The Long Road to Liberty Ridge Begins

So after helping guide TMCC students for three solid weekends, I am about as anxious as it gets to start hitting up some big mountains in the backcountry.

I've a list of several peaks in which I intend to stand atop of this spring/summer:
Mount Tom

Split Mountain

North Sister

Rainier (via Liberty Ridge)

The objectives doesn't come easy, but the motivation does. Been training like crazy- hope it all pays off while climbing ice with a 40+ lb pack on Rainier.

Ice

There's a few sayings that go along with the sport of ice climbing:

1. Ice climbers: a few cubes short of a full tray

2. Ice is for pouring whiskey on.

3. There are those that can lead ice- then there's everybody else.

Ice is scary stuff! You're knocking deadly chunks of frozen water down on your belayer, swinging gnarly-sharp tools and kicking the wonderful medium all to hell with razor-like boot attachments (crampons).

It took me about a whole week in Ouray, Colorado to feel good enough to lead some of their amazing ice routes yonder. Here are some pics of the trip:



My high school buddy from Elko- Chanse! Small world.





WI4- I was stoked on this guy.