Results 1 to 24 of 24
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Boulder
    Posts
    332

    Rainier or Ray-Gnar? Liberty Ridge and Kautz Glacier

    We can go to incredible lengths to talk ourselves out of great sounding plans. Despite declaring months earlier that we had to be on the lookout for the confluence of opening roads and high pressure for a PNW volcano shred session after the solid snow-year, we still did our best to blow the trip before it started.

    I got home from Japan on Tuesday and immediately noticed the fantastic, if not a bit warm, forecast for Rainier. Teague and I bounced a few messages while I was gone, but we hadnt moved at all towards a plan. I'd be in WA in 1.5 weeks, so maybe we can just wait? But that forecast... We should make this happen! Then we looked at tickets and prices for good flights were pushing $500 RT. What's the threshold? Clearly the best thing to do was talk ourselves out of the plan: The route would be too busy with dozens of climbers and multiple skiers on this perfect weather weekend; The skiing probably wouldn't be great; We could just ski another route; Or maybe just stay in CO since we already know LR will be a shit-show. By Thursday, prices had hit $600 and required flights that conflicted with work schedules. When Friday morning before the long weekend rolled around we still didn't have tickets in hand. I figured our odds of flying out were < 10 %. Nonetheless, I packed my gear in the car, just in case. Around noon I made a last ditch effort, and low and behold, nearly perfect flights leaving Denver at 7:45 PM that night and flying back 6:45PM on Monday for ~$350 RT including bags. Guess we are going to Rainier. TH and I met up at the Elbert lot and sorted various knick-knacks and do-dads into take and leave piles. Weighed our bags and we were good to go.

    Still without a plan, we flipped through the guidebook on the plane. Our prediction was that LR crowds would be bad on Saturday, worse on Sunday, and the route too big to bite off Monday before our flight. Ski south side on Saturday? Kautz/Fuhrer/Headwalls?? LR on sunday? Sounds like a pain. Drive straight to Adams? Baker? All we really want to do is ski LR. Let’s take a nap and decide when we wake up. About 40 min before landing - "fuck it, let’s just ski LR tomorrow".

    We land, grab a car and are on the road around 10:30 PM. A quick stop at the Des Moines Safeway yields a plethora of caffeinated beverages and items that will pass for breakfast in the middle of the night. I think we rolled into the White River trailhead around 1 AM. Lots of folks bivying in or next to their cars. Clearly, we are screwed. We park and try our best not to wake the crowds. A mix of getting dressed, consuming breakfast and drinking beverages has us leaving the TH around 1:45. We made decent time up to tree line and were greeted to a spectacular sunrise that lasted from St Elmo most of the way to the toe of the Carbon glacier. Along the way we noted one human size hole in a snowbridge and vowed to rope up on the way back through that afternoon.





    We also passed multiple parties at the various low camps along the way. Not looking good. As we turned up the Carbon, we saw skiers ahead of us, presumably looking to ski our line. 30 min or so later we caught up with them and I realized one of them was a friend from the facebook who I’d stayed in touch with over the years, but never met in person. Turns out they were skiing down the Emmons. After chatting, we moved on, finding great travel through the large crevasses of the Carbon, up to a wet slide that was providing easy access over the schrund that gains the ridge. Snow was firm on the west side of the ridge and we made good time up to Thumb rock. There we met another party of two that we’re on a more typical multi-day itinerary for the route. They were stopping to brew up. I asked if they had any extra wag bags, which they did, and I immediately put it to use. Just like that, our fears of crowds were alleviated and we had the rest of LR empty above us on Memorial day weekend with the best weather of an outstanding snow year. Touche expectations.



    Above Thumb, we moved to the east and the snow was immediately hot and wet. Rockfall was starting up, and we didnt linger long. Probably should have stayed on the cold side. If the upper east aspects - the only clean skiable line - had this warm snow, we’d be doomed. We climbed higher and the snow got colder. We dodged blue ice via 1-2” of seasonal snow over that same blue ice. Luckily it felt well bonded. At some point the lack of sleep and 10+k of vert became noticeable. The schrund provided a few body lengths of vertical neve, which we’d have to rap on the way back down. Then just a stroll to the top of liberty cap. Summit conditions were exceptional. Barefeet. Shirts off. Could stay all day, but that might not be prudent.

    The skiing starts out mellow, but ramps up as soon as you drop back in toward the upper schrund. Perfect chalky, steep skiing down to the schrund rap.



    Clear that and the exposure gets even better. We tread lightly around the alpine ice, but find the lingering seasonal snow to provide excellent skiing. We run back into the 2 parties from earlier and do our best not to knock anything else down on them. It’s rather fun to be skiing next to folks climbing with two tools out.







    As we descend lower, we start to fear the warming slopes that we left hours prior. Luckily, those slopes have now started to cool as the sun has passed across them, and the skiing is fun, and easy with just a bit of mandatory wet slough management to not get raked over the 3000’ of cliffs and crevasses below. As soon as we can, we cut back the west side of the ridge where conditions fluctuate between pre-corn and something firmer, but always enjoyable. The skiing is spectacular.







    All too soon, we are crossing over the bottom schrund and ripping ripe corn through crevasses on the carbon down to 7k.





    7000’ of one of the best fall lines I know of in the lower 48 above us. We eat and drink most of what we have left and start the slog back to St. Elmos. A bit of skiing mixes in, but it’s mostly a traverse. The east side of Elmos is overripe and stick;, oh well. Eventually the snow runs out and I find myself cursing the painful down-hike in my too-small boots. The hike goes slow in pain, but eventually we wander back into the parking lot thoroughly satisfied with one of the best days of skiing of our lives.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Boulder
    Posts
    332

    Rainier or Ray-Gnar? Liberty Ridge and Kautz Glacier

    After LR, we stopped to visit with some friends who we thought we might see on-route, but ended up with a gear malfunction. We realized we should have grabbed another permit if we wanted to ski the next day, but now all the ranger stations would be closed. As we drove around to Ashford on the south side of Rainier, the wear and tear from the day set in a bit, and we realized skiing the next day probably wasn’t in the cards. A better plan was lots of sleep and a monster breakfast. Then we rolled up to Paradise to scope conditions. So much skiing to be done, it was hard to decide. Finger/Thumb/Wilson all looked a bit dirty and already had some tracks. Kautz glacier was gleaming pristine whiteness, so that had to be the call. We snagged a permit and headed back down the hill, bed time at 7:30 PM, alarm set for 12:15 AM. Seemed damn civilized compared to Fri-Sat’s shenanigans.


    Temps at 2:30 AM were warm. Freeze down low was non-existant. We headed up a beaten path in the dark and just started moving. Eventually, we decided we’d gone too high to split down to the Nisqually, so we did some rather dark tree skiing down to a lower bench. No tracks anywhere. Oh well, maybe we screwed up. We started moving uphill again, eventually finding some tracks at the moraine. Travel on the nisqually was easy and we made good time up towards the Wilson. Like Saturday, we kept the pace casual, but sleep sure makes casual feel casual.

    One of the best treats of the trip was experiencing sunrise from both sides of the mountain on the same weekend. The northside starts the day with a wide spread glow eventually rendering the city lights in the distance useless. The southside is a lot slower to get things lit. As we gained the upper turtle, we noticed the low lands were in a cloud and Tahoma had cast its shadow across the valley and clouds.





    We gained the Kautz glacier and found what looked to be a great set of ski pitches with excellent snow coverage. Above the 2nd “ice pitch” we started the traverse to Columbia Crest, gaining the top a bit under 6 hours after we started.



    Once again, we were all alone on a summit of Rainier, this time the main one. We had some time to kill before the Kautz ripened. Teague was upset that there werent any steam vents around, but quickly found some to remedy that problem. Geothermal heating makes the corn-nap much easier. Teague commenced with some high-altitude-vulcan-glacial-free-caving exercises. I mostly just shifted around looking for the hottest rocks I could find. Eventually other folks from the Emmons or DC started showing up and with a couple hours rest under our belts, skiing seemed prudent. Not before I dropped my phone in a vent...



    On the way up, it was clear that the best way to ski the Kautz was from point success, so we made the easy ski over to our final Tahoma-summit of the weekend. The upper pitch was a bit steep and firm, but still great skiing.





    We werent in much of a hurry, so before the lower pitches, we sat down to burn another 30 min or so. The result was perfect steep corn. Just dreamy.









    The Kautz often ends with a counter ascent back to the Turtle. Not this year. I firm snow traverse and 6’ of horizontal dirt was the only mandatory un-snow we’d contend with that day. Turtle skied warm but well, with better conditions as we turned things slightly SW. Unfortunately, with Paradise to our east, an aspect change at some point was mandatory. Oh well. Schmooooooo it is. Even the counter ascent to paradise was easy. 50’ or so of booting, then skiing the footprints back to the parking lot.

    Such an incredible weekend that we almost let get away from us due to warranted or unwarranted concerns. Sometimes you just gotta go for it and see where the cards land.
    Last edited by trogdortheburninator; 06-13-2017 at 08:37 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    in the trench
    Posts
    15,690
    Outstanding! Sweet tr. thanks

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Imaginationland
    Posts
    4,785
    Strong work!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    2,573
    Excellent TR and pics.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    SLC
    Posts
    5,846
    Awesome pics. You guys are burly... I can't imagine climbing and skiing that in one go on no sleep lol. Badass.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Golden, Colorado
    Posts
    5,868

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    PNW -> MSO
    Posts
    7,889
    Yeah! Strong pulls indeed. Great pics

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Eburg
    Posts
    13,243
    [thumbs up]

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    10,901
    Man do I feel like a beginner when I read these. Awesome work!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Alpental
    Posts
    6,564
    Excellent TR.

    Kind of crazy to see just how many more skiers are out on the mountain now compared to 10-15 years ago.
    Move upside and let the man go through...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    inpdx
    Posts
    20,197

    Rainier or Ray-Gnar? Liberty Ridge and Kautz Glacier

    Thx for sharing! Beautiful pics, strong narrative, great adventure in good conditions...two thumbs up!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    United States of Aburdistan
    Posts
    7,281
    Quote Originally Posted by trogdortheburninator View Post

    Such an incredible weekend that we almost let get away from us due to warranted or unwarranted concerns. Sometimes you just gotta go for it and see where the cards land.
    True. I wonder how many great experiences I've talked myself out of. Great write-up.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    North of Big Sky
    Posts
    264
    Strong work! Conditions looked perfect.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    It's Full of Stars....
    Posts
    4,850
    You guys killed it! I did LR many moons ago, can't imagine skiing it.....Badass.
    What we have here is an intelligence failure. You may be familiar with staring directly at that when shaving. .
    -Ottime
    One man can only push so many boulders up hills at one time.
    -BMillsSkier

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Golden
    Posts
    184
    Sickness. Nice work.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Boulder
    Posts
    332
    Quote Originally Posted by Mofro261 View Post
    Excellent TR.

    Kind of crazy to see just how many more skiers are out on the mountain now compared to 10-15 years ago.
    Finger probably had moguls in it

    I think that word is out on just how good a skiing mountain it is, especially with good conditions. It had been about 7 years since I last skied on the mountain (just to muir) and 15+ years since I was higher on it (no skis). I'd agree, its popularity is on the rise.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    West Side WA
    Posts
    468
    Very strong effort to bag Rainier 2x in single pushes from the car. Much crush.
    What dates exactly were these?

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    West Side WA
    Posts
    468

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    N side, Terrace, BC
    Posts
    5,144
    Right on boys. That's a bad ass weekend, props! Great TR too.
    “I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.”
    ― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

    www.mymountaincoop.ca

    This is OUR mountain - come join us!

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    33,546
    Awesome... thanks for posting.
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5,517
    So you're saying that my concerns that I'd burn out 2/3 up the mountain and not make it are unwarranted and I should just go for 7000' of up off of the couch?

    Nice Trip and TR!!!
    Quote Originally Posted by Benny Profane View Post
    Keystone is fucking lame. But, deadly.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Boulder
    Posts
    332
    Quote Originally Posted by Kinnikinnick View Post
    So you're saying that my concerns that I'd burn out 2/3 up the mountain and not make it are unwarranted and I should just go for 7000' of up off of the couch?

    Nice Trip and TR!!!
    Definitely just go. Maybe leave an hr early.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    E >>> W
    Posts
    3,653
    Great stuff!
    Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Natures peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. - John Muir

    "How long can it last? For fuck sake this isn't heroin -
    suck it up princess" - XXX on getting off mj

    “This is infinity here,” he said. “It could be infinity. We don’t really don’t know. But it could be. It has to be something — but it could be infinity, right?” - Trump, on the vastness of space, man

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •