scottgg Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 What area has the best concentration of winter/spring routes in Washington? That is, if you had a few days to rack up as many high quality routes as weather/conditions/fitness allowed, where would you go? I'm saying Alpental Valley in the winter, and the Colchuck Basin in the early spring. Sure, there are much better routes in other areas, but the plethora of good routes in these two cirques get my vote. What say you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend_Climberz Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I would think the Johanessberg area would be great in winter, though the access is a bit more complicated. Maybe even Mazama :tup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Phil Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Vertical World has the highest concentration of routes in Seattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 What area has the best concentration of winter/spring routes in Washington? That is, if you had a few days to rack up as many high quality routes as weather/conditions/fitness allowed, where would you go? I'm saying Alpental Valley in the winter, and the Colchuck Basin in the summer. Sure, there are much better routes in other areas, but the plethora of good routes in these two cirques get my vote. What say you? Â Are you talking about rock climbing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 The best concentration of routes is the one having the most fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 What is up with your focus on having fun? Is that ALL climbing has to offer you? How boring. Why not just sit around playing video games? Climbing wouldn't be any different than anything else if it was just some "fun" little diversion. Â Little Si and LTW and Washington Pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 best concentration of routes in wa is in squamish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Of course. How could I forget that climbing is really about suffering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Tru dat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 What is up with your focus on having fun? Is that ALL climbing has to offer you? How boring. Why not just sit around playing video games? Climbing wouldn't be any different than anything else if it was just some "fun" little diversion. Â Little Si and LTW and Washington Pass. Â Dont engage him. He is trolling. That is his favorite saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend_Climberz Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 What is up with your focus on having fun? Is that ALL climbing has to offer you? How boring. Why not just sit around playing video games? Climbing wouldn't be any different than anything else if it was just some "fun" little diversion. Â Little Si and LTW and Washington Pass. Â Dont engage him. He is trolling. That is his favorite saying. Â Correction, that's George Lowe's favorite line. Dru is just plagerizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2thaDeep Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Vantage has a ton of routes that are easy to get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottgg Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 I'm talking about winter/spring routes with ice and snow and other crazy alpine stuff Those psyco Euro climbers have competitions where they see how many quality routes they can climb in x amount of time. Well, if we had a similar contest in the Cascades, where would you set up your tent such that you could climb several cool routes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 What is up with your focus on having fun? Is that ALL climbing has to offer you? How boring. Why not just sit around playing video games? Climbing wouldn't be any different than anything else if it was just some "fun" little diversion. Â Little Si and LTW and Washington Pass. Â Dont engage him. He is trolling. That is his favorite saying. Â Correction, that's George Lowe's favorite line. Dru is just plagerizing. Â Show some respect for the dead. You got the wrong Lowe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 where would you set up your tent such that you could climb several cool routes? Â At John Scurlock's landing strip, assuming you had a parachute and knew how to use it. Â As a real answer, you suggested Alpental Basin, but while it offers a number of routes and easy access, it lacks majesty. Basecamp at the end of the snowed over Cascade River road would be better, but much scarier in anything less than settled conditions. I'd guess that valley is a good candidate for the kind of avalanches that lap up onto the opposing valley wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 As a real answer,... Â it lacks majesty. Â And consummate V's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 The best concentration of high-quality trad routes in the 9/10 range in Washington? My vote goes to be "The Bend" at Tieton, but don't tell anyone. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I'm talking about winter/spring routes with ice and snow and other crazy alpine stuff Those psyco Euro climbers have competitions where they see how many quality routes they can climb in x amount of time. Well, if we had a similar contest in the Cascades, where would you set up your tent such that you could climb several cool routes? Â Colchuck Lake or some place around Cascade Pass wouldn't be bad if you were not counting approach time and the effort required to get your camp there, but on the other hand there are a lot of cool "roadside" climbs that you might consider where the drive time between objectives might be less than the hiking time associated with setting up your tent at Colchuck Lake or somewhere near Cascade Pass and persuing day trips from that location. Â Big Four's North Face, Hall Peak, and Lake 22 headwall are all very close to each other and would make great winter objectives in the right conditions. The Alpental Valley climbs are all very short on the approach hike, and could easily be climbed one after the other or combined with a climb along the Mountain Loop Highway or something near Leavenworth in consecutive days. Shuksan is nearly a roadside objective as is Mount Baker. And while we're at it, Colonial and Drury Falls and Mt. Index are pretty impressive and don't require much of an approach hike by Cascade standards. Â If you want high quality routes that are literally side by side and which are not a long distance from the car, I'd say the Liberty Bell group, N. side of Stuart, Colchuck Lake cirque, or the N. side of Shuksan and NW side of Baker would all be good choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Why not set your tent in upper McMillan Creek or at Luna Lake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I'm talking about winter/spring routes with ice and snow and other crazy alpine stuff Those psyco Euro climbers have competitions where they see how many quality routes they can climb in x amount of time. Well, if we had a similar contest in the Cascades, where would you set up your tent such that you could climb several cool routes? Â Definitly somewhere in the north cascades that is a beee-otch to get to even in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarch Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 Pyramid lake trailhead is easy winter access to snowfield group and beyond.... You're imagination/weather forecast would be the only limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 Colonial Creek provides easier access to the Snowfield area than the Pyramid Lake trail when there is a good snowpack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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