Liberty Ridge has rested comfortably among my climbing
dreams for 6 years. In 2006, Jason Arnold and his cousin Sam Higbee traveled to
the Pacific Northwest to join Justin Tatosian and I for an attempt at the infamous ridge. Although
I’d already spent the majority of 8 years living near Mt Rainer it was my first
crack at the summit. Incoming storms quickly forced plan B as we rushed to set
ourselves up for a summit attempt the day after Sam and Jason arrived. Picking
the Emmons as an easier, quicker alternative we scrambled to reach Camp
Schurman before nightfall.
Jason Arnold and Sam Higbee
Rainer is enormous, and its scale distorts time and
distance. We reached Camp Schurman well after nightfall at 10pm and crawled
into our sleeping bags around 11. After 3 hours of sleep we were up at 2am –
moving through the dark towards the summit.
Jason Arnold After 3 Hours of Sleep, Psyched for the Top.
Sunrise
The exertion, lack of sleep,
altitude, and strong winds overwhelmed us at 12,000 feet. Defeat cemented my
desire and on the way down I stole numerous glances towards St Elmos Pass, the
gateway to Liberty Ridge.
Turning Around
In the fall of 2007 I failed again on the standard route up the mountain, the Disappointment Cleaver. It was a guided trip (I was filling in for a missing guide) and by the time we reached 13,000 feet the weather had deteriorated enough that we couldn’t continue.
2007 Attempt
Finally, in the spring of 2008 I reached the summit. Success
could not have been sweeter. Aaron Mainer and I climbed and skied the Nisqually
Icefall, a rarely climbed and in all likelihood never skied before route on the
south side of the mountain.
Aaron Ascending the Icefall
Success. Yours Truly at the Summit.
Mt Rainer was made for ski mountaineering, a unique niche of alpinism that involves skiing the descent after climbing a mountain. Conditions need to be perfect (low avalanche danger, soft edgeable snow) and the skiing is usually exposed and committing. Often rappels are involved along with lots of slideslipping. One needs to be strategic and careful about making turns because there usually isn’t any room for error. There in lies the enjoyment. During the deep breath inhaled before a turn there isn’t anything in the world other than you and the mountain. It is immersion in the moment that is the most exhilarating.
Ski Mountaineering Involves lots of Trickery. Aaron Rappels into a Crevasse.
Aaron in the Zone
An Unlikely Place for Ski Turns
Opening it Up After the Icefall
Sweet Success. Icefall is Just Above and Left of My Head.
Aaron and I met when we were both ski patrollers at Crystal
Mountain. Aaron is very motivated, tremendously strong, and one of the best
skiers I know. I’m no match for his sense of balance on skis or his endurance
but we’ve managed some amazing trips over the past few years.
Aaron looking for a line
By the end of the afternoon out of this...
Cracks
Navigating Cracks in the Predawn
Crevasse
Sunrise
Finally on Liberty Ridge
Aaron. Glad to Have Skis in His Backpack.
Carbon Glacier
Aaron above the Crux and Headed for the Summit
Mt St Helens
Aaron Reaching the Summit of the Liberty Cap
Glacier Peak
Getting Ready to Ski
Game Time
Pounding In a Picket for the First Rappel (Over the Steep Ice)
In the Moment
Serac above the Choke
Solution to the Final Problem. Our Anchor.
Rappelling over the Bergschrund
Relief
Weather is Changing. Time to Leave.
Liberty Cap is the Summit on the Right
Aaron Reaching the Top of St Elmos Pass
Ice Climbing Near Cody, Wyoming
Aaron Mainer. Ruth Glacier, Alaska
Aaron had some time off in mid-May and I bought a plane ticket, assuming I would have to cancel it because of weather. The gamble paid off. Warm temps and sunny skies provided the window we needed.
The road into the White River Campground was closed which forced us to ski the 8 km to the trailhead. Heavy spring snows buried the road just a mile from the gate. Since the first mile is mostly downhill, we rode bikes, coasting to the beginning of the snow.
The road into the White River Campground was closed which forced us to ski the 8 km to the trailhead. Heavy spring snows buried the road just a mile from the gate. Since the first mile is mostly downhill, we rode bikes, coasting to the beginning of the snow.
Aaron Mainer on His Fold Up Bicycle
Skiing Up the Road
Hiking the Bare Parts of the Trail
Skinning Towards St Elmo's Pass
Traversing the Winthrop Glacier
It took us 10 hours to arrive at the Carbon Glacier and our base camp. We took our boots off, and enjoyed a beautiful evening.
Basecamp near the Carbon Glacier
Sun Protection
Willis Wall
Liberty Ridge
The high pressure was holding and we were tired so we rested the following day. We spent the day glassing options for our ski descent.
By the end of the afternoon out of this...
We had picked this...
Couloir in the middle of photo was our objective. A striking line.
There were two problems with our chosen line. At the base of the couloir we would be exposed to ice and rockfall from a large serac above. The other problem was navigating the bergschrund at the base. We reasoned that we could ski quickly through the ice and rockfall exposure, and the bergschrund looked small enough that we could jump over it.
The said issues with our proposed line in all likelihood meant it had never been skied.
Second Night on the Mountain
The next morning we were up at four and out of camp by five, well rested and excited to be climbing.
Alpenglow
A party had been up the ridge just a few days prior and we were happy to follow in their footsteps. Without skis they had taken at least three days to climb the ridge itself. Here Aaron takes a break in a hole they dug for their camp just below the summit of the Liberty Cap.
The final bit of the Liberty Cap was steep alpine ice. Ski boots are surprising good on steep ice.
We had two rappels within the first 500 feet below the Liberty Cap Summit, all to navigate sections of ice. Afterwards we were looking down at over 4,000 feet of steep exposed skiing.
Top of our Couloir
The couloir was fantastic. The snow was edgeable and the skiing was steep and demanded all our concentration. Once through the couloir we traversed above cliffs and into the choke where we would be exposed to rock and icefall. We skied quickly and in less than a minute we were through the choke and headed to the bergschrund.
The bergschrund didn't go as easily. The small 6 foot drop we glassed from over a mile away was really closer to twenty feet. Jumping was not an option. It was time to be creative. We grabbed some large rocks, and made a surprisingly solid rappel anchor by burying them in the snow.
We arrived back at Basecamp around 5pm, made some soup, and packed up.
Walking Out
It was a calm, clear evening as we traversed the Winthrop. The setting sun bathed the upper mountain in its soft glow and our skis made comfortable noises as they glided over the snow.
We reached the top of St Elmos pass at sunset and skied down to the rushing headwaters of the White River. Rainer, looming magnificent in the background, water rushing to find its way to the ocean. We carved big turns through a tricky trap crust and walked large sections of trail that had melted out during the sunny weather. The magnificent evening invigorated my worn out body.
We reached the road around 10pm and to our horror realized that the park service had plowed the road while we were on the mountain. Our efficient method of travel came to a halt. Ski boots are not made to walk on pavement. It was a painful, slow walk out, but the warm Rainer beers in the truck never tasted better.
Aaron at the Bikes. Wrecked.
Cryogenesis aka Liberty Ridge East, (LRE in photo)
The results of our labor. First Descent of "Cryogenesis."
Photo from Lowell Skoog's Alpenglow Ski Mountaineering History Project.
Here is a short video I made...
