Acceptance & Mitigation of Risk in the Alpine Environment

NOTE: THIS IS A DEVIATION FROM OUR USUAL MONDAY MEMBER MEETING, THIS MEETING TAKES PLACE WEDNESDAY MEETING!!! On the north face of Mount Rainier in Washington, Liberty Ridge splits the infamous Willis and Liberty walls. This ridge route provides the safest passage up the dramatic face and has earned the reputation as a premiere alpine climb and is featured in Roper and Steck’s “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America”. Its striking line ascends over 5,500 vertical feet and offers thoughtful route-finding through snowy rock bands, and 50-degree alpine ice. Although Liberty Ridge attempts only account for 1% of the traffic on Mount Rainier, over one-third of all accidents have occurred on this remote and committing route. Success depends on optimum weather, low avalanche hazard, ability to climb moderately steep ice with heavy loads, among several other factors.

In 2014, two Arizona-based climbers, Ben Watson and Ilan Berko, climbed Liberty Ridge, just days after one of the most tragic accidents occurred on the same route, claiming the lives of six, including two guides. Travel in these environments always carries a heightened level of risk, culminating from a multitude of objective hazards. Therefore acceptance of risk and risk mitigation remain tightly ingrained with the pursuit of alpine objectives. A thoughtful discussion on their climb with an emphasis on decision-making and strategies for risk mitigation in the alpine environment will be provided.

Ben Watson was born in Chandler, AZ. Ben grew up in a desert landscape with a knack for building things and observing systems, be it man-made or from the natural world. This curiosity for understanding the world propelled him into the field of mechanical engineering. Once the rigors of grad school subsided, he started working in the aerospace industry and began rediscovering his passion for the outdoors. Despite his desert roots, he pursues a love-hate relationship with the alpine environment, relishing in the suffering it takes to climb icy, snow-capped peaks and glaciated ranges in mixed conditions. He has maintained annual visits to Mt. Rainier since 2011, with the intent of climbing its variety of routes among its many aspects. His studies have shown that climbing provides the much-needed balance to stressful work weeks.

Ilan Berko, also known as Eli, began looking for something challenging in his late 30’s after accomplishing his career goals. On a whim, he and his buddies hired guides and climbed Mt. Shuksan in the Northern Cascades. After a great time, he decided to go deeper in the rabbit hole by learning how to ice climb. He was hooked and decided to fully commit to a life of climbing. In a few short years, he has filled his life with numerous alpine ascents including trad, sport, and ice. Testing the boundaries between passion and obsession, he balances his climbing life with his day job and a wife and three kids residing in Phoenix, Arizona.