ideal month long trip to the west coast

[scottie_c]

making a venture west in early summer of 2005. supposed to be meeting up with some ski buddies in Cali, but am finding that to be a distraction and would like to climb the entire month. we have a trip up the Liberty Ridge planned for about 5-6 of those days. Mount Whitney via S.East Buttress is also under discussion.

 

my question to all of you is what would be the ideal month long trip if your goals were to climb big technical alpine routes? pretty solid on NEI4/4+, 5.9, A2+ and love to suffer

 

thank you

scottie c

[Alasdair]

Slesse

[Figger_Eight]

Stuart

[Rad]

Forbidden: Up the East ridge, downclimb and rap the West ridge. Can be done in one day from Boston basin.

 

N ridge of Stuart. Probably 2 days car to car with a bivy on route.

 

If you want really long, technical alpine rock you're probably going to get your best climbing in the Sierras on this trip (that may offend people on this site).

 

My 2 cents: skip Whitney and go to the Palisade basin (near Big Pine). Many great routes of different styles and ratings. Unbelievable setting.

 

Then there's Yosemite...

 

Sounds like a trip.

[dberdinka]

With a month in the northwest you could hit several of the classic areas and do climbs across the spectrum.

 

After Rainier you could....

 

Drive to Leavenworth, hike into Colchuck Lake. Climb Backbone Ridge on Dragontail (IV 5.9) and south face of Prusik Peak (III 5.9).

 

Drive to Washington Pass climb Liberty Crack (V 5.9 C2) and whatever else you have time for.

 

Backup, on the way to Washington Pass, drive up to Cascade Pass outside of Marblemount and climb Forbidden Peak (II-III 5-low to 5.7). The west Ridge is the "50-Classic". There are 2 or 3 other routes that people will argue are just as good if not better.

 

Then cross the border to Canada and go to the Chilliwack area. Climb the NE Face of Redoubt for the quintessential N Cascades alpine climb (IV). Just down valley climb the NE Buttress of Slesse (V 5.9).

 

Go home with a pretty full tick list, if it's raining just drive to Tuoulomme .

[glassgowkiss]

or fly to chamonix and climb some real routes (instead of 50 classic dirt piles)

[scottie_c]

thank you people, keep them comin'

 

ah France, it is a place that will be visited in 2 years.

[Don_Serl]

my question to all of you is what would be the ideal month long trip if your goals were to climb big technical alpine routes? pretty solid on NEI4/4+, 5.9, A2+ and love to suffer

thank you

scottie c

 

chopper into the waddington range about the 20th of july...

cheers,

[Ade]

Seconded. Go to the Wadd and have done with it.

[Alex]

weather in the early summer here is not nearly as stable as in later summer, after mid-July. So alpine plans like Slesse and Stuart have a tendancy to be very much at the whim of the immediate weather.

 

still, with a month you can do just about anything

 

my hit list would be

 

Slesse

 

A "tourist traverse" of the Enchantments with basecamps including Stuart N Ridge complete, NEB Colchuck, Backbone on Dragontail or Serpentine, and S Face Prusik. You will be challenged by all these routes as a 5.9 leader, but they are all doable: get a competant partner. This part of the trip would be about a week.

 

Rainier, Lib Ridge in early to mid June, otherwise Kautz.

 

Ptarmigan Traverse. Plan about a week due to more unsettled weather in early summer. But you'll have a fuckin' blast eh!

 

With all that alpine, you need some breaks inbetween. Head to Smith or Squamish or Index and crag with free camping nearby.

 

By the time you do all this shit on this list (thats about 2-3 weeks of climbing), you'll know the range as well as anyone and can decide what to do with that last week.

[specialed]

If weather is decent in BC you might want to check out the Anderson River Peaks (Steinbok, etc) b/c they're pretty low in elevation and will probably be dry in early summer unlike a lot of stuff around here.

 

Also perhaps Beckey / Schmidte on Nooksack tower might be fun then. Even if still wet its only 5.7.

[scottie_c]

excellent, these suggestions are exactly what I was looking for.

 

any guide book recommendations?

[LYleK]

"The Bugaboos" - Atkinson/ Piche (Elaho, 2003)

[rockermike]

Liberty Ridge, definately classic. East or NE but whitney good (I don't think you mean SE?) While up there from same cirque do fishhook arete. Got to do a yosemite wall if you havn't, leaning tower is a great first shot. North ridge of stuart is nice but in same area south face of Prussic peak is better. Some nice stuff on north and west sides of Mt Hood. Dont forget at least a day at Smith Rocks. Oh yea, Liberty Bell Liberty Crack - the favorite climb of my life.

Good luck

Edited December 14, 2004 by rockermike