Liberty Ridge  AI2-3 Steep Snow

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Type:  Ice, Snow, Alpine, 10500 feet, Grade IV Consensus:  WI5 [details] FA:  Ome Daiber, Arnie Campbell and Jim Burrow - 1935 Season:  May - June Submitted By:  Josh Garner on Jun 12, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (31) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: View of the route from Curtis Ridge

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Description 

Approach via the White River Campground/Glacier Basin Trail and hike into the base of the ridge on the Carbon Glacier via St. Elmos Pass and across Curtis Ridge (most parties camp on Curtis Ridge). After negotiating the cracks on the Carbon Glacier, start scouting your access onto the ridge (either side can be accessed around 8000 ft). Climb 30-40 degree snow slopes and traverse scree and rocks up to Thumb Rock at 10,500 ft. From Thumb Rock, either go straight up a short ice pitch (70-80 degrees) in the center of a rock band, or traverse up and left/right around the cliff. From 11,000 to 12,000, stay on or near the crest of the ridge and climb increasingly steeper slopes and maybe a few icy sections up to 50 degrees. At 12k (Black Pyramid) go east (left) out onto the Willis Wall on exposed snow/ice faces up to 60 degrees. Climb several pitches of 50-60 degree ice and negotiate steep glacier travel until gaining the Liberty Cap Glacier around 13,500 ft. Seasonal bridges and icy ledges provide passage up onto the glacier - be prepared to climb a few short (5-8 ft) vertical ice sections to surpass the bergschrund and other cracks. Once through, the slope angle decreases until the Liberty Cap summit is reached at 14,112 ft. Either head down from here or go across the broad plateau to a col (13,600 ft) and then on to Columbia Crest at 14,411 ft. Many parties descend the well-traveled Emmons-Winthrop route down to Camp Shurman.

Protection 

4-6 screws and a few pickets

Photos of Liberty Ridge Slideshow

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Liberty Ridge from Curtis Ridge. July 01, 2009 -- ...	1st ice pitch above the Black Pyramid on 6/26/09.	Camp at Thumb Rock (Late June/09')
Final ice pitch before reaching Liberty Cap (above...	Steep snow above Thumb Rock (5-23-09).	Scott Bell taking a break below the Black Pyramid ...
The Liberty Wall calves a McMansion-sized serac an...	BETA PHOTO: Early season looking SE onto the Carbon Glacier fr...	Enjoying the corn on the Inter Glacier after carry...
winter wonder land on the Winthrop. This is on the...	Coming up the ice before the bergschrund	View from Curtis Ridge. We ended up way high on th...
BETA PHOTO: Pete Lardy crossing the Carbon near the toe of Lib...	BETA PHOTO: Awesome pic of climbers at the bergschrund / top o...	the carbon glacier was pretty melted out.
i love this stuff! beautiful	Crossing the bergschrund before the final ice pitc...	The final ice pitches as we entered into a white o...
On the lower ridge, below thumb rock.	Exploring the lower Carbon Glacier. June 2012	Pitching out the schrund
BETA PHOTO: If you don't mind sleeping above 11k, I strongly s...	BETA PHOTO: late season (July 28, 2012)	BETA PHOTO: View of the ridge from the carbon glacier.
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