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Coolest Features to Climb in North America

Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

Twin Owls at Lumpy!!!

Chuck Parks · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 2,190
Snowpatch Spire should be on the list.
Ed kelly · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Have to agree with devil's tower.
South ridge of mt. Gimli.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Castle Rock Spire ......

eli poss · · Durango, CO · Joined May 2014 · Points: 525

South Face of Half Dome

David B · · Denver, CO · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 205
Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
christoph benells wrote:Lotus flower tower mt. huntington ak high exposure/gunks incredible hulk polar circus
One of those just doesn't belong!
Seriously, High Ex is arguably the most overrated climb in North America. There are much better climbs in the Gunks at that same grade. But there's also nothing in the Gunks that deserves to be on this list.
mtc · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 15
Allen Sanderson wrote: Yes, it does (several in Oregon). Some are lake stacks (Turnip Rock). There are stacks in Canada and Mexico.
Fair enough. The Oregon coast stacks are chossy but pretty.
Rockaway Beach sea stacks.

Bandon Beach stacks.
Here's the tallest vertical cliff in North America:
The Tolkeinesque Thor Peak on Baffin Island.
Mike · · Phoenix · Joined May 2006 · Points: 2,615

Great list so far! I would add Keeler Needle , El Gigante , and North Six-Shooter Peak

Eric Chabot · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 45

Notch peak north face, west desert of UT

christoph benells · · tahoma · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 306
Marc801 wrote: One of those just doesn't belong! Seriously, High Ex is arguably the most overrated climb in North America. There are much better climbs in the Gunks at that same grade. But there's also nothing in the Gunks that deserves to be on this list.
it's rated #4 top classic here on mountain project...

you have to see the entire picture buddy, its not just a grade or the wildest cliff.
Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
christoph benells wrote: isn't it rated like #1 or #2 here on mountain project? you have to see the entire picture buddy, its not just a grade or the wildest cliff.
I maintain that quality rating is wrong.
The *only* thing that makes High E semi-interesting is the last pitch that goes up improbable terrain for the rating. The first two pitches basically suck.
I climbed in the Gunks from 1972-2000. I did High E only three times - my first time on the route I led it, and that was after having done Directissima. The second time was long enough after the first to have forgotten most of the route other than the crux. The third time was kinda forced on me by a visiting friend.
BTW, the visiting friend thought Middle Earth, Madam G's, Limelight, and Disneyland were all much higher quality climbs. Disneyland was still rated 5.5 at the time and Limelight was a 5.6.
Like I said, wildly overrated and not that interesting.
vincent L. · · Redwood City · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 560

Don't forget Ironman Traverse, it's classic.

Greg DeMatteo · · W. Lebanon, NH · Joined May 2007 · Points: 315
christoph benells wrote: it's rated #4 top classic here on mountain project... you have to see the entire picture buddy, its not just a grade or the wildest cliff.
I think the big picture is probably that it's 5.6 and close to New York City ;-)
bus driver · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 1,516

The twin sisters at the city of rocks

RandyR · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 40
Marc801 wrote: One of those just doesn't belong! Seriously, High Ex is arguably the most overrated climb in North America. There are much better climbs in the Gunks at that same grade. But there's also nothing in the Gunks that deserves to be on this list.
I don't know about that...you don't think that Yellow Wall or Fat City Direct belongs on this list?
Limpingcrab DJ · · Middle of CA · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 1,055

Coolest features, as in pieces of rock, not coolest climbs. The gunks have cool climbs but from a distance it's not exactly an awe inspiring feature.

I'll go with my Sierra Nevada bias and say castle rock spire.

Lotus flower tower has to be a contender for the lead.

Mark Dalen · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 1,002

Shiprock ...

Henryluedtke · · Wisconsin · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 15

The Finger of Fate and the Elephants Perch in the Sawtooths. Warbonnet and Sundance in the Cirque of the towers. Locations I would also describe as Tolkienesque.

T340 · · Idaho · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 5

The Diamond. The Elephants Perch. The north face of North Twin(Canada).

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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