Moderate Alpine Routes?

[kurthicks]

I'm looking for something to hit up on the upcoming three day weekend, so does anyone have a favorite route in WA or southern Canada that is somewhat moderate? I'm thinking like grade III, glacier travel, AI, and some easy rock.....

[Greg_W]

Dig through the books, like the rest of us do. Create adventure for yourSELF.

[dberdinka]

NE Face of Mesachie Peak, Entiat Icefall on Mount Maude. They will be adventures whether you looked them up in a book or not.

[iain]

How about something in the Roger's Pass area? Mount Sir Donald, or Tupper, or something around the Illiciweat Neve area. Heh Dru is gone so he can't ring in with smug commentary.

 

Actually your Sunshine/Cathedral idea isn't bad for avoiding the crowds. There won't be a soul up past McNeil Pt. 'cept for that guy that was never found on Cathedral of course....

[slothrop]

wazzumountaineer said:

I'm looking for something to hit up on the upcoming three day weekend, so does anyone have a favorite route in WA or southern Canada that is somewhat moderate? I'm thinking like grade III, glacier travel, AI, and some easy rock.....

 

I suggest a linkup of Orbit (grade III in Nelson), Challenger (glacier travel), AI (directed by Stephen Spielberg and real challenge to watch all the way through), and, of course, The Tooth (easy rock).

[Ade]

Park closures in BC may make Canada a bit more complicated if not impossible.

[Bug]

N Ridge of Stuart? The snow is going fast or gone.

 

 

[Sphinx]

Forbidden? Of course, you could always siege the tooth.

[Crackbolter]

How about N butt on Fury? It is a grade IV but probably exactly what you are looking for.

[mattp]

Consider the Fischer Chimneys on Mount Shuksan. It is highly scenic, and has everything that you described. The Sulphide might not be a bad choice, either, and if you don't mind having to bash a few bushes, the North Face or the White Salmon might be OK, though at this time of year they will probably present greater ice climbing challenges than you describe (I don't mind crawling through the jungle but, in my opinion, the bush below the N. side of the mountain is not as bad as commonly reported on this site).

[Necronomicon]

N Face of Murderhorne or Derektissima on Vienesse. Have fun...or follow Greg_W's advice.

[Greg_W]

Necronomicon said:

...or follow Greg_W's advice.

 

Thanks for the love, sweetcake.

[kklimber]

If you don't mind the exercise, the NW Face of N Ridge on Forbidden is a super alpine route. The approach is part of the "problem", negotiating Sharkfin Col and then a rap off the N Ridge to get to the base of the route. Moderately steep snow (probably some exposed ice by now) and easy alpine rock. Long. Potter sums it up well, but erroneously calls it the N Face.

 

 

The E. Face Direct of Chimney Rock is kinda cool. The mountain has a unique dark, forboding quality to it. There is a super little ice fall on the right to access the upper glacier if you want to make it even more more. There could be a shrund problem going up on the left late season, but sometimes icefall will bridge it. Rock is never hard. Alpine.

 

Scimatar on Glacier is fun, not quite as complex a problem as the 2 above, but a nice route.

 

Chiwawa is an easy day in the mountains. Easy approach, nice bivy high on the ridge above the meadows. At least one, and maybe 2 pitches of water ice. Moderate snow to an easy summit scramble. Great views of Bonanza.

 

Lots more, but these are readily accessible/lots of info. I think Scimitar and Chiwawa are probably Grade II. Scimitar will probably be harder (depending on conditions).

[j_b]

something obscure like the nw arete on shuksan (mid-5th & 45deg ice), with a carry over. great views, good climb, nobody there. go down fisher's chimney, plant a bike at the trailhead to get back to the car.