A serious, committing snow-and-ice route up the prominent ridge dividing the Liberty and Willis Walls on Rainier's north face, topping out directly at Liberty Cap. Widely regarded as the hardest regularly-climbed route on Mount Rainier and widely recognized as one of the fifty classic alpine climbs of North America. This is effectively the only dedicated route to Liberty Cap itself. Climbers already on the standard DC or Emmons routes sometimes also walk over to Liberty Cap from Columbia Crest along the crater rim as a short side-trip; that variation is not included here as its own route since it has no independently confirmed distance or elevation figures.
From White River Campground (4,400 ft), hike to Glacier Basin, ascend to St. Elmo Pass, descend and cross the Winthrop Glacier (~7,300 ft), and traverse around lower Curtis Ridge to a camp near 7,400 ft before dropping to the Carbon Glacier to reach the base of the ridge.
Standard descent is via the Emmons-Winthrop route: traverse the upper Winthrop Glacier beneath Columbia Crest, descend the Emmons Glacier to Camp Schurman, then down the Inter Glacier to Glacier Basin and White River Campground. Carrying full expedition packs up and over the summit is required. An alternate descent via the Disappointment Cleaver route to Paradise is sometimes used.