North Face VS South Face

[Greg_W]

Because "The South Face" didn't get good reaction from the focus groups or engender good brand recognition.

[Bronco]

YOU SUCK GREG!

 

here i had a nice little thread going and you ruined it! Boo frickin hoo.

 

I wonder if the big scary face in the southern hemisphere are south facing?

[iain]

so by that rationale all routes on Chimborazo are walk-ups.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Hillwalkers alps are fun and often just as physically demanding as a technical route. I've seen vertical ninjas wither and croak on hillwalking alps because they could not carry a pack.

 

[ 11-13-2002, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: Cpt.Caveman ]

[philfort]

Probably because the north faces have had more glaciation than south faces, so more erosion and "scooping out" == steeper.

[iain]

one COULD make the e-norm-us stretch that over the course of millions of years, the difference in solar energy absorbtion on the south side of a mountain could lead to increased erosion, faster glacial ablation, etc which could make a south side route different, but not necessarily harder.

[ryland_moore]

huh? I'm lost. South Side of Chimbo is Wymper Route is it not? And it is somewhat of a walk-up (2nd easiest climb on the mountain). I am lost in your sarcasm?

 

[ 11-13-2002, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: ryland moore ]

[Dru]

Read a 3rd year level Geomorphology textbook.

 

Here is a hint: something like 60% of cirques in the Canadian Rockies have an east, northeast, or north aspect.

 

What mysterious geomorphic processes could be affected by temperature and aspect

[iain]

well Bronc. said all n. face routes in n. hemisphere are tough, and suggested all s. face routes in s. hemisphere might be tough so I made the stupid joke that Chimborazo, on the equator, would be easy from all sides.

 

Kindof hard to compare different mountain ranges this way anyways, comparing volcanics to large terranes like the alps or himalaya. Ages, composition, and even aspect vary.

[philfort]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

so I made the stupid joke that Chimborazo, on the equator, would be easy from all sides.

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Or maybe it could also be hard on all sides

[iain]

well does heavy glaciation make a route tough?

[Cpt.Caveman]

Doesnt the nose of el crap face south?

[iain]

Mt. Bachelor ski resort is on n. face of bachelor. That makes its patrons X-TReme (and timm@y too)

 

[ 11-13-2002, 12:31 PM: Message edited by: iain ]

[Dru]

glaciers dig out big holes out of mountains called cirques and cirque headwalls make steep faces. also between two cirques makes a ridge and when you cut away cirques on multiple sides you gettum steep horn. like Steinbok with Steep NE buttress between NE and N faces and the Sw side is gently sloped.

 

on the other hand when you dont get a cirque you tend to have more of a gentle suirface caused by the natural processes of erosion filling in holes and reducing the heights of cliffs. so its rarer to get steep faces on S and SW aspects although obviously you do sometimes, like Eg Cathedral Mountain S face again that is part of a cirque with the other side being the N face of Amphitheatre.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

To Bolt and Just Do it both face west . But then the Aggro Wall faces east ... What is one to make of all this?

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by philfort:

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

so I made the stupid joke that Chimborazo, on the equator, would be easy from all sides.

---

Or maybe it could also be hard on all sides

---

what about peaks in Antarctica where pretty much every direction is north when you are near the pole.

[iain]

Mountains are almost always a complex of various rock types with different levels of hardness and strike/dip, which would seem to make the glacial action, while a considerable force, less relevant when producing steep routes.

[iain]

but on chosspiles like hood, a frickin garden hose can erode away a nice steep line I would guess

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

Mountains are almost always a complex of various rock types with different levels of hardness and strike/dip, which would seem to make the glacial action, while a considerable force, less relevant when producing steep routes.

---

sadly, you are mistaken. the factors you mention are of secondary importance to glaciation in the mid-latitude temperate and subarctic zones. of course the equatorial regions are a different story, esp,. places like african desert that were never glaciated recently. there prevailing wind direction is actually the most important!

[forrest_m]

besides the glaciers, there's that whole "north face aura" thing. i think it's 'cause it's all about sunshine: north faces don't get much sun, so they are dark and scary, as opposed to south facing routes which are friendly and happy. always. without any exceptions anywhere in the whole world. except in the southern hemisphere.

[Greg_W]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

quote:

---

Originally posted by iain:

Mountains are almost always a complex of various rock types with different levels of hardness and strike/dip, which would seem to make the glacial action, while a considerable force, less relevant when producing steep routes.

---

sadly, you are mistaken. the factors you mention are of secondary importance to glaciation in the mid-latitude temperate and subarctic zones. of course the equatorial regions are a different story, esp,. places like african desert that were never glaciated recently. there prevailing wind direction is actually the most important!

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Proof that many Canadians are very pleasant people who are friendly. Dru basically told Iain he was an ignorant boob, but it was so nicely done I am sure many missed it. Spray on Dru.

[Dru]

iain is not an ignorant boob. he is a competent belayer and sometime ropegun up 5.7 knobs who just happens to not have his alpine geomorphology firmly grasped yet, probably due to emphasizing some other useful knowledge like 1st aid.

[Greg_W]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

...he is a competent belayer

and sometime ropegun up 5.7 knobs

who just happens to not have his alpine geomorphology firmly grasped yet...

---

There!! He did it again! Man, this is one smooth Canuck. Take it easy on Iain, though; he's fragile.

 

[ 11-13-2002, 12:49 PM: Message edited by: Greg W ]

[iain]

I'm bored, hence I post immediately. I talk bull to stir up more talk, hence I spray.

 

Cascades more heavily affected by the Pleistocene glaciation have harder routes in general on them.

[freeclimb9]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bronco:

Why is that?

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Two words: continental drift.