Best Newbie Climbs

[Gripped]

What are the best Alpine climbs for introducing newbies to mountaineering? I suppose the most obvious ones would be:

 

Glacier:

Rainier: Emmons, DC

Baker: Coleman, Easton

Glacier: Sitkum

 

Rock:

Da Toof

SEWS South Arete

 

What else??

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Ingalls Peak was my first alpine rock route. It's got a nice hike in and a fun easy climb with lots of pro and bolted anchors. You just have to deal with the crowds.

[Gripped]

Ingalls Peak was my first alpine rock route. It's got a nice hike in and a fun easy climb with lots of pro and bolted anchors. You just have to deal with the crowds.

 

Yeah, that's a fun, easy route.

[dberdinka]

West Ridge of North Twin Sister is popular, great position and modest difficulties.

[Bug]

Urlich's Coulior on Stuart for the very adventurous newbie Rope,small rack).

West Ridge of Prussick (rope, small rack).

R&D route on Icicle buttress.

Index-Persis traverse (rope, snow tools).

Mt Barring West Ridge (ice ax, crampons).

Becky route on Liberty Bell (rope, medium rack).

[Gripped]

R&D route on Icicle buttress.

Index-Persis traverse (rope, snow tools).

Mt Barring West Ridge (ice ax, crampons).

 

Bug, I haven't done these. What sorts of climbs are they?

[cluck]

On the easier end of the spectrum you might think about Unicorn Peak in the Tatoosh range. It's really short and in early summer it's a cool mixture of hiking, snow slogging, and short 4th/5th rock climbing on a cool pinnacle.

[Bug]

R&D route on Icicle Buttress is in Icicl canyon by Leavenworth. It is the Buttress that comes down to the road about three miles up the creek. It is a four pitch 5.6 all trad with nice cracks for pro and good ledges for belaying. It is pretty safe as trad routes go and gets you off the ground.

Index-Persis traverse is just that. You can do it any time of year if avalanch danger isn't too high. Springtime is nice because you go up to lake Serene on dry trail then walk around the lake in a beautiful setting, start wacking brush up the ridge and get into the snow-filled gully that takes you to the top of the ridge. then procedd to the summit of main Index and drink in the view. Then drop down to the saddle between Index and Persis and over to Persis and down the west ridge trail to your other car. You might want a rope in places but I have not used one on it. I did like having an ice ax and crampons could be real handy at times.

Mnt Barring is a little use classic NW scramble. Take the FS road around to the North side of the west ridge. Park at the trailhead and take off up the obvious gulley following a scant trail that usually can't be found. (Bushwhack)At the top of the ridge, drop over to the South side and trverse up and right around the big rocky thing. Cross through the saddle and drop onto the snowfield between the south and North peaks. Climb it and continue to the north summit. Base jump off the north face. Ice ax and crampons only. Well you might want a lunch and water is a little scarce on the upper 2/3.

[Sabertooth]

http://www.dramaticwriter.com/beginners.html

[rbw1966]

East Wilman Spire is a great beginner alpine climb with a mix of all kinds of adventure.

[Winter]

The Cosmic Wall on the Ogre at Castle Crags. 6-8 pitches of 5.6-ish on granite in an alpine setting with a narrow little summit. Schweet!

[Bill_Simpkins]

Ruth Mt.

Lady Peak-Cheam Range

Sahale

[catbirdseat]

East Wilman Spire is a great beginner alpine climb with a mix of all kinds of adventure.

While I would tend to agree, this one can be a bit sportier for a newbie than the other ones mentioned. There is a little downclimb on the first pitch which is hard to protect for the follower. Take your newbie friend on SEWS first and then Wilmans.

[Toast]

What are the best Alpine climbs for introducing newbies to mountaineering? I suppose the most obvious ones would be:

 

Glacier:

Rainier: Emmons, DC

Baker: Coleman, Easton

Glacier: Sitkum

 

Actually, I don't think Rainier is the best peak for a newbie, at least not a cackle of em. It's a big mountain that creates its own weather, and visibility can go to zero in a snap of a finger.

 

I think some of the lower elevation (lower commitment) peaks like the Sulphide Glacier route on Shuksan, the Cork Screw route on Sloan, Eldorado... are beter places to figure out how to walk with crampons, sort out clothing systems and route find. I dunno, just my $0.02

[Gripped]

What are the best Alpine climbs for introducing newbies to mountaineering? I suppose the most obvious ones would be:

 

Glacier:

Rainier: Emmons, DC

Baker: Coleman, Easton

Glacier: Sitkum

 

Actually, I don't think Rainier is the best peak for a newbie, at least not a cackle of em. It's a big mountain that creates its own weather, and visibility can go to zero in a snap of a finger.

 

I think some of the lower elevation (lower commitment) peaks like the Sulphide Glacier route on Shuksan, the Cork Screw route on Sloan, Eldorado... are beter places to figure out how to walk with crampons, sort out clothing systems and route find. I dunno, just my $0.02

 

I tend to agree with you there Toast. I've taken 1 fit newbie as part of a team of 6 on the Emmons, and I was pretty comfortable with that... also, I don't think I'll ever do that Emmons again. What a mind numbing slogfest!

 

Shuksan is a good suggestion. That pyramid awesome with snow, or as a rock scramble.

Eldorado too: the knife edge definitely opens the eyes of the newbie. Really scenic spot to be on the inspiration glacier too.

[ivan]

fisher chimneys on shuksan...they'll never turn back...4th class scrambling, steepish snow, crevasse route finding...super aesthic summit

[Gripped]

On the easier end of the spectrum you might think about Unicorn Peak in the Tatoosh range. It's really short and in early summer it's a cool mixture of hiking, snow slogging, and short 4th/5th rock climbing on a cool pinnacle.

Sure, anything in the Tatoosh. Anything in Commonwealth basin would make for a good scramble for a newbie.

[eric8]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with r&d route. I think it is just about the worst route I have climbed at 11worth.

 

West Ridge of Forbidden has not been mentioned?

[Gary_Yngve]

I think R&D is a good climb for a newbie. Eric, have you done Saber? or Midway? Or another 5.4-5.6 route there? Sure, it may not have the classicness of Canary or something on Snow Creek Wall, but those routes aren't beginner stuff.

 

btw - I thought we did R&D in two pitches? (after that it's 3rd-4th class slabs)

[Sabertooth]

He asked for best alpine climbs. Stuff at 11worth is not alpine.

[ScottP]

http://www.dramaticwriter.com/beginners.html

 

Is it just me, or is the only active link on this page the disclaimer?

[Sabertooth]

It is just you. Click on the first three selections at the top of the picture.

[thelawgoddess]

mount constance (olympic peninsula) was my first

baker was my second

[eric8]

IMO and obviously not everyone agrees is that r&d is overrated. The handcrack and slab we fun but the rest of the route lacks quality, the only memorable part of is was the loose gravel. I have done the first pitch of midway and thought it was classic, should have gone to the top.

 

As far as begging alpine stuff how about the stuff around cascade pass. Either route on Sahale, Eldo, etc. What about the west ridge of forbidden, sharkfin or sw ridge of tourment, I ask because i have never done them but that is where I would take a newbie.

 

Wa pass also as many newbie friendly routes around, thats right there are other fun routes aside from the Beckey route.

[catbirdseat]

No one mentioned Kangaroo Temple north face. That is three pitches of easy climbing. The only caveats being that it has a lot of exposure in places and a huge almost free-hanging rappel from a sharp edge. If you are pretty sure your newbie is confident with exposure, that's a pretty good one.