dbconlin Posted June 28, 2006 Posted June 28, 2006 Climb: Rainier-Liberty Ridge Date of Climb: 6/25/2006 Trip Report: My first Rainier Summit! (3rd try in last year) scottgg and I climbed Lib Ridge this past weekend with blazing temps and a small herd of other lib-ridgers. Starting from Whit River CG, we hiked/slogged to Thumb rock on Saturday. The lower part of the ridge was a real b**ch due to super soft snow and increasing exhaustion. We leap-frogged the leads with two other parties of two who were approaching around the same time. Thumb rock turned out to be a bit of an encampment, with 7 (seven!) parties of two (fourteen!) people hanging in the sun. So many tents barely fit. Scott and I had brought bivy sacks, so we needed a slightly smaller platform, but it was still a squeeze. Everyone else hung out and had a good time, while I contemplated my increasing nausea and headache and what that would mean for the next 24 hrs. I had been downing as much aqua as possible, but it didn't seem to do the trick, what with the heat and all, and the headache was not going away. The nausea on the other hand came and went. I don't know what to attribute it to. Every time I tried to have a bite to eat, it came back. Sucks to endure that in such a beautiful setting, not being able to enjoy it at all. Around sunset, I went to bed with no dinner and we definitely had our doubts about a summit bid the next day. But retracing our route to White River CG did not sound appealing at all! I awoke about 1:30 am Sunday to the sounds of our nearest tent neighbors (Jens and I guess tanstafl [sp?, hi...]) preparing for the summit push. Scott had set an alarm for 1am, but I guess slept throught it. GOOD NEWS! NAUSEA GONE! HEADACHE GONE! However, I went back to sleep anyway. I woke again at 2am, got Scott up and we prepared to leave. All things considered, I was feeling great. Left Thumb rock at 3am. Thanks to Jens for leading the way up and to whoever has climbed the route recently for kicking all those steps!!! Made our going much easier. We simulclimbed the whole thing, basically, throwing in some screws in the steeper/icier sections. Views are awesome as you are ascending the ridge. After summiting liberty cap, descending to the saddle between it and the main summit, we took the direct line up, departing from the steps that traversed over to the Emmons Glacier. Made the summit at 9:15 am, took some photos, had a rest, and started descending the Emmons Glacier at 10. Back to car at 3. Very tired. Still sore. Some pics: Sunscreen! Approach to St. Elmos Pass Scott checkin out the route Still a ways to go Must...drink....water... Dawn on the world Oh, yeah! the headwall Taking a break,high on the route Still going... Top o' the cap Liberty Cap in the background Obigatory summit shot Signing the register Gear Notes: 3 screws 4 pickets (didn't use) ice axe + tool (each) SUNSCREEN Approach Notes: very long and winding road Quote
Chad_A Posted June 28, 2006 Posted June 28, 2006 Very cool. I can't believe it's been a whole year since Oleg and I were up on that route. It was a neat route, but I'm glad to have it off the list. Funny how I drooled over it for years, when I still lived in Michigan; I figured it be a route of a lifetime. Three years later, after living here, I just did it as an afterthought, on a free weekend. Pardon my rambling, not enough coffee yet. Kudos to you guys for getting it done; looks like you had a good time Quote
mountainmatt Posted June 28, 2006 Posted June 28, 2006 Sweeeeet deal man! Glad you got the summit Nice pics as well! Quote
Dodrill Posted June 29, 2006 Posted June 29, 2006 Thanks for the TR. I did the route a week ago, my first time on the mountain. We came down on the 21st. It's amazing how much melting has occured since then, visible in your photos, especially at the toe. We had some spicy duck and run rock fall down there. There was only space for three tents at Thumb Rock, and the upper route wasn't kicked in at all. We saw only periodic faint foot steps up there, so did a bunch of exhausting kicking. The Headwall in your pics looks well packed out by comparison to what we experienced. Awesome route! Nice work. Incidently, we saw what I think was either the biggest coyote I've ever seen, or a wolf (?) running down the Carbon, from Curtis Ridge first thing in the morning. Pretty strange, yet beautiful. Quote
kurthicks Posted June 29, 2006 Posted June 29, 2006 nice work getting after it this summer guys! Quote
Dodrill Posted June 29, 2006 Posted June 29, 2006 Nope, not a bear. I saw that, which made me think to mention it. It's turning into Noah's Ark up there. Next time you think your partner has dog breath, you better check outside the tent! ;-) Quote
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