Rainier Advice

You didn't list any technical climbing experience, so Liberty Ridge should be out. I've seen 7yr olds on class 3-4 13ers.....Liberty Ridge is a massive step up from that and one course isn't going to cut it. Not trying to be offensive....simply reality. Do DC or Emmons.

DC has a nice sunrise view, you'll get to enjoy it with a million other people of varied ability. Late season the crux of the whole route is just waiting in line to cross ladders (last few years crevasse openings have been large enough to make going around not an option). In 13 we went for a night time push from the lot, took a nap for an hour at the top of the cleaver waiting for guided groups that started from Ingraham Flats. One rope team made it across two ladders in that hour, we turned around and went back to the car to drink beer. My friend went back the week after to do the push over a sunday night, they were still jammed up by guided groups on the way down.

Emmons IMO doesn't have as great of a view, but it does have one imposing view of your whole route to look up at from camp (you can't see where DC runs from Muir). It will give you crevasse navigation practice. If the corridor is out and you cross the seracs to the winthrop side it's pretty interesting. The other bonus of Emmons route is not having to cross the crater when you top out.

If I was coming from out of state I'd do emmons in early to mid July (monitor conditions and be ready to adjust timing). That's your most likely window for good weather and the route that won't get you skunked by other parties.

I concur: Liberty Ridge isn't a great idea, Emmons is a good alternative to the DC.

AAI, RMI, or NOLS should all cover similar bases, but you'll get out of it what you put in. Ask lots of questions, come prepared with a knowledge base to build on--read a lot. Know that you won't necessarily "know" anything at the outset, but you'll have a better idea of what questions to ask and what skills you might cover. You can do a lot to prep for a crevasse rescue course to make the most of it, like learning about mechanical advantage hauling in advance. Again, the more you put in, the more you'll get out.

If you'd like to do the Liberty Ridge at some point, I'd look to have the following skills (some of which you already have or will get on a course):

-Experience at/near 14,000 feet
-Glacier travel, including navigation of crevasse hazard plus long rope, short rope, simuling, and pitched/belayed snow climbing, as well as when to transition between these systems (flat glacier != hanging glacier)
-Crevasse rescue (single-party, multi-party, direct haul, drop-loop haul)
-Snow climbing, all kinds of snow and steepness and effective anchors for each
-Ice climbing, confident and quick on AI/WI3, leading WI4 at the crag
-Rock climbing, confident and quick scrambling/soloing up to low 5th class on loose rock, leading 5.6 or better at the crag
-Vertical rescue on rock/ice
-Snow/winter camping, making water, keeping it from freezing, cooking while exposed, bivying, snow caves, emergency shelter, staying warm and dry, etc.
-Avalanche hazard/snowpack assessment
-Whiteout navigation
-Experience in extreme wind, storm, or blizzard conditions (think 70mph blowing snow)
-Moving efficiently (quick transitions and when to make them)
-Very good cardio and lower-body fitness (you've got 6,000 or 7,000 feet to move uphill, the faster the better)

Obviously, all these skills don't necessarily guarantee a successful ascent, nor would they necessarily all be required on every potential ascent of the Liberty Ridge. However, if you have these skills, your climb is much less likely to be over your head and much more likely to go well.

Good prep climbs would indeed include Mount Baker, and I'd also add the Fisher Chimneys on Mount Shuksan to the list. FC covers pretty much all the bases you'd find on the Liberty Ridge: approach, snow camping, rock climbing, ice climbing, snow climbing, glacier travel. However, it's shorter and a bit less committing.

It's getting a little dated, but I still recommend this book:
amazon.com/Alpine-Climbing-…

WyomingSummits wrote:You didn't list any technical climbing experience, so Liberty Ridge should be out. I've seen 7yr olds on class 3-4 13ers.....Liberty Ridge is a massive step up from that and one course isn't going to cut it. Not trying to be offensive....simply reality. Do DC or Emmons.

I gotta agree with this sentiment. While I commend you for seeking out advice, the belief that you could hop on the Liberty Ridge as your first climb is a little disconcerting. Let's put it this way. When I did Rainier (by the DC), I had climbed El Cap several times, climbed ice for many seasons, done lots of other alpine climbs in the Sierra, and still believed that an "easy" route was the best approach to climbing a big, glaciated peak.

My experience on the DC was a little different than normal. We climbed in Sept. Only one other party on the route. No trough and few wands, and the crevasses were exposed and big. We also unroped save crossing a single, large crevasse because the snow was so hard that you probably could not self arrest even if you tried, so you'd just kill your partner and yourself. It was still a strenuous and rewarding climb. I'd stick with the DC or Emmons (which is popular but not as crowded as the DC). I think you will be plenty satisfied with the experience.

Stagg54 wrote:short answer: YES

I missed that you wanted to do Liberty Ridge, that is like grad school level climbing. You'll be lucky to be high school level out of a NOLS course... so stick to the DC/Emmons or if you have some ice climbing experience, maybe try the kautz.

Not necessarily for the OP, but if anyone is considering climbing Liberty Ridge, keep an eye on CascadeClimbers.com for conditions as your trip approaches. It was really bony last year, featuring some challenging routefinding across the Carbon Glacier, and rockfall was a significant hazard much earlier in the season. Hopefully all the snow they have been getting so far this winter will put it back in good shape for next year.

In mid-June 2015, we had long stretches of AI2-3 conditions, whereas a buddy who climbed it in 2003 about the same time of year had a snow climb the whole way. Here are a couple of photos from about the same vantage point taken a dozen years apart:

Don't listen to these kooks bro!!1!1 LIBRIG is light!1!1!1

Yer totally rweady to shred it brajham, check out this sweet report for all the breta you'll evar need11!!!

mountainproject.com/v/siste…

We knocked out that liberty rig and elliot headwall back to back no sweat breh!1!!!

Got the locals-only idea to climb mountains, hit big 5 sporting goods on the drive up for all the gear, the rest is history!1!!!