Skisports Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 greenfork said: Skisports said: no offence but isn't it supposed to be an ice route not an snow route then why does it have snow on it most of the year??? someone better tell the mountain... The last I checked NR of stuart was rock route ummmm but there is snow on it 9months of the year so it must be a snow route..... Beter tell the mountain Quote
meganerd Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 Haven't been up there yet, but from what I've read, N Face of Shuksan looks a lot more fun than Price Glacier if you go in early season to avoid the crappy approach or in late season to add some actual difficulty to the climb. Some will say it's too easy, but it's no easier than West Ridge on Forbidden is it? All in all it just sounds like a super fun climb. If you want to make it more challenging then climb the summit pyramid direct or go solo or something. Quote
mattp Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 What do you folks think about Liberty Crack? It is clearly the classic line, has a classy name, and is historic -- but I'm talking about the climbing. The rock is clean and nice for five pitches and then it generally goes to hell, and diagonal's off into a bunch of crumbling "rock" with bushes. For aid climbing, isn't Index Town wall better? For an Alpine rock climb, isn't the E. Buttress of the S. Spire more fun? Quote
specialed Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 Best way to do Lib. Crack is to climb the first 5 pitches, then rap. Quote
erik Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 true matt but still people with agendas and tick lists need this mo fo!!!! climb it b4 lunch and everything should be okay!!! Quote
mattp Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 I understand the tick list, Erik, but what I'm saying is that for Forbidden, Liberty Bell, and Shuksan I think the list misses better nearby options. And on Mount Rainier, the "classic" status of Liberty Ridge draws the unknowing to their deaths. Watch out for that tick list. Quote
erik Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 matt i think we should let them climb l/c that way the other routes are as crowded!!! discovery is a wondeful process!! Quote
dberdinka Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 mattp said: but what I'm saying is that for Forbidden....I think the list misses better nearby options Please do share? Quote
Dru Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 mattp said: I understand the tick list, Erik, but what I'm saying is that for Forbidden, Liberty Bell, and Shuksan I think the list misses better nearby options. And on Mount Rainier, the "classic" status of Liberty Ridge draws the unknowing to their deaths. Watch out for that tick list. Ohymygawd not it cannot be true. that book was clearly evaluated by scientific criteria as to what the most classic routes in the whole of North America are or ever would be, and any attempt to argue with the choices of Steck and Roper is verging on blasphemy. stay where you are perkins, a squad of Reeducators is being sent over at a double-goose-step pace to take you away! 50 Classics not the best lines. Huh. Obviously written by a jealous person without much climbing experience. Failed on a bunch of them have ya? Quote
mattp Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 The W. Ridge of Forbidden is fantastic, but the bozo factor takes away considerably from my enjoyment of the route. I enjoyed the NW Face - and certainly enjoyed it more than I did the W. Ridge - because of its more remote start and more complex approach, the high bivvy that we did, and then the fact that we just plain had fun on the route. I'm not sure it is a "better route," but a "better choice," perhaps, if one is looking for something resembling an alpine experience. And I haven't climbed it but I think the N. Ridge probably is more the classic alpine ridge climb than the W. Ridge. The West Ridge, on a fair weather weekend in July, is not something that I would want to repeat any time soon unless I had some partner who was only interested in the tick list. Quote
Attitude Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 Dru said: 50 Classics not the best lines. Huh. Obviously written by a jealous person without much climbing experience. Failed on a bunch of them have ya? Obviously. The title is 50 classics, not 50 best. Quote
pms Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 I would like to offer another opinion from MattP about Liberty Crack. I've climbed it 12 times and think the rock quality and the quality of climbing is high on the second half. Fun climbing. Quote
mattp Posted April 8, 2003 Posted April 8, 2003 If you've climbed that route 12 times, you'd certainly know the climb better than I do and I bet you are right that the second half is better than I remember it -- but if it were not on THE LIST, would you still have climbed it twelve times? Is it THAT good? Quote
Sargent_Rock Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 Matt: I've climbed it seven times and have to agree it's good climbing and super fun. The slab pitch above the "death block" is one of my favorite pitches, ever. Perhaps the rock in Darington is higher quality, but Liberty Crack is a very classic climb. Quote
mattp Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 Aha. Another vote for quality. Apparently I just wasn't having all that great of a day when I did the route and maybe I should try that one again some time. But you and PMS do not answer the question: would you have repeated it so many times (I presume this means many times more than any other similary sized route at the Pass) if it were not on THE LIST? In other words, has it drawn more of your attention, at least in part, because of its status as a "classic?" I did not mean to suggest that the routes in that book are bad ones, but (1) they are not always the best choices in the area where they may be found and (2) those who pursue those climbs over others, simply because they are in that book, are not going to be choosing the best climbs available to them on any given outing. Quote
Attitude Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 mattp said: Aha. Another vote for quality. Apparently I just wasn't having all that great of a day when I did the route and maybe I should try that one again some time. But you and PMS do not answer the question: would you have repeated it so many times (I presume this means many times more than any other similary sized route at the Pass) if it were not on THE LIST? In other words, has it drawn more of your attention, at least in part, because of its status as a "classic?" I did not mean to suggest that the routes in that book are bad ones, but (1) they are not always the best choices in the area where they may be found and (2) those who pursue those climbs over others, simply because they are in that book, are not going to be choosing the best climbs available to them on any given outing. This isn't a court room, counselor. Quote
Sargent_Rock Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 Matt: I have to agree. I've done that route so many times because I'll have a pardner who just has to do that route. I know at least one other route at the Pass that is perhaps a better outing (a way less crowded). I wonder if Roper and Steck regret how they have funneled traffic to certain routes? Quote
pms Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 MattP, I'm not saying the books don't have an effect, but much of my interest in the climb comes from the excellent climbing and maybe the short approach too. My one regret so far is that I haven't climbed the direct finish (Bertulis). I hear from Brian B. that it's sweet. Maybe it will be in condition this weekend? Quote
mattp Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 I'm really commenting on my own personal problem, I guess. The "tick list" effect of "Fifty Classic Climbs" and "Select Climbs" is so strong that for years I found it difficult to find partners for routes that were not featured in those books -- everybody seemed to think that if a route was not featured there, it COULDN'T be any good. This website has really helped to put me in touch with a wider base of like-minded climbers, but I still carry a grudge. Quote
pms Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 or maybe it helps encourage a larger pool of potential partners....... Quote
specialed Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 I don't really give two shits about Roper and Steck's book except that it maybe keeps boners off other routes, but I agree with MattP about Lib Crack. Regardless of being in 50 classics I thought the second half sucks compared to the first part. Its not really exposed, the rock quality is poor at times, and it wanders way left instead of taking a plum line. Quote
TimL Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 I've only climbed Lib Crack once using the standard route. I thought there were a couple good pitches and a couple bad in the second hlaf but I was a little dissapointed as well in comparing it to the first half of the route. If you compare it to your typical mountain route, then yes it has many good pitches in comparision to bad. Nevertheless, its a good route. True there are better routes in the area but we should all be glad there is not a line up on those as Liberty Crack. PMS - Sounds like I'll have to do the direct this summer. Whats different then the regular route? Quote
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