Top 10 Hard Alpine Free-Climbs in WA State

[bigwallben]

I stand corrected and agree that the facts get obscured through the media and some mouths.

 

What is the grade of Mikey's variation and has Brooke's direct free of the Lip ever been repeated?

 

Matt,

 

You can find it all here: http://mikeylikesrocks.com/blog/?p=72

 

 

[Tony_Bentley]

I'd add Hyperspace to the list. It isn't harder than 5.11 nor does it bag a summit but it is a solid route.

 

I'd also add Direct West Face of South Early. Not sure if this has been mentioned.

 

There are plenty of other potentials in the Skagit Gneiss batholith but the rock takes some getting used to.

[matt_warfield]

I stand corrected and agree that the facts get obscured through the media and some mouths.

 

What is the grade of Mikey's variation and has Brooke's direct free of the Lip ever been repeated?

 

Matt,

 

You can find it all here: http://mikeylikesrocks.com/blog/?p=72

 

 

It is a good read and thanks for the link Ben.

[Pete_H]

I'd second Hyperspace. Sustained with lots of variety.

[layton]

I'd second Hyperspace. Sustained with lots of variety.

 

you would second it and have someone lead it for you, puss.

[G-spotter]

snow crick wall is about as alpine as wal-mart

[mountainmatt]

So the list is something like this now (if I am catching all of the suggestions):

 

1. Liberty crack, Liberty Bell 13-

2. Thin Red Line, Liberty Bell 12+

3. The Tempest Wall, Colchuck Balanced Rock 12

4. Vanishing Point, Dolomite Tower, Mt. Baring 12

5. Northwest passage, Dolomite Tower, Mt. Baring 12-

6. Independence Route, Liberty Bell 12-

7. Dragons of Eden, Dragontail Pk. 12-

8. Pangaea, North Early Winters Spire 12-

9. Tooth and Claw, North Early Winters Spire 12-

10. West Face, North Gunsight Pk. 11+

11. The Passenger, South Early Winter Spire 11+

12. West Face, Colchuck Balanced Rock 11+

13. The Scoop, Colchuck Balanced Rock 11+

14. Northeast rib, Dolomite Tower, Mt. Baring 11+

15. Der Sportsmen, Prusik Pk. 11+

16. Firefighter, Cutthroat Peak 11+

17. Devil finds work, Dolomite Tower, Mt. Baring 11

18. Dragonfly, Dragontail 11

19. Supercave, M&M wall 11

20. Gorilla’s in the mist, Mt. Stuart 11

21. Hyperspace, Snow Creek Wall 11

22. Northwest face, South Early Winters Spire 11

23. The Girth Pillar, Mt. Stuart 11-

24. Direct East Buttress, South Early Winters Spire 11-

 

 

If we are including things like Snow Creek Wall, do we also include the upper town wall?

 

.

 

[j_b]

One small correction: Tooth and Claw is on Lexington.

[Sol]

Just my opinion, but I thought the direct east buttress of SEWS sucked, big-time!

 

I also wouldn't add hyperspace, that belongs more with the UTW climbs at Index (Green Dragon, Heaven's Gate, etc.); lowland cragging.

[ivan]

 

I also wouldn't add hyperspace, that belongs more with the UTW climbs at Index (Green Dragon, Heaven's Gate, etc.); lowland cragging.

dunno - seems like if a herd of mountain goats can eat the boots you left at the base while you're off climbing, you're in the alpine!

[Peter_Puget]

In addition Hyperspace is a less than quality route.

[Pete_H]

You're out of your element, Puget!

[DCramer]

Hyperspace (even with the Psychopath start) has dirty rock, grainy rock, and awkward unappealing moves. In short it is not a classic route. A far better route right next door is Edge of Space. To be honest I am not a big fan of Snow Creek Wall in general but for the life of me can't figure out why people claim Hyperspace is such a great route. That said Orbit rules!

 

I guess it's kinda like the Valley where people que up for Regular NW Face of Half Dome when it is a fairly mediocre route compared to other Valley routes of equivalent difficulty...for example West Face of El Cap.

[bigwallben]

I've heard that the bolts on Tooth and Claw are very old and dangerous. Can anyone confirm this?

[Pete_H]

Any route with a pitch called "The Pressure Chamber" is pretty rad, IMHO. Debatable about whether its an alpine route though.

[G-spotter]

where people que up for Regular NW Face of Half Dome when it is a fairy mediocre route

 

tell us how you really feel

[Tony_Bentley]

Sorry, I meant Direct East Buttress of South Early. Not continuous clean pro but steep and difficult to free climb (by my standards).

 

Hyperspace is not really alpine but it has way more alpine feel than Index and it is just as easy to get to as Liberty Bell. I disagree about it being dirty but awkward and unappealing is a matter of opinion. The fact that it is awkward is what gives it such appeal.

 

Lets exclude anything in the EW spires group since I don't think they are alpine either (based on the convention of what alpine really is).

[Kimmo]

if y'all are gonna be getting picky about alpine vs. non-alpine, you cannot have Vanishing Point on the list.

[DCramer]

Just what does Alpine mean?

 

I assume CBR is "Alpine" so are the Needles in Ca alpine as well? Similar approach.

[Pete_H]

I guess technically alpine means above treeline, but since people have had BBQ's on top of the lib bell spires with grills and kegs of beer, it seems more alpine "light" to me.

[DCramer]

I think Sol is using "alpine" in a different sense.

 

 

[Sol]

Ben, yeah those bolts on T & C are pretty shady, time-bombs for sure. 20+ years old, rusty, some 1/4 inchers, bunch of leeper hangers, alot of them have eroded out bolt-holes from people yarding on them. Would be a good community service job to replace them, but really the anchors are the sketchiest part of the deal, lots of dead trees, small bushes, etc.

 

I'm sure we could banter about what is and what is not alpine for 10, 12, 20 pages...

 

But really, I think we think-tanked a pretty killer list of the technically hard alpine style rock climbs in WA. Thanks for all the input folks, let's let this horse die without beating it into submission.

[NoahT]

What about that kearny off-width chimney thing on kangaroo's south face. I think the aid sections went at around low .11?

 

Might not fall under the "top" category...

[Jens]

If the list is referred to as "Alpine"

Again, granite or granitic rock is like only 2% of our range (which is most of or nearly all of the banter on what this thread is about). Granitic- Easy to get good gear that you can fall on, easy to bolt on lead, easy to bail from anywhere, easy to launch into the unknown as the rock is usually solid, a pretty much endless supply of dependable protection cracks, and lots of fun!

 

[Tony_Bentley]

Nice tick list gentlemen.