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willeslinger
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May 29, 2013
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Golden, Colorado
· Joined Jul 2010
· Points: 25
So I think my lady is finally ready to venture up into the mountains with me. The plan is to head somewhere for my birthday weekend in late June and climb some kind of multipitch alpine route. I want to take it easy and have fun, more than likely a day for the drive up and approach, camp, then a day on route and then hike back out the third day, She's followed 5.10 trad while cragging, but I'm aiming for something more in the 5.4-5.6 range for this outing. My main thought right now is that we'll do the Northeast Ridge on Sharkstooth, but I'm open to suggestions for other routes. Which particular sub-range of the Rockies isn't an issue, RMNP is most convenient for us, but heading to SW Colorado isn't out of the question.
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Cor
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May 29, 2013
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Sandbagging since 1989
· Joined Mar 2006
· Points: 1,445
I think you are on the right track with a good choice!
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Kirsten KDog
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May 29, 2013
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Edgewater, CO
· Joined Jun 2010
· Points: 80
That was my exact first thought too. NE Ridge is mellow and fun. Enjoy!
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Tim Stich
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May 29, 2013
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Colorado Springs, Colorado
· Joined Jan 2001
· Points: 1,520
Another vote here for Sharkstooth NE Ridge. She can experience the funky rappel anchors, too. Not super sketch, but interesting none the less. Good climbing, too.
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Kirsten KDog
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May 29, 2013
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Edgewater, CO
· Joined Jun 2010
· Points: 80
Or North Ridge on Spearhead? That one's good too.
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BoulderCharles
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May 29, 2013
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Sep 2011
· Points: 95
Also look at Spiral Route on Notchtop. Pretty mellow but lots of fun.
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Charles Vernon
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May 29, 2013
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Colorado megalopolis
· Joined Jan 2001
· Points: 2,655
North Ridge of Spearhead is another fairly obvious but nevertheless great choice, especially if you're going to camp. With the possible exception of some remote west-side spots, there's no better bivy spot in the Park, in my opinion.
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TheBirdman Friedman
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May 29, 2013
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Eldorado Springs, Colorado
· Joined Jan 2010
· Points: 65
The Petit? A bit harder than the range you stated plus a lot of rappels but a bivy at sky pond and a summit bid on a nice day is a real PDM. (Panty dropping move.)
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willeslinger
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May 29, 2013
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Golden, Colorado
· Joined Jul 2010
· Points: 25
TheBirdman wrote:The Petit? A bit harder than the range you stated plus a lot of rappels but a bivy at sky pond and a summit bid on a nice day is a real PDM. (Panty dropping move.) Haha, right on. Yeah, I did the Petit last fall, a bit more of an undertaking than I think we want right now. Keep all the good pointers coming!
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Jim Matt
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May 30, 2013
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Cincinnati, OH
· Joined Sep 2003
· Points: 255
I'd probably advise against the Spiral Route as the crux of that route is the descent IMHO. Definitely N Ridge of Spearhead is cool. As a "warmup" I've taken some newbies in the First Flatiron to get used to longer multipitch. After that, then head for the mountains. I haven't climbed (the whole route) yet, but Keyhole Ridge is supposed to be a good one as well.
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WMcD
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May 30, 2013
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Aug 2007
· Points: 177
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Kevinmurray
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May 30, 2013
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Dec 2012
· Points: 0
Ellingwood arête on Crestone Needle. A 9 mile 4wd road to get in but a cool route.
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highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion
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May 30, 2013
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Colorado
· Joined Oct 2012
· Points: 35
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david goldstein
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May 30, 2013
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Jan 2001
· Points: 2,541
Will McDonald wrote:The prow on Kit Carson. Terrible suggestion for a first alpine line. The Prow is a very committing line. The rock generally lacks natural gear placements and when I did it in 2001 there were no fixed anchors -- retreat would be quite difficult even if you were willing to sacrifice much of your rack. We did a lot of simul-climbing in order to belay at spots with decent gear. Furthermore, the approach to TP from either the east or west entails a lot more effort than some of the other suggestions on this thread. Sharkstooth is a much more sensible choice.
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Charles Vernon
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May 30, 2013
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Colorado megalopolis
· Joined Jan 2001
· Points: 2,655
david goldstein wrote: Terrible suggestion for a first alpine line. The Prow is a very committing line. The rock generally lacks natural gear placements and when I did it in 2001 there were no fixed anchors -- retreat would be quite difficult even if you were willing to sacrifice much of your rack. We did a lot of simul-climbing in order to belay at spots with decent gear. Furthermore, the approach to TP from either the east or west entails a lot more effort than some of the other suggestions on this thread. Sharkstooth is a much more sensible choice. Depends on the person. My wife's first climb ever was the 1500' North Face of Sugarloaf in the Organ Mountains. We got back to the car at 4:30 in the morning. As we were wandering around lost in the bushes at about 2:30 in the morning she said it was the best day of her life. That's when I knew she was the one. I got lucky. Not hard to see it devolving in the opposite direction, though :)
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doligo
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May 30, 2013
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Sep 2008
· Points: 264
How's she with the exposure? Make sure to find out before heading out into the mountains. I've seen strong climbers losing it especially on long free-hanging rappels. Take her up the Maiden to find out first if she likes long free-hanging rappels in the wind (good practice downclimbing and traversing too).
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WMcD
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May 30, 2013
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Aug 2007
· Points: 177
david goldstein wrote: Terrible suggestion for a first alpine line. The Prow is a very committing line. The rock generally lacks natural gear placements and when I did it in 2001 there were no fixed anchors -- retreat would be quite difficult even if you were willing to sacrifice much of your rack. We did a lot of simul-climbing in order to belay at spots with decent gear. Furthermore, the approach to TP from either the east or west entails a lot more effort than some of the other suggestions on this thread. Sharkstooth is a much more sensible choice. All good points. I mostly just think its a stunning and, after the opening V0 boulder problem, very moderate line in the mountains that doesn't get mentioned enough when people discuss classic alpine moderates in Colorado.
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EDJ Johnson
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May 30, 2013
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Eldorado Springs, Colorado
· Joined Sep 2011
· Points: 110
Mout Alice(RMNP) is my vote.. did it as my first alpine route at age 13. quality
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mark felber
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May 30, 2013
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Wheat Ridge, CO
· Joined Jul 2005
· Points: 41
Keyhole Ridge is an excellent route, but the crowds everywhere on Long's could interfere with the PDM aspect of things. N. Ridge of Spearhead is a great route in a beautiful setting. Ellingwood Arete is a great route, I recall the 5.7 section being pretty short. The road to South Colony Lakes was closed at 9950' a few years back, which might help keep the crowds down.
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Colonel Mustard
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May 30, 2013
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Sacramento, CA
· Joined Sep 2005
· Points: 1,241
Make it something disgusting and awful so you can keep on climbing with your bros, brah.
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Josh
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May 30, 2013
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Golden, CO
· Joined Jan 2006
· Points: 1,140
+1 for Spearhead North Ridge, and +1 for recommending against Notchtop as the first one due to the descent. It's true the bivy below Spearhead is one of the nicest in the Park. Glad you're thinking LATE June. In the early years, I pushed the season several times with my now-wife by trying to go for some of the classic alpine lines in early June. The result was hours of postholing in the woods, only to set up a tent and try to sleep through days of lightning hailstorms. At our wedding, someone joked about how we seemed to like hauling large amounts of metal and rope into remote campsites and then hauling it back out several days later without having left our tent. She still married me, so I guess no harm no foul. A recommendation for July, after the high passes have melted out: Hiamovi Tower. It's waaaay back there in the Indian Peaks, but the camping is gorgeous, the route is fun and easy (5.4, with a 5.7ish variation if you bring a piece of wide gear), and there are multiple escape options along the way. The hike down is nothing like the long talus hopping in the Park, and you will be the only people for miles. An underappreciated destination, IMHO.
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