Intro to alpine rock recs

[Frenchy]

Spent on walk ups and cragging. Any recs for making a jump this season?

 

Cruiser? Tooth? Chair? Ingalls? Prusik? What else?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Winter]

WA Pass. Beckey Route. South Arete of South Early Winter. Maybe Spontaneity Arete.

 

 

[jared_j]

Burgundy Spire linked up with Paisano Pinnacle as recommended by Blake and Sky on this board somewhere is a really nice one that doesn't get too crowded. A good alternative if there are gonna be lines to get on Beckey Route at WA pass.

 

Serpentine on Dragontail is a great moderate one, but gets crowds due to ease of access and moderate climbing; only 3 real pitches, lots of terrain to simulclimb if you're comfortable doing it. Tops out on a 'real' peak, which is nice.

 

Don't bother with the rock routes on Chair; tried that soon after moving here, and the rock is poor and the climbing not really aesthetic. You'd do better to do the Improbable Traverse on Guye; still some loose rock, but great position and a very quick hit (if you can find the trail down OK) from Seattle.

 

West Ridge of Stuart if you're in shape and want to summit a tall peak but want to keep the technical difficulties low.

 

to your other ideas

[mattp]

You may not be ready for longer routes like Serpentine or the West Ridge of Stuart unless you are feeling pretty confident with simulclimbing or unroped climbing in exposed settings. I'd look to complete at least a few grade II rock climbs with my partner before we moved up to grade III's, and then do at least a couple of those before trying a grade IV. (Note: I just looked up the West Ridge, and Beckey suggests it is a grade II, but reports from most people I know who have climbed it suggest it is probably a grade III. I know, route inflation and who is the chump blah blah blah but most people seem to find it to be a full day and often more.)

[jared_j]

Good point about stepping up the 'commitment grade' gradually. If I reflect back, I definitely got out on a lot of lower commitment routes to get dialed on transitioning quickly and roped simulclimbing before doing the longer routes.

 

[genepires]

When you say cragging I assume that you are not talking about any multi pitch stuff. how about a multi pitch that is fairly alpine as a stepping stone? There is snow creek wall, darrington area (3 oclock rock, exfoliation and dreamer in "alpine' order), and sharkfin tower. Washington pass is an excellant intro to alpine rock, as mentioned earlier. Get on the tooth midweek. Maybe even the lower down pitches of infinte bliss for a closer choice, road permitting.

[Rad]

Depends on what your weakness is.

 

Alpine rock is no harder than trad routes at your favorite cragging area, so if trad multipitch is your weak link work on it at these areas.

 

Getting to alpine routes is often half the fun and half the work. If you haven't spent time in the hills go do a bunch of the routes in the scramble book before doing 5th class climbs in the hills.

 

Then go for the routes mentioned above. Alternatively, just go for it.

[Frenchy]

Lots of back country experience and cragging experience...just never mixed the two.

 

Have done a few multi pitch gear routes but have always had bolts for belay. Hardest pitch I've done is Lions Jaw at Smith (9?).

 

I think like anyone else I just wanna get up something with a rope on.

 

Thanks a bunch

Edited May 21, 2009 by Frenchy

[TrogdortheBurninator]

I would say the standard classic easier routes are S. Face of the Tooth, South Ridge of Ingalls, S. Arete Sews and Beckey Route on Liberty Bell. A step up in alpine ambiance would be things like any route on forbidden, or something technical on Stuart.

[montypiton]

Echo the recs for the shorter/less-committing routes in the Washington Pass area. Serpentine might be a bit much for an "introduction". There are short routes on Ingalls Peak that make good day-trips, and the ridge routes on Forbidden might also be appropriate. Both summits of Silverstar finish on rock, but the climbing is less than fifth-class, and you may wish for something more technical -- still, it's alpine rock, just easy... There are also shorter/less committing routes on Dragontail and Colchuck that are worthwhile, and good routes on Argonaut and Sherpa as well. The South Face of Argonaut has a number of short easy fifth-class lines in stunning surroundings. If you've "always had bolts for belay" on your trad routes, it may be worth your time to get used to building omni-directional belay anchors from scratch before you need to do this on an alpine ridge or wall...

[jared_j]

I typically downgrade myself one grade alpine climbing. When my trad comfort level was only 5.8 at the crags, I didn't get on anything harder than 5.7 in the hills. Once I was climbing anything 5.9 at the crags, then I did some 5.8 routes in the mountains. I never felt super 'challenged' by the routes, but I also never thought I was going to peel, either. This is a nice way to keep yourself out of trouble.

 

Since you have primarily had experience multipitch climbing with bolt anchors, you would benefit TONS (IMHO) from getting basically anything alpine where you have to make your own anchor decisions (sling a tree or horn? build a 3 point equalized anchor? etc) and also have to 'think through' the construction of the anchor, your positioning at the anchor in terms of how you belay, where you flake/stack the rope, etc. Do you belay straight off the anchor if you have an autoblocking device? Is it more sensible to belay off your harness with a redirect? etc. Finally, once a second has come up, are you swinging leads? Leading in blocks? How do you efficiently transfer gear to the new leader without dropping? Does the rope need to get flipped/reflaked? These elements were the 'crux' of such climbing for me first starting out. Based on what I've seen people doing in the hills, this also is the biggest challenge for most people new to the medium.

 

My experience was also that I kinda had to 'mess up' each of these elements on an easy climb before I learned how to 'think through' at the setup of an anchor/belay so as to have it all go smoothly.

 

The time savings (and time loss) from being able to do these tasks quickly (or slowly) can be a lot; the difference between a pitch an hour or two pitches an hour. e.g. good technique (I think) can double your speed on a route, without physically climbing any faster.

 

Anyway, this is sorta off topic, but I will close in echoing recommendations for the Beckey Route on the Liberty Bell, the South Face of the Tooth, Any of the Ingalls Peak routes. I will add:

 

R&D in Icicle Canyon (5.6, a few pitches, short approach, good pro, a variety of positions)

 

Champagne on Snow Creek Wall (5.7, a few pitches, decent climbing if a little lichen-y, not affected by the current falcon closure, out of the way so low traffic, 'alpine' feeling even though you're at a crag sort-of)

[Le Piston]

A lot of good advice has already been shared on this thread. My question is how confident are you setting pro and anchors on lead? How comfortable are you downclimbing on exposed routes and doing multiple rappels? If your rope management and pro setting are dialed in you are best served starting on routes a grade or two below what you comfortably lead at the crags and go from there. If you can go with someone experienced all the better to start. I remember doing all the routes you mention and just falling in love with alpine rock climbing. My favorite places to take "gym and crag" climbers are SEWS and Ingalls to start. You can't beat the views, the rock is good and easy to protect, and not too far in. Enjoy the transition!

[goatboy]

So, what happened? What did you end up climbing, and how was it?

 

How was the advice you received here relative to your needs and experience?

[Wastral]

An excellent slightly longer climb is NE buttress of Triumph. A whopping 15 feet of 5.7 easily protected with several pitches of low fifth but mostly clean 4th and 3rd class. It really requires 2 ropes to get down though no matter what Jim says in his book. Had to bail a second team off the mountain with our ropes last time I was up there. Views can't be beat. Don't even need glacier gear anymore as the route to the buttress doesn't even cross it anymore but goes under it. A nice weekend climb.

 

Go up Sloan. Clean rock nothing over 5.6/5.7 for a little bit. Great views. Lots of elevation gain though.

 

Another super easy "weekend" climb would be S. Buttress of Thomspson. If in decent shape do it in a day. Some people call it the w. buttress, but that is just stupid as it points south not west. Anyways, off the soap box. Its a very easy straightforward route, BUT, it has MONSTER exposure for a newbie who is not used to it. DO NOT TAKE someone up it who is not used to exposure/heights. It is also a bit loose 3rd at the top. Just go straight up the ridge. Lower section is nice clean rock. Upper not so nice.

 

Prussic peak would be a great couple pitch clean climb on its west ridge. 5.6 I think.

 

Forbidden is a super easy climb also.

 

Brian

Edited October 7, 2009 by Wastral