Newbie Alpine Rock Routes

[TyClimber]

I am looking to take my brother, who only has a bit of climbing experience, onto some fun but not too difficult alpine rock climbs. I'm looking for day climbs in the class 4, low class 5 range. The W ridge of North Twin is definately on the list. We were also looking at the West Face of Guye peak, according to the Beckey guide the north side is all class 4, and the East face of Esmerelda Peak. Does anyone have any input on these routes? Or ideas for better ones?

[ivan]

Thermogenesis!

[sobo]

IIRC, a climb of the E face of Esmerelda Peak is equivalent to a date with a bowling alley, especially after any decent rainfall. I've only attempted it in winter, but if you decide to go there, be careful and wear helmets.

[Winter]

Da Toof!

[MCash]

Ingalls - South Face

South Arete of SEWS

[kurthicks]

Spontaneity Arete

http://ncmountainguides.com/pdf/Spontaneity.pdf

[EWolfe]

edit

 

second on the SEWS...

[sobo]

Ingalls - South Face

South Arete of SEWS

 

Agree with these for "low fifth class" climbing. That one move off the ledge on the chimney pitch of the Beckey route (Liberty Bell) may be a little over the brother's head, as TyClimber describes his bro above. You know the one... where you lean back a bit, with the sharp, nasty block below your back for the landing zone, etc. I think it's protected by a pin (or not??) these days...

[goatboy]

I ascertain from your post that you're thumbing through Beckey's book trying to find routes to climb. It's a hard way to start, because his book is so comprehensive, and rarely offers judgment as to which routes are better than others.

 

I suggest you refer to Jim Nelson's first guidebook which offers a more selective grouping of peaks, including lots of easy peaks appropriate for the climber you describe your brother to be.

[Alex]

These are the best known/most accessible beginner routes you can do now...

 

The Tooth - still the best after all these years!

W Ridge N Twin Sister - very short climb for the very long approach. Better as a solo conditioning thing.

S Arete S Early Winters Spire - combine with Liberty Bell!

Beckey Route on Liberty Bell - classic first-timer's climb.

S Ridge Ingalls - a fine first alpine climb, more climbing than Twin Sister for about the same approach (unless you live in the Ham). I once took a housemate up this route for his first rock climb ever, went fine.

W Ridge Prussik - casual climb that wont be crowded

 

Others

-------------------

 

Guye - dont recommend as a first climb, little real climbing other than Improbable Traverse and the like, which would freak a newbie second out!

W Ridge Forbidden - a newbie route, but with the couloir questionable I would wait til next June.

N Ridge Mixup - another newbie route, but a very exposed approach the final couple hundred feet so it would depend on your bro's head space.

W Ridge Thompson - long walk, but well known route. Will be a long dawn-to-dusk day trip this time of year.

Lundin - another long walk for short route in the Snoqualmie Pass area. Still, not a bad choice for a quick day trip.

[mattp]

Alex's recommedations are good. I don't know about calling the W. Ridge of North Twin "very short," though. There is a lot of semi-exposed scrambling involved and in comparison to the other climbs in this list it is not shorter than average.

[catbirdseat]

Groundhog Day on Tumwater Buttress, Tumwater Canyon.

[Dru]

Groundhog Day on Tumwater Buttress, Tumwater Canyon.

 

The only "alpine" in that is the proximity to der Worth.

[catbirdseat]

Oh, well, my bad. It's not really alpine being so close to the road.

[Dru]

it's "not really alpine" because it is in the bottom of a huge fucking canyon!

[Blake]

Spontaneity Arete

http://ncmountainguides.com/pdf/Spontaneity.pdf

 

that's 5.7 = probably too hard.

[kurthicks]

It's like 1-2 moves of 5.7 IIRC. you can bail off it and head up the gulley whenever you want basically.

[Blake]

You recall correctly, but:

 

I'm looking for day climbs in the class 4, low class 5 range.

[Dru]

5.7 is low class 5. Anyone can climb 5.7 with a rope from above.

[sobo]

Anyone can climb 5.7 with a rope from above.

 

That's not really the issue here, as I understand it. With the YDS up to 5.14 or 5.15 now, 5.7 is mid-fifth class, and not low fifth class climbing, which was what the OP requested... AIUI, low fifth class would be up to 5.4/5-ish stuff

[catbirdseat]

it's "not really alpine" because it is in the bottom of a huge fucking canyon!

Dru, I never realized just how little you swear until you do it.

[Dru]

Anyone can climb 5.7 with a rope from above.

 

That's not really the issue here, as I understand it. With the YDS up to 5.14 or 5.15 now, 5.7 is mid-fifth class, and not low fifth class climbing, which was what the OP requested... AIUI, low fifth class would be up to 5.4/5-ish stuff

 

"Low 5th class" and "mid-5th class" are essentially synonyms. The only difference is that "mid-5th" might include a 5.8 move or two as long as the 5.8 was not sustained.

[olyclimber]

Tyclimber, for a total experience, you may want to have your brother read the banter above. This is the sort of conversation he can engage in once he becomes a climber.

[Alex]

This is the sort of conversation he can engage in once he becomes an olyclimber.

 

True dat.

[Dru]

"there can be only ONE!"