Living My Dream

Liberty Ridge, Mt. Rainier (image courtesy summitpost.org)

It's impossible to avoid it now. After months lapping at the edges of my scattered brain, a dim intangible prospect not yet real, the climb of my life is less than two weeks away.

Liberty Ridge on Mt. Rainier has earned innumerable superlatives; many consider it THE climb in the Pacific Northwest. Featured in Roper and Steck's prestigious Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, the Grade IV snow-and-ice route on the insidious North Face of Rainier has captured the attention and imaginations of thousands of would-be alpinists since it was first ascended on Sept. 30, 1935. The ridge splits the Liberty and Willis Walls -- infamous playgrounds for massive avalanches and falling rocks that are rarely climbed -- providing a relatively safe line to the summit at the cost of an arduous approach, sustained steep snow, at least one pitch of alpine ice and an alternate descent route requiring climbers to carry heavy packs up and over the 14,411-foot summit.

I feel ready. I've lived the past two months wearing a 45-pound pack, climbing to 13,000' or 14,000' nearly every weekend. I'm 12 days sober and don't plan on having another drop of my beloved beer until we're back down in the microbrew heaven of Seattle. (I might be more excited for that than the climb.) I've never felt so physically fit, and I'm raring to get on the mountain. On the mental side of things, there isn't a trip report or route photo on the Internet I haven't studied to delirium. When I close my eyes, I see Liberty Ridge.

The team, assembled by James Graham (aka Big Bird), couldn't be stronger. Two autonomous rope teams of three will travel together across the Winthrop and Carbon Glaciers, keeping in proximity to assist each other in case of a crevasse fall. Once on the ridge, the ropes will continue to work together as we assault the many formidable difficulties between us and the summit. Each rope has its own moniker that derives from our team name, but our crude sense of humor means I probably shouldn't share them publicly. For the purposes of this blog, we'll stick with Rope 1 and Rope 2.

Rope 1
-Darrin Nicholas, who has climbed all 58 Fourteeners in Colorado and Rainier via the Disappointment Cleaver route. The navigation expert.

-Keegan Young, Development Director for the American Alpine Club, climber of 57 of the 58 Colorado Fourteeners, Rainier, and much more. My partner during a Thanksgiving 2012 climb of 18,490-foot El Pico de Orizaba in Mexico.

-Jeff Golden, me, 14er finisher with summits of Rainier's Disappointment Cleaver and the Ridge of Gold on Orizaba.

Rope 2
-Nao Takano, climber of way too many mountains to mention, including Rainier via several different routes. Crevasse-rescue instructor.

-John Fatseas, certified mountain guide and the team's most talented ice climber.

-James Graham, organizer and leader. He's climbed all over the Western U.S., including a successful ascent of Denali. Proud new father of a beautiful baby girl.

Team ******* and *******, minus Nao. Left to Right: James, Darrin, John, Keegan and Jeff.

The crew has gelled during training climbs, dinner meetings and beer dates the last several months. Perhaps the most defining characteristic of the group is a wonderfully shared sense of humor. Success or failure, no matter how tough things get, I know these guys will keep me laughing and in good spirits.

I won't lie and say everything is rosy, that I don't have any concerns about the climb. I do. I also have faith that everything will work out for the best. I trust these guys, their decision making and their skill sets. All you can do is take what comes, when it comes. There's no point in worrying about scenarios that have not yet come to pass. If for any reason Liberty Ridge doesn't come to fruition, we have a plethora of backup options that will present comparable, fun and unique challenges. We have eight days to play in the idyllic Pacific Northwest and plan on maximizing our time there.

This climb wouldn't be possible without the support of a few key benefactors. The American Alpine Club awarded me a Live Your Dream grant worth $400, which provided much-needed relief for my meager bank account and helped with airfare, food and travel arrangements. The AAC runs the Live Your Dream program to allow amateur climbers to "fund unforgettable experiences that give you the skills and confidence to realize your climbing ambitions and allow you to dream even bigger next time." In layman's terms, the grant is for AAC members looking to push their limits and experience their dream trip. It's such a great program. I can't sing its praises loud enough.

I also must thank the Park Meadows location of Eddie Bauer/First Ascent for allowing our crew to demo a First Ascent Katabatic three-man expedition tent during the climb. We've used it on a couple training weekends and it's getting glowing reviews from the team. A day spent tent-bound on Rainier in that thing might not be so bad.

I start this blog with a bit of hesitation. Some of my well-meaning trip reports on 14ers.com have been misconstrued as attention-seeking ploys, which couldn't be more off-base. All I ever wanted to do was tell a good story, supply a little comic relief and provide timely, useful information. I simply and earnestly just love writing. At the urging of some of the dearest people in my life, I've decided to ignore the detractors and continue sharing my adventures, because I believe there's sufficient interest and it's what I like to do. I hope you'll enjoy taking the ride along with me.

I plan on posting to this blog before and after Liberty Ridge with detailed, personal thoughts and a thorough trip report. You can also follow me on Twitter, and I've created a SPOT Shared Page that I'll activate once we depart Saturday, June 8.