Long routes 5.8 and under

[Braydon]

My older brother is starting to get into rock climbing and he is wanting to get on a multipitch route. Any ideas? He climbs solid 5.8 but is a little iffy on 5.9. Orbit, Safe Sex(darrington), R&D. Any other ideas? Btw does Dreamer have any serious runouts? I hate them. Alpine routes w/o glacier travel are fine too.

 

Thanks

[Argus]

Dreamer is fairly runout runout slab climbing. I'd say the Blueberry Route would be good. The Tree Route in Icicle is easy and not exposed, so it may a good introduction. Also, Catapult to Midway on Castle would be a good choice and the 5.8 is pretty minimal.

[rob]

Hmm, some ideas

 

* Beckey Route or Rapple Grapple on Liberty Bell

* South Arete on SEWS is easier than you want, but might be a good place to teach multi-pitch skills in a low-stress environment. SW Buttress was fun, but has a few slabby areas you might consider runout (I did)

*Givler's Crack is fun, only 2 pitches though, and it's a lot of hiking. You can kind of climb up there by starting at Domestic Dome. You can do B.S. to Snag Crack on Domestic Dome, and (if you can find it) you can climb the Old Piton Route up to the rare earth area and climb freewheelin, and then up to do pieces of eight, or just hike over to givlers from freewheelin.

* Aries (Index)

* Midway (Castle Rock)

 

[Peter_Puget]

Squamish......

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Orbit might not be the best for a 5.8, but not 5.9 leader. It has some pretty engaging climbing on it. Outerspace is probably easier and safer for a new climber.

 

Till broad daylight to the kone would be another darrington option.

 

SW Rib of SEWS at WA pass is an OK route for 5.8

 

NF Burgundy Spire is pretty great

[Braydon]

Thanks guys. Squamish is probably too out of the way though.

[shapp]

how one could be solid on 5.8 and iffy on 5.9 is a mystery to me. Go to 3 oclock rock and get on all the 5.8 and 5.9 routes, he should be fine, big tree is a good 5.8.

Shapp

[mattp]

I'm not looking for an Internet argument but I'd say that Dreamer does not have any "serious" runouts. There are maybe a couple of places where you go as much as 20 feet without pro but this is on terrain substantially easier than the crux. It is a fairly sustained route and by no means trivial and the 5.9 may be more than your brother wants to do, but old stories of wild runouts on rusty 1/4" bolts are twenty years out of date.

 

Safe Sex is pretty good and I named it that because at the time (late '80's) it was fairly well protected as compared to Dreamer.

 

Till Broad Daylight to the Kone is a good linkup on Three O'Clock Rock and it has only one very brief 5.9 crux which would be, for the follower, approaching a bolt that is not far away and where the consequences of a fall are pretty minimal (the leader at this point has gear not far behind and a bolt behind that). This is a good intro to Darrington and to slab climbing.

 

The Blueberry Buttress is well protected all the way up to the last pitch or so before the Terrace, and there it is only about 5.5 or something. Above the Terrace, you'll run it out some more but again on easier terrain. Some folks have trouble with that part, though, as it is not clear exactly where to go. If this sounds bad to you, rap from the Terrace. If not, the summit is worth a visit.

[mattp]

The Beckey Route on Liberty Bell on a weekday would be a good choice of a route to show someone a good time if they have been on at least a couple of moderate cracks and chimney's before. Take him up that one and then when you get down head around to the Washington Pass overlook to show him where he went. The route is not visible from there, but the Bell looks absolutely spectacular!

[marc_leclerc]

Beckey route on liberty bell and Cave route on Concord Tower both look like great moderate climbs. Does your bro lead 5.8/9 or follow? And slab runouts are not scary... not like runouts on big steep walls. If you take a whipper on a slab you sort of just slide until your hands hurt then backpedal until you stop... no big deal.

[Hayduke]

Braille Book is the best 5.8 multipitch I've done this year. It's a bit of a drive though...

[Braydon]

I took him out for a long weekend to get down the basics just a few days ago. It was him first time outdoors so he has not lead trad yet and isn't too familiar with anchor building and leading trad.

[Braydon]

Well it looks like we can go to Squamish after all. What are your favorite moderate, long climbs?

[DPS]

Well it looks like we can go to Squamish after all. What are your favorite moderate, long climbs?

 

Diedre, St. Vitus Dance, Snake, Banana Peel

[canyondweller]

Well it looks like we can go to Squamish after all. What are your favorite moderate, long climbs?

 

Diedre, St. Vitus Dance, Snake, Banana Peel

 

I'd add Calculus Crack (isn't that 5.8?) to your list, Daniel.

[Braydon]

Thanks a lot guys. Are there any long sport climbs around us (other than IB)? It would take some pressure off of me than leading pitch after pitch of trad and maybe I could let him try out the sharp end. Maybe after he gets down the multipitch system...

[Lisa_D]

Goat Wall in Mazama has a 10 pitch 5.9 sport route. It's ok for when everything else is rainy, but I wouldn't drive all the way over there to do it.

 

I'd second the recommendations for Squamish!

[fenderfour]

Goat Wall in Mazama has a 10 pitch 5.9 sport route. It's ok for when everything else is rainy, but I wouldn't drive all the way over there to do it.

 

I'd second the recommendations for Squamish!

 

Prime Rib of Goat.

 

It's not terrific, but it is 10 pitches of sport to 5.9.

[NateF]

First thing comes to mind is Silent Running on 3o'clock rock in Darrington. More like 5.9ish slab, but cruxes are very well protected. There's always Condorphamine Addiction, which also has well-protected cruxes and some easy pitches that are very comfortable to lead.

[Ishmael]

There's always Condorphamine Addiction, which also has well-protected cruxes and some easy pitches that are very comfortable to lead.

 

I climbed Condorphamine this spring and really liked it (I climb very little sport). The crux (easy and short 10) would be very easy to French Free. Great views and location.

[Figger_Eight]

If you can make it down to Smith, Wherever I May Roam would be a good choice.