Best Alpine Rock Route Under 5.7

My friend and I are interested going on a trip this summer. We are looking for some long and easy alpine rock routes (<5.7). Grand Teton obviously comes to mind. Does anyone have any other recommendation? Criteria are pretty simple:
1. We got a week to climb.
2. Under 5.8
3. 5-10 pitches.
4. Easy route finding.
5. No lines to wait.

Mt. Whitney. Not sure what the permit/crowd situation is like now but certainly worth considering.

Swiss Arete (5.7) on Mt. Sill in the Palisades or Yellow Brick Rd (3rd Class) on Mt. Gayley, right next door. Yellow Brick Road is good, but Swiss Arete is fantastic.

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N. Ridge of Spearhead - mountainproject.com/v/color…

NE Ridge of Sharkstooth - mountainproject.com/v/color…

Blitzen Ridge on Mt. Ypsilon - mountainproject.com/v/color…

All in Rocky Mountain National Park

Northwest Ridge of Mount Sir Donald - Simul-climb so pitch count isn't relevant. Awesome exposure (like looking out of an airplane window looking down either side of the arete). Nice bivy spot, but car-to-car is fun and doable.

And Kevin's recommendations for Sharkstooth and Spearhead are excellent too (although I think the Spearhead the better of the two by a fair bit).

Cathedral Peak 5.6 and really fun
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The west ridge of Mt. Conness is super fun also.
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My vote is for the Sierras. Lots of great, easy routes 5.7 and under.

Cathedral Peak, Mathes Crest traverse, Tenaya Peak, Mt Whitney, Temple Crag (Venusian Blind), Swiss Arete on Sill, Lone Pine Peak, West Ridge of Conness, etc etc

The lines will be there on the most classic routes, however. My advice is to wake up early. The Sierras have the best weather of any alpine rock area that I know of, which is a huge advantage. You don't want to be spending your 1 week waiting out the rain.

North Rib/Arete of Mt. Ellingwood, aka Harrower (its official name), northern Winds. Somewhere around 15 pitches, 5.6ish, depending on how close to the crest you stay.

Sierras and Ellingwood sounds good, it's on my to-do list as well. I haven't one much into Ellingwood. Are there any other routes in the area as well? We have one week, we would like to do some other routes as well.
For sierras, do people recommend SuperTopo's guide books? I heard some rumors about accuracy of some of its books.

The 2nd Apron on Mt. Evans...
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Excellent routes!

I'd go with either Tulomne -- I second Cathedral Peak and Matthes Crest recommendations. Plus it's just great rock -- or head up to RMNP.

You are not going to get easy routefinding on The Grand.

I will add a vote for Ellingwood peak in the Winds. Fantastic rock with very consistant climbing in the 5.6-5.7 range. Beautiful area for backpacking as well. For RMNP the N. Ridge of Spearhead is very good.

Twr Ridge and Elephant rts. are ok, but not great. Others to consider in the Titcomb Basin area would include right fork of Wishbone rib on Sacajawea, or something on Faler's Twr. Or, short but good, the Garnick Needles.
And someone pointed out 'no easy routefinding on Grand Teton'. Unless you're on the upper XM in the crowds, it's complex. And who says the party you're following knows where they're going? Well, up, yes, but up where?

I would highly recommend Kit Carson Peak- S. Arete or Crestone Needle-Ellingwoods Arete. Both are in the Sangre De Cristo's(opposite sides) and both AMAZING moderates.

I have done both. Beautiful-yet a bit arduous-hikes in, TOTAL solitude(especially Kit), amazing climbs- both 2000'+ of vertical, Good route finding and pro(some runout on 1st pitch of Kit) and an adventure for the ages. They fit what you are looking for.

PM me if you want any more info. Good Luck and enjoy your trip, whatever you choose! Climb hard, Climb safe.

East ridge of Wolfs Head (5.6), in the Wind rivers.
-beautiful scenery
-amazing rock
-crazy exposure
-10ish pitches if you dont simul climb
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Wow, I see we got a lot of awesome routes. We narrow down to three places.
1. High Sierras
2. Colorado
3. Wind River Range
We are probably going to do the trip in September. I don't want to be stuck in the rain for three days. I know no one can predict the weather, I just want to pick an area that offer the best chance of clear weather for climbing.

Northeast Ridge Bugaboo Spire 5.7, 10 pitches

You're right about it being a crapshoot trying to outguess the weather. As a Wyoming local, I'd point you towards the Sierra over the Winds for that time of year. But if the weather were to be fair in the Winds, it'd be paradise. So, your choice!

Couple of comments.
I kind of feel like some of the comments are based upon person preferences. I learned to climb in RMNP, have spent a bunch of time in the Winds, and I currently live in California climbing in the Sierras, but I don't feel like I have a personal bias towards any of them. i.e. they all have their ups and downs. Here is my two cents, you make the call.

1) RMNP: One of the most beautiful places I have ever been. There are more routes here in a compact area than anywhere else I have been. That said, if you are just learning to do the alpine thing, the classics in the Park can be a bit intimidating and are maybe not the best entry level routes (i.e. IMHO the best stuff the Park has to offer begins at the 5.8-9 level and goes up from there. e.g. DSR Notchtop, SF Petit, Sykes Spearhead, Cattle on the Diamond). Also, surely be prepared to deal with weather, because it WILL happen.

2) Ellingwood ledges on Crestone Needle (do the direct start) and the Prow on Kit Carson....both incredible routes, in a stunning setting. It doesn't get much better than this, but there isn't much else around unless you want to go up to RMNP. Still, the Needle would be at the very top of my list for 5.7 alpine.

3) The Winds: Unless you go to the Cirque, plan on there being only a climb or two in any particular basin that falls into the "classic 5.7 and under" category. The weather can be fickle and the approaches can be long (correct me if I'm wrong everyone, but I remember the hike to Ellingwood Peak being like 20 miles one way). That said, the Winds have the most wilderness feel of the areas between RMNP and the Sierras. Go there because you want to hike and climb in the backcountry (sorry fellow California people, the wilderness near the climbs in the Sierras is NOT on par).

4) Sierras. Lots of moderates, lots of people and good weather. Probably the easiest "alpine" place I have been to climb. Great place to cut your teeth. Within Toulumne alone, you have Tenaya Peak, Mt. Conness and Cathedral Peak. Maybe the place where weather will permit you to have a high probability of getting a bunch done in a short period of time. Lines usually won't be a problem if you are up early (California folk have it too easy with weather and don't know what "alpine" start means.)

Have fun. You can't go wrong with any of these places, they all have there own character and are really amazing.
Cheers.

The central Cascades have some great easier stuff.

Prusik Peak has some great easy routes (6-7 pitches)
Mt. Stuart has 2 great routes under 5.7! (up to 20 pitches)
Ingalls peak in the same area has some shorter fun alpine routes (2-4)

Also in McCall, Idaho there's slick rock it's a 1200 foot granite face in an alpine setting theres an 8 pitch 5.6 an a 10 pitch 5.8 sport route.

But, the winds are amazing, you just have to hit the weather right!

Peter Spindloe wrote:Northwest Ridge of Mount Sir Donald - Simul-climb so pitch count isn't relevant. Awesome exposure (like looking out of an airplane window looking down either side of the arete). Nice bivy spot, but car-to-car is fun and doable. And Kevin's recommendations for Sharkstooth and Spearhead are excellent too (although I think the Spearhead the better of the two by a fair bit).

Pete, this route is at the top of my todo list. What is the best time of year? And how long would it take an experienced fit climber to do it car to car? All the pictures I've seen look soooooo amazing!