Hardest peak in the Olympics?

[mountainmandoug]

A question that came up recently. What is the technically hardest mountain in the Olympic Range? That would be the peak with hardest standard rout, not the peak with the hardest approach or the hardest rout.

[wayne]

Ironically, Cruiser?

[ericb]

A question that came up recently. What is the technically hardest mountain in the Olympic Range? That would be the peak with hardest standard rout, not the peak with the hardest approach or the hardest rout.

 

How does rock quality enter in to your rankings? There are a lot of class 4s that will kill you there

[mountainmandoug]

I assume terrible rock anywhere in the Olympics, and I was looking for difficulty rather than danger. There are lots of 4x routs in the Olympics (and probably some of them are considered that due to the rock being so poor it wouldn't hold gear). I'm wondering if it isn't probably something in the Needles.

[wayne]

Pinnacles or summits? The debate widens. I havent done alot of either in the range, I know a bunch of them are hard to get to

[genepires]

the hardest route is the one having the most fun confounding and scaring climbers

[johndavidjr]

An entirely separate question would be "what is hardest route in Olympics."

 

I'm not remotely qualified to answer either the original question posed here, nor my question.

 

It seems, however, the hardest rating in guidebook is somewhat obscure route on Mt Constance.

[spicoli11]

What about st peters dome...whats up with that thing?

[Dannible]

I think St. Peter's is just a steepish snow deal, and isn't that remote.

[jport]

Cruiser is a good climb. There are several options on the actual summit block. We scoped out the 5.7 variation, but opted for the east face (not sure the actual name?). If I recall, there's a 5.8 variation too. I don't have the guide book in front of me to confirm that, though.

The climbing is straight-forward, but protection is difficult to come by. There's lots of downward sloping shelves and not many cracks or pockets for gear... just means a little more run-out.

[Stefan]

Mt. Anderson West Peak?

[bremerton_john]

I like this question, it wasn't something I'd considered before. "The technically hardest standard route." I interpret this as "the peak with the technically hardest, easiest way up it". While there are routes on Constance that are technically harder than the standard routes on everything else in the Olympics, the standard route up Constance is only class 3. Cruiser is a good guess, but it's standard route is rated 5.0. I got to thinking about one's I've been up before and thought maybe Destroyer (5.4) or the Horn (5.5). So then I went through the guidebook and looked at each one, including all pinnacles and peaks, great and small, and discovered the answer to be....Infinity Tower, located on Alphabet ridge rated at 5.6. First free ascent 1985. Go get it boys!

[OlympicMtnBoy]

You looking for a partner Doug? We should get out some time, it's been a while since we were trekking through swamps in ESAR together. I was up on Cloudy Peak checking out Alphabet Ridge a couple springs ago, didn't have any gear though. I have some ideas for some 5.6+ route FAs too.

 

To add to the debate, aren't there a couple pinnacles where the standard route involved aid (Snifter Tower?). I don't have my guide book near, but there are probably folks out there who would consider A3 harder than 5.6. Hehehehe, I'd love to go repeat those (although I'd bet most are freeable).

[wayne]

Ahem.. What about the Sawtooth Ridge Traverse , as long as you are expanding the debate?

[bremerton_john]

OK Wayne, your's wins for "hardest standard traverse route" in the Olympics. I'm making new categories you see.

 

Actually, I did wonder about some of the un-named little spires you guys went up and over: i.e. The Blob. Care to establish a grade on any of those individuals?