficult conditions.

 

neoday2. Looking forward to the trip report.

 

And do you know this Chaps guy?