Based on the success of the two route guides that were published last year on the Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons-Winthrop Glacier routes, we decided to publish two additional documents this year. The two routes we chose were the two next most popular routes; the Kautz Glacier and Liberty Ridge.
Each route guide is 20 to 30 pages in length. Similarly organized, each document gives overall statistics, climbing history, recommended skills, a physical description of the approach, ascent, and descent, how to get current conditions, weather data and forecasting resources, ski mountaineering considerations, risk management strategies, resource protection, search and rescue statistics, as well as many other topics of discussion relative to each route.
Written by Mount Rainier climbing rangers, the text of each document is a holistic body of knowledge from nearly 1000 ascents of the 13 current rangers. With the rough edges of opinions and approaches rounded out, the advice contained in the guides delivers the core elements of what you need to know.
There's something in these documents that you'll find interesting no matter what your skill level. From historical use statistics to search and rescue data, you'll likely learn something you don't know. The document contains weather forecasting recommendations and data, recommended additional reading, and lessons learned from search and rescue incidents.
Here are the direct links to each document on Mount Rainier's official webpage:
Enjoy the documents and have a great ascent!
