Dru Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 What were the 5 worst routes you've done in the PNW? Don't just make a list, tell us why they were bad. Mine: 1) South slopes of Silvertip. This is an unredeemed slog. At least we got to glissade the top half. The bottom consists of steep sidehill bushwacking with a canyon below and rotten cliffs above. I think we got stung by wasps too. 2) Echelon, Squamish Chief. More vegetation per pitch on this than any other Chief route I have done. all the good pitches are now clean and part of Ultimate verything anyways. 3) Salmon Stakes. Ford creek, slog up frozen talus, all for 190m of low angle WI2 with one short WI3 blip. 4) BS, Domestic Dome. A pitch of sand covered slab. Even Peshastin isnt this bad! 5) Whatever chimney used to be behind Positive Vibrations at Vantage. The only route I have ever climbed where you could feel the chimney changing size when the wind blew. I think half the holds on the back wall I used fell or were pulled off. Nearly killed 3 sport climbers and one dog passing underneath with all the bombs I was dropping. Quote
Bug Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 1) The route up the ridge on the peak next to Slesse. It looks just like the route on Slesse when there is low cloud cover and we climbed it by mistake. Right about the time I thought I was going to encounter the 5.10 pitch, I topped out. That is called an anticlimax. 2) The descent from the peak next to Slesse. We got higher on the descent than we did on the ascent and had to third class manky wet brush. Quote
Alpinfox Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 I've done lots of forgetable and crappy single pitch routes (Exit 38 and Vantage come to mind), but those aren't very interesting to talk about. So..... I doubt these were the WORST, but certainly disappointing: Kangaroo temple, SW face I think, Kitty litter. Redeeming features = cave and views NE Ridge Triumph. I built this climb up in my mind as a gem and was disappointed with the acutal article. Very little technical climbing, so-so rock. Redeeming features = PICKETTS VIEWS! NR of Baker. 1.5 pitches of somewhat steep climbing. Don't I get to lead a pitch!?!?!? WTF? Nice views and a great alternative to a snow slog, just don't expect lots of ice climbing. Sky Ridge, Smith Rock. Cool position, but uninteresting climbing on crappy rock. Mt. St. Helens, Butte Camp Route (I think?), in August. Two steps up, one slide down. Epic sunburn. What the hell was I thinking? Liberty Ridge, Rainier. This is also in my "favorites" list. I have never come so close to dying while climbing. Dangerous rockfall. Redeeming features: obvious. Quote
iain Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 Wy'East, Mount Hood, July. Included a chimney requiring climbing through a literal waterfall on vertical volcanic toothpaste. Parking Lot Crack, Smith Rock. Just not very fun. Annoying unprotected offwidth at top. BBQ the Pope, Smith Rock. Annoying meandering slab climb with unnecessarily dangerous fall potential. Emmons Glacier, Mt. Rainier. What a boring route for all the work and time. Felt like a lab rat. Didn't have skis. Quote
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 1. Mt. Thielsen: ca. 6 miles (? it's been awhile) of hiking to an interminable scree slog followed by a brief flurry of 5.0 free moves? Please! 2. "That .10d Route" at Smith ... bolted, but not cleaned. Sweet! Dig that friable tuff! 3. .12ish route at Rattlesnake in the cave/cathedral feature with chipped holds and glued-on pieces of rock for holds, the latter of which are so coated in glue that they are frightfully slippery. A new pinnacle of lameness. 4. Barbecue the Pope: A whole pitch of sharp, greasy, insecure micro-nubbins and crimps -- rad! 5. Flight of the Patriot Scud Blaster: Three bolts worth of climbing, consisting of a 5-easy ramp, three moves of sharp, awkward thrutching, and a 5-easy ramp! A standout classic! Quote
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 climbing through a literal waterfall on vertical volcanic toothpaste. Quote
iain Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 4. Barbecue the Pope: A whole pitch of sharp, greasy, insecure micro-nubbins and crimps -- rad! Quote
bobinc Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 1) Unicorn Peak (Tatoosh) -- zillions of dinner plates on upper "slopes"; amazing no one was maimed or killed 2) Johannesburg, NW Buttress (or was it NE? luckily memory is fading). Plenty of near-vertical brush and heather topped off by unprotectable slushy swimming near the top. Only 13 hrs up (and only 13 hrs down via a different route). Truly a test of patience. 3 - ...) Any volcano before I learned to tele. Quote
Ireneo_Funes Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 Parking Lot Crack, Smith Rock. Just not very fun. Annoying unprotected offwidth at top. Well, to each his own. I've always thought that route was pretty fun, especially the offwidth part. Quote
tomtom Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 5) Whatever chimney used to be behind Positive Vibrations at Vantage. The only route I have ever climbed where you could feel the chimney changing size when the wind blew. I think half the holds on the back wall I used fell or were pulled off. Nearly killed 3 sport climbers and one dog passing underneath with all the bombs I was dropping. Tammy Fay's Dildo. I didn't think it was that bad. Plenty of pigeon poop, though. Quote
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 I didn't think it was that bad. vs. Plenty of pigeon poop, though. Low standards, eh? Quote
Chriznitch Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 -North Sister in August (via south & southeast ridges) -Broken Top crater rim in Sept now that I've lived in Oregon for a while I realize that these routes are all about timing! Snow = fun No snow = sketchosity Quote
Bill_Simpkins Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 Cheam, Sahale, Liberty Bell - Beckey Route, Rainier-Emmons (late season), APEX (?) - Mt. Erie Quote
Dru Posted October 20, 2004 Author Posted October 20, 2004 Hey Bill was there any snow when you did Cheam? Sounds like No. Quote
Bill_Simpkins Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 No. Just babies and soccer moms. We ran up the trail after cruizin Lady Peak. Quote
Dru Posted October 20, 2004 Author Posted October 20, 2004 Its much more fun with snow - 10 minutes from summit back down to car. Quote
Ponzini Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 East ridge of Welch - downsloping greasy rock with lots of crap on the ledges. South Ridge is way better. North ridge of Knight - If you like long approaches to loose and sketchy scrambles, this one is for you! SW ridge on Larrabee - Only bad if there are other groups on the route. All groups go through the same narrow gully down low - and due to the angle you can't see the narrow part from the top, and vice versa. Lots of loose stuff guarantees rockfall... East ridge on Tricouni - only bad if you've carried a rope 'n gear all that way. Confident scramblers will feel cheated. Quote
Dru Posted October 20, 2004 Author Posted October 20, 2004 todd do you mean the west ridge of knight, like the one to the col with Lady? Quote
Ponzini Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 Yeah, you're right, I guess it is the west. Overall it's not a bad scramble, although it's loose. My dislike for it really comes from the fact that I pulled a large block that ground across my hand and blackened three fingernails (and I was lucky!) Quote
Alpine_Tom Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 Emmons glacier certainly belongs on the list The Brothers (Olympics) It looks cool from Seattle, but it's just a long hike through the woods followed by a scree scamble, and a loooong hike out. Quote
mattp Posted October 20, 2004 Posted October 20, 2004 1. West side, South Sister (slag heap) 2. Narrow Arrow, "regular route," Index Town Wall. (I think that is the one - a dirt covered corner system of terrifying loose rock) 3. North Face of Mount Maude (you call THAT an ice climb?) 4. Saber, Castle Rock (harder than advertised, awkward, mildly scary, and you don't get the full Castle Rock exposure) 5. Luna Creek approach to the Pickets (WTF???) Quote
ivan Posted October 21, 2004 Posted October 21, 2004 1. Mt. Adams - south side slog. the worst piece of shit i've done round here. millions of tourons on the trail, half a million camped below the false summit. at first i was willing to forgive all this after getting smoked down by complete strangers at the false summit, but then my anger came back w/ a vengance when i saw my puff perch was 12 inches from a pile of human excrement. 2. mt washington, north ridge. i downclimbed this and can't imagine anyone having hte patience to go up it. shitty rock. full fledged annoying scree pile to get up to it. 3. anything on hood after the summer's turned the snow to a slush-slog 4. broughton's classic crack...burnished slippery shitty basalt crack. 5. i regret to say i havne't climbed that many bad routes. Quote
Drederek Posted October 21, 2004 Posted October 21, 2004 1. Swauk pinnacles if theres 5 lousy climbs there i only found 4 of them the hike was pleasant however Quote
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