May 31, 2009
Earlier this week IMG Guides Erica Engle, Eric Gullickson, Austin Shannon and Brian Warren summitted Mt. Rainier via Liberty Ridge…
About Liberty Ridge:
Liberty Ridge on Mt. Rainier is a very serious, technically difficult and physically demanding ascent that is reserved for strong climbers with prior climbing experience. The route is a prominent ridge that divides the Willis and Liberty Walls on the North Face of
Mt. Rainier. It is steep, exposed, and committing. The program begins at our facilities in Ashford but we shuttle the team around to the northern side of the mountain and the White River entrance for the start of the climb. The approach to this route is long and fairly involved, and circumnavigates part of Mt. Rainier on its north-eastern flank. We climb the route using two or more camps as we progress to successively higher altitudes. Technical difficulties start at the base of the ridge, 8,600ft and end at Liberty Cap, 14,112 ft. The climb ends with a long trudge across a saddle to the true summit, Columbia Crest, 14,411ft. We carry our gear up and over the top with us and descend the technically easier Emmons Glacier route and back out via the White River entrance. Four days are the minimum time required to complete the climb, but we offer a 5½ day program that allows for an extra summit day.
Tune up your skills and join us on one of our Lib Ridge climbs in 2010.
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Tye Chapman
Operations Manager