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New routes on Rainier?


paborden

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So, here's a question - how much potential do you think there is for new routes on Rainier that aren't, like, silly little variations?

 

Had been talking with someone who mentioned a line to climber's left of Liberty Ridge, called maybe the Mowich Ice Face as he recalled, that featured crazy overhanging ice climbing - but I'm not sure this makes any sense to me.

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Mowich face is climber's right of Ptarmigan Ridge - quite a ways from Liberty Ridge. Climber's left of Liberty Ridge would be the Willis Wall, I think.

 

My guess is that any new route would be a variation of an existing route, but I'm not an expert as I seem to climb the same few routes over and over, or at least fail on the same routes over and over.

Edited by DPS
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So, here's a question - how much potential do you think there is for new routes on Rainier that aren't, like, silly little variations?

 

Had been talking with someone who mentioned a line to climber's left of Liberty Ridge, called maybe the Mowich Ice Face as he recalled, that featured crazy overhanging ice climbing - but I'm not sure this makes any sense to me.

 

Climber's left of Lib Ridge would be Thermogenesis - FA was in the late 70s or early 80s. It is an avalanche chute and often swept by icefall from the ice cliffs at the top of the Willis Wall. The left side of Liberty Ridge does not appear to have been ascended but is more of a variation nad probably fairly avy prone as well. To climber's right is Liberty wall with what are two of probably the most dangerous routes on Rainier.

 

As others have said, not a lot of scope for new routes, more like variations, and a number of those in very hazardous positions.

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I think if one wants to make their mark on Rainier, the place to start would be a second ascent of the West ridge of Little Tahoma. Trying too hard to create a new route just creates a contrived variation.

 

I agree that there are several potential unskied lines. I wish I wasn't so damn old...and drunk.

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I don't think your gonna find any new routes up rainier. Unless you do something very dangerous...

 

its all been climbed, except directly under big ice cliffs, sure that would be a new route but a stupid route. Those things break off and would smash you to oblivion.

 

kinda like the kautz route :shock:
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I think if one wants to make their mark on Rainier, the place to start would be a second ascent of the West ridge of Little Tahoma. Trying too hard to create a new route just creates a contrived variation.

 

I agree that there are several potential unskied lines. I wish I wasn't so damn old...and drunk.

agree or a FWA on some of the western routes, there pretty isolated
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  • 2 weeks later...

Climber's left of Lib Ridge would be Thermogenesis - FA was in the late 70s or early 80s. It is an avalanche chute and often swept by icefall from the ice cliffs at the top of the Willis Wall. The left side of Liberty Ridge does not appear to have been ascended but is more of a variation nad probably fairly avy prone as well.

 

Climber's left (east) side of Liberty Ridge has been skied. See:

 

http://alpenglow.org/ski-history/topos/mt-rainier.html

 

I suggested the name "Cryogenesis" to the original ski party and it seems to have stuck. The ski line diverges from the Thermogenesis climbing route fairly low, so I think giving it an independent (but related) name is justifiable.

 

topo-rainier-liberty-east.jpg

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