Favorite routes

[DPS]

I would be interested in hearing about folks' favorite climbs in the Cascades. What is your favorite, rock, alpine rock, aid, ice/winter, alpine or mountaineering routes.

Here are mine:

Rock: R&D route, Icicle Buttress

Alpine Rock: The Tooth, South Face

Aid: City Park

Winter: Mt Si

Mountaineering:Adams, South Side

Alpine:What's That

[This message has been edited by danielpatricksmith (edited 12-05-2000).]

[This message has been edited by danielpatricksmith (edited 12-05-2000).]

[Guest]

Rock (trad): ROTC, Outer Space, Liberty Crack

Rock (sport): Technorigine -SI

Alpine snow: Fisher Chimney's- Shuksan

Volcano route: Coleman Headwall -Baker

Alpine rock; Backbone ridge-Dragontail

Winter- Triple colouirs

Ski tours- toss up

Water Ice- go north to BC

Worst routes: Anything on Mt. Adams, or at Vantage

 

[rbw1966]

Just out of curiousity--why do you dislike Mt Adams? I did the south side and didn't find it that particularly bad. South Side of Hood is far less appealing, aesthetically, then Adams.

My favs (and of course these are influenced by area and what I've done):

Rock: Beacon Rock for trad.

Smith for sport

Alpine: I really enjoyed the NW ridge of Jefferson. Crux to the summit pinnacle was a blast and had fun exposure.

Mountaineering: my biggest achievement was the west butt of Denali. I know, not that technically challenging but first "expedition" style climb. Love to go back and do some of the tougher climbs.

[mikeadam]

FO

[This message has been edited by mikeadam (edited 05-14-2001).]

[DPS]

Mikeadam,

The reason I started this thread was to get an idea of what climbs other people found enjoyable, to get ideas of what to climb. I hadn't meant for it to be a spray fest of any kind.

Dan

[DPS]

Hey Dumbass,

You don't see the point in asking? Well, what is the point of any of these threads? Is asking what's your favorite route any less (or more) relevant than 'what's your favorite piece of gear?' or 'what do you think about the new K2 movie?'

I'm sorry that you took offense at this thread. I think the fact that nearly every route mentioned happens to be moderate (and relatively safe) indicates that most folks accepted the question in the spirit it was intended and listed routes that they particularly enjoyed, regardless of difficulty. I have a hard time understanding why one would take exception to this.

 

Dan

[mikeadam]

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[This message has been edited by mikeadam (edited 05-14-2001).]

[Guest]

Who you calling dumbass?

[gapertimmy]

hey all-

I removed 'dumbass'es original post becuase, frankly I didn't like the name used in his post, and thought that people might agree with me.

I hope that we can all write considerate posts to the board, and not attack other people's skills/views, this is an open forum for everyone to chat about pretty much anything. Keeping that in mind, I have allowed unregistered members to post to the board, but if people abuse this privledge by posting negative or offensive material we might have to change that.

Please keep the posts clean, and just enjoy this forum with the people that share a common love with you for climbing.

Again, I'm sorry if me removing a post caused confusion, but I just want to keep the conversation clean up here!

Thanks

Tim

[nolanr]

Coolest scrambles...Del Campo, right on. I've done it 3 different ways, kind of make up my routes when I get up there. Check out Columbia Peak from Twin Lakes. A little more difficult, more exposed than Del Campo, same nice neighborhood.

No one rock climb (cragging) has stood out in my mind as the best ever. As for alpine rock routes, I've thoroughly enjoyed every one I've done, hope to do plenty more. SE Buttress of Cutthroat was by far the most challenging and committing I've done.

[Guest]

Come on Daniel, Mt. Hunter "moderate (and relatively safe)"? Your post reads like the last line should read "I am...", instead of "it is"...

[rayborbon]

Ok I think my favorites are:

Rock (crack) - Brass Balls. Nothing can beat that first roof! If you fall off you're screwed and have to lower to the start again. Jim Y. this is your best route!

(Bolts)- Some climb at Exit38 way up high on the mountain right of the Peanaccle thingy. It's a roof then a corner and then across left to a 90 degree face. Adds up to about 10b I guess and this is not in the book.

Alpine- Pinnacle Peak

Toprope- Spire rock!

-Ray

[This message has been edited by rayborbon (edited 12-09-2000).]

[mvs]

If a ~6 pitch 5.7 trad route is called for, SW Ridge of Symmetry Spire in the Tetons is my favorite. Each pitch is interesting, the scenery rules, and it's nice to look at the route from the Jenny Lake ferry to the car.

I suffer from "my favorites list is also my climbs list", because of limited experience and time. I've never finished a climb and said "That sucked" yet, it's always been just the opposite.

--Michael

[dbb]

From what mike said above:

These read more like resumes. I think you scared off people that might say their favorite rock climb is 5.4 Sabre on Castle or "the chute" on Mt Si.

Nonetheless, I completely understand your point of view. If I could lead the Boving route with a safety margin it might possibly be my favorite too.

I would like to know what people think makes climbs "Classics." Obviously there must be some quality climbing for a route to become classic, but often a "Classic" route is a hard route.

Do you think these became classics because those who overcame them (most climbers being in the .10 range) saw it as a high challenge? Or is it that a truly nice .10 splitter hand crack is just plain better than a .7 hand crack.

I realize that there are many complicated and not so complicated variables that make a climb "classic," but what do people think about this aspect of it?

Dave

[Guest]

It seems like at least one person involved in this exchange might be climbing for the wrong reasons. We all have our lists, favorites, not-so-favorites, tall tales, etc. But the air on this exchange is a bit heavy with testosterone, don't you think?

Let's not forget that the smile on the rank beginner's face after a "walk up" will be every bit as broad as the tough guy who cranks a hard route in record time. And both will equally savor a cold beer back at the car and look forward to getting their pictures developed to show their friends and families. At least that's been my experience.

[nolanr]

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Goodtime. And I beg to differ that most classics are in the .10 range. I would assume classics are the ones that have the most people trying to do them, and whether it's cragging or on alpine routes, I've seen plenty of highly desirable and popular routes that are significantly below .10.

[Alex]

Mr GoodTime, Edge and others...

Put your money where your mouth is. I don't see *you* listing your fav's, yet you criticize others for the ones they list?? Gimme a break. Testosterone or no, climbing for the wrong reasons or no, if you don't agree with the thread, start a new one, but don't bust on people's choices just because you find them "wrong" for some reason. At least contribute something positive to the discussion...here's mine:

trad rock: Great Northern Slab at Index, the finest most enjoyable moderate around.

sport rock: Online, Static Point

aid: some freaky stuff I've done at index best left unmentioned

alpine rock: Probably a toss-up between N Ridge of Stuart and Serpentine Arete

alpine mixed: mmm, Triple Couloirs, although SW Couloir of Early Winters is aesthetically very pleasing, just too damn short

snow slog: Lib Ridge

Classics, and what makes them classic, seems to be a seperate discussion (and an interesting one), so maybe we should start a thread on that...

Alex

[This message has been edited by Alex (edited 12-04-2000).]

[dberdinka]

It would appear that many people in this forum are taking offense to the idea that someones favorite routes are technically harder than their favorites, or their ability to climb. It also appears that these same people are unwilling to share with the rest of us routes they've found enjoyable. If your ego can't hack that other people might be climbing and enjoying routes you haven't/can't/don't want to do, is it really neccesary to degrade those who can?

For whats its worth, some of my favorite trips in the Cascades/Olympics have been:

Alpine: Klawatti Peak

NE Face of Redoubt

Frostbite Ridge, Glacier Peak

Challenger

Mount Olympus (beautiful)

Alpine Rock: East Ridge of Rexford

SW Ridge of S Early

W Face of N Early

N Ridge w/ Gendarme of Stuart

W Buttress of Old Settler

Rock: Sunblessed in Squamish

Anything at Seal Cove, Squamish

Careno Corners (and variations)

Spaghetti Sauce

As far as difficulty verses classic status goes, I believe that challenging oneself can be a very rewarding experience that makes a hard climb much more memorable than an easier climb, hence more "classic". On top of that harder rock climbs generally follow more sustained, ascetic feature on better stone.

[m]

Dberdinka assumes any naysayers here are jealous insecure climbers. I think, Dberdinka, that the "attitude" you are perceiving may have been spawned by the fact that the author of this thread has perplexingly included a hard Alaskan climb in his favorite Cascade's list- for which I can see no other motive than an outward or inward desire for everyone to know what he has done...thus the rest of the thread is shrouded in the suspicion of it being an oppotunity for people to spray their climbing resumes all over the internet. People love to tell others what they've done, isn't this so?

Then there's Alex, who invites us skeptics to finish our argument with something like "and by the way, I soloed the Kangshung Face on Everest, naked and backwards, so I know what I'm talking about".

Actually Alex, you make a good point in suggesting that we ought to better quantify our selections of what is classic to us.

Because, in my view, everyone throwing out a simple list of climbs they like, seems like a mindless thread without any substance or useful content.

And while I'm griping, I cringe when people refer to Liberty Ridge as a "snow slog". No it isn't really very technical but a whole lot of people have either epiced on it or else ended up a mangled pulpy mess at the bottom of it. For many, Lib Ridge would be a lifetime achievement. Show some respect for the route.

My favorite climb in the Cascades- if you really want to know- is the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart. Enough beta abounds on this route that I need not explain why.

Cheerio. Don't anyone get their panties ruffled.

[DPS]

Alex and Darin as usual, voices of reason. For the rest of you, I edited my initial entry so as not to offend or 'perplex' anyone. BTW, I am posting under my name, why aren't you?

[Guest]

I like the original post. For me, its interesting to see what routes make everyone's 'favorites list.' Here are my NW favorites (admittedly, they are not advanced routes, but I am relatively new to the sport)...

Snowboard Descents:

Worm Flow-St.Helens (Winter)

Mountaineering:

Disappointment Cleaver-Ranier (only route I have done on this mountain)

Alpine:

Ingalls East Route

Trad:

Orbit-Leavenworth

Sport:

5.9 on Sunset Slab-Smith, BBQ the Pope-Smith

 

 

[mikeadam]

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[This message has been edited by mikeadam (edited 05-14-2001).]

[mikeadam]

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[This message has been edited by mikeadam (edited 05-14-2001).]

[Guest]

And here, by popular demand, is "Mr. Good Time's" list of favorites, staying within the boundries of Washington State, of course:

Mountains:

S. Early Winter, S.W. Rib

The Chopping Block, N.E. Ridge

Goode, N.W. Buttress

Johannesberg, N.E. Rib (1957 variation)

Forbidden, N. Ridge

Vesper, N. Face

Stuart, N. Ridge

Colchuck, N. Buttress Couloir

Rock:

Static Point "On Line"

Three O'clock Rock "Total Soul" and "Silent Running"

"Outer Space," "Orbit," Careno Crag "Regular Route," etc.

Happy now?

Keep on threadin', guys . . .

 

[none_dup1]

Great list, Murphy!

What the hell, as long as we're going out of state, I'll add three worth anyone's time. Not hard routes, but each great in its own way.

Mt. Shasta, Casaval Ridge (III)

Crestone Needle, Ellingwood Ledges (CO; also called Ellingwood Arete; III 5.7; see "50 Crowded Climbs" for full description; longish two-day r.t. from Boulder)

Lone Eagle Peak, N. Face (CO; III 5.7; south of Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park; also a longish two-day r.t from Boulder, but we still made it back to the "BustStop" (or however it's spelled) gentlemen's club in Boulder by 10:00 p.m., following a relaxed dinner on the road; all in all, a banner day)

Signing out,

John Sharp