Up/Over and back. Anyone done this?

[saxybrian]

I was thinking next year of doing 2 goals in 1. Trying to hit the Liberty Ridge Route over the mountain, down to Muir, cross the Nisqually over to the Kautz, up that and down the Emmons back to car. Has anyone here ever done anything like this and did you use a food/gear cache or just lug up 5-6 days of food and go for it like a crazy person!

[ScaredSilly]

For giggles this summer we planned to do Furher Finger and then Sunset Ridge. I do not think caches are necessary as such we just schlepped everything we needed with us. If schlepping the 5lbs extra is going to be too much you probably should not be on the hill.

 

Because of winds we only did Furher. The trick to me for doing such silliness is to figure out how to stay high. For instance, we planned to descend the Tahoma and traverse over to Sunset Ridge which would have kept us above 10k. Also I would suggest doing the "harder" route second as you will have less stuff to schlep and be more acclimated.

 

My suggestion would be start at Paradise and go up the Kautz. Descend to Emmons. Traverse around via the upper Wintrop to the Carbon. Yeah you will lose lots of the elevation but think of it as a rest day. I have done the descent of the upper Wintrop several times and it is pretty easy with only a few major cracks. From there do Liberty and come down the DC.

[treknclime]

Yes, the rangers have been doing this sort of stuff for years.

 

Some other folks have also done similar things as you suggest...two routes on the same trip...in a day, car-2-car, all within 24 hours...

 

The trick is, if you're planning a multiple day climb with more than one route, go light, and keep your pack under 25-30lbs, and it won't be a problem.

 

Good luck, and be sure to share what you end up doing/

[saxybrian]

I think I like the idea of starting the Kautz and doing a push to summit and over in 1 push, sleep on the Emmons then decend over to Lib and head up that and down DC/ID or even Nisqually/Furher if it's intact that time of year.

[treknclime]

It sounds like an intriguing way. The conditions are still OK for doing some of that, if you have the time. Very cool...good luck, and be sure to share your TR if you end up going.

[saxybrian]

it'll be next year. I'm too out of shape and have no vacation time left to even think about it this year