Mountain recommendations for newbies

[thdcdiver]

Just summited St. Helens on the 4th. Wondering what would be a good mountain to try next and possibly when? I have mostly hiking experience, but have taken a mountaineering class, so I feel fairly comfortable with the basic uses of crampons and an ice axe, especially if the weather is right. I am in fairly decent shape, but I am a girl, and fairly short, so not sure if that plays a factor or not, but I figured I'd throw it out there. Anyways just looking for thoughts on what to try next?

 

Thanks!

[rob]

Adams

[alpine et]

second Adams.

 

Shasta

 

Hood earlier in the season if you have a few folks along with.

 

Sahale is fairly straightforward as well, and offers great views into the N. Cascades...

[JeffreyR]

+1 for Adams. If you are ok with driving to the Olympics, Mt Ellinor, Washington, and The Brothers are all fun and moderate climbs. Just bring a helmet for the choss!

[Buckaroo]

The Tooth, 3 pitches of 5.6 to a summit

 

The Beckey Route on Liberty Bell, 3 pitches of 5.6 to a summit.

 

West ridge of Forbidden, probably a snow gulley to the ridge this time of year, then mostly scrambling and a few moves of 5.6

 

You would need a harness and rock shoes, but there's usually people willing to take beginners on these, including myself.

 

[kurthicks]

In Oregon:

South Sister

Middle Sister

 

In Washington:

Mt. Daniels via the Daniels Glacier

Colchuck Peak via the Colchuck Glacier

 

Both have easy, on-trail approaches, feature snow travel, and have great camping spots. Neither have crevasse issues to deal with typically.

Edited July 8, 2012 by kurthicks

[mattp]

The North Sister would be a big step up in terms of difficulty and danger. On the standard route, the "terrible traverse" is very exposed on steep snow, and there is some fairly real rock scrambling after that. The climb to the summit from the north is not easy either.

 

The Middle Sister from the south has a lot of climbing over large boulders, and from the north it has just one short steep bit of snow.

[kurthicks]

Oops, I meant Middle Sister via the northern approach. I think it comes from the Santiam Highway. Good catch Matt.

 

[mattp]

You can access the Middle Sister from west side or the east side trailheads. The closest trailhead is, I think, the Pole Creek trailhead on the east side.

[thdcdiver]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I'm thinking I will try Adams next hopefully near the end of July maybe early August. I have read that South Sister is nice towards the end of the summer and early fall, so I may try that one then.

 

Again, thanks for all the suggestions - I have a great working list now