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Liberty Ridge advice

Original Post
Brad Warne · · Calgary, Alberta · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,320

A friend and I are planning on doing Liberty Ridge in the first week of July. Hes been on the mountain before but I have not. He picked July to lessen the avalanche hazard, but my worry is that the crevasses will be more of an issue. Reading reports from last year and everything else I read seems to point to the fact that July may be too late for this route.
Any and all advice would be appreciated, and of course I know...
Im gonna die!

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203

Your reading is correct. More often than not by the July the route is out of condition. However, I do know that last year a couple parties got on the route around the same time. Seems like others have managed other north side routes as well. But with all of those north side much crevasse work. I personally stick to climbing such routes in May/June.

If you are going in July Mowich Lake road should be open and the approach to Ptarmigan is reasonable. But one needs a shuttle to get back.

beytzim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2013 · Points: 30

You're too late bro. I doubt anyone can climb next week let alone July. I just climbed lib ridge two weeks ago. Huge crevasse to cross to the toe. There was a single 2 foot bridge there. I'm sure it's gone by now.

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401

Don't. I climbed it in late June a couple of years ago but it was a near-death experience. The lower part of the ridge had melted out and I was almost taken out by rockfall when climbing up to the ridge crest from the Carbon Glacier.

jmeizis · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 230

Just climbed it, yesterday. You will definitely increase your difficulties greatly. Doesn't mean you won't be able to (although you might not be able). Crevasses will definitely be more difficult so it will not be the same route I just climbed. That can be said for most of the cascades though. Depending on how schrunds and crevasses form it will always be more difficult navigation later into the season. Call the rangers before you go though and you'll get the most recent info.

Brad Warne · · Calgary, Alberta · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,320

Thanks everyone for the advice!

jmeizis · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 230

PS, make sure to get on the ridge on the climber's right side, don't go way up the carbon on the left side of the toe. Unless you want to do some crazy M5 soloing on volcanic choss (scariest part of the route and way out of character for what is pretty straightforward, my fault, bad routefinding). You aren't by chance going with a guy named Tim, also from Calgary?

Brad Warne · · Calgary, Alberta · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,320

Thanks again. No to Tim, going with a southerner.

Anastasia Bl · · Portland, OR · Joined May 2009 · Points: 505

If it stays cold and keeps dumping on R as is now, you might have a chance...
But in general, late June/early July is pushing it.

Crossing Carbon and getting on the ridge would be the crux of the whole route this late in the season.

Like others mentioned, do avoid getting in the center of Carbon and instead veer right and get on the shelf leading towards the right side of the ridge.

Carbon the last week of June, 2013:

Carbon glacier as seen from Curtis camp

A partner is getting ready to drop into one of those holes:
Crossing Carbon

Myself on the sketchy bridge:
Carbon crossing

If the shrund to get on the ridge on the right side is unpassable, try the toe of the ridge. There is no way it's an M5, prolly a loose class 4 at best, but with no snow cover might be a bit unnerving.

jmeizis · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 230

Yeah,

Crossing the Carbon
This is what it looks like from Sunday. It also snowed several inches while we were there. There is a steep rock band on the left side of the ridge that ends about midway on it's way to the right. It's definitely harder than 4th class. I did do it with one tool though and a hand jam, so call it M4 X (i don't know how you rate climbing a steep deck of cards comprised of 50-100 lb blocks set in dirt). If you're climbing rock (not just walking on it) you done fucked up.

When people are say going right they're talking about near the toe. In Blagloves pictures you can see kind of a couloir in the left side. Once you get up that go down and way right. The other rope team I went with behind me decided to cross under and go around and actually got ahead of us while I was stupidly playing with death choss so the hour it took me to "lead" that ten feet they went down 100 feet and climbed about 500.

Another thing about that picture, we actually camped on that glacier a few hundred feet from where that little finger of snow goes thru. Crazy how many of those crevasses we didn't even see. Lot of difference a heavy or light snow year makes it appears.

beytzim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2013 · Points: 30

jmeizis, you crazy f*cker! Tom S told me the sketchy route you guys took! We summitted on june 7th to great conditions at the toe. Amazing what a week can do with warm weather!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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