Top 50 classic routes in North America

#1 - Nooksack Tower

#2 - North Face of Index

#3 - J-Berg

The triple crown of awesomeness.   You get a free pair of carhartt overalls and a pair of garden gloves upon completion.

50 Classics was a nice coffee table book that provided some good stories and some OK, Good and Great routes. It was perhaps an American spin on the well loved Brittish books by Ken Wilson: Classic Rock and Hard Rock. 

However, even when 50 Classics came out in 1979, more than a few climbers thought it out-of-date and not reflective of what were then considered "Classics."  

We are now 43 years out from 50 Classics, and the number of climbs and great climbs that have been established in that time are huge. Any current list(s) -- even limited by grade range -- might be vastly or completely different. 

Still, that 50 Classics is still debated and discussed says a great deal about its enduring power to inspire.

Let's use the power of the MP crowd to create a modern Top 50 list, but let's make it by rock type, and have a 25 Classic and 25 Most Horrific climbs. 

Daniel Chode Rider wrote:

Let's use the power of the MP crowd to create a modern Top 50 list, but let's make it by rock type, and have a 25 Classic and 25 Most Horrific climbs. 

I've tried...

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/122024414/50-worst-climbs-of-north-america

1) Southeast Buttress, Cathedral Peak. John Muir climbed it

No he didn’t. He went up the backside and ate some stale bread on top.

Im always surprised Durrance made the list (I know the history). Ive only done three routes (Durrance, Bon Homme Variation and El Cracko) on the tower and Durrance was the worst of the three. Im sure many I havent done are also better (like one way sunset, soler, etc.). With so many amazing multipitch crack climb on such a unique peak, if rewriting the book, Id switch which DT route makes the list.

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

No he didn’t. He went up the backside and ate some stale bread on top.

He still made it to the summit and wrote about it. This doesn't disqualify it from being on the list.

Jake wander wrote:

Im always surprised Durrance made the list (I know the history). Ive only done three routes (Durrance, Bon Homme Variation and El Cracko) on the tower and Durrance was the worst of the three. Im sure many I havent done are also better (like one way sunset, soler, etc.). With so many amazing multipitch crack climb on such a unique peak, if rewriting the book, Id switch which DT route makes the list.

El Matador.

He still made it to the summit and wrote about it. This doesn't disqualify it from being on the list.

Agreed, it’s in!

My favorites list::

the Lotus Flower Tower

Becky Chouinard South Howser Tower Bugaboos

NE Ridge Bugaboo Spire

the Nose, El Cal, Yosemite

Pacific Ocean Wall, El Cap Yosemite

Stoners Highway, Middle Cathedral Yosemite 

 Central Pillar of Frenzy, Middle Cathedral Yosemite

The Casual Route, Diamond of Longs Peak

Culp Bossier, Hallet Peak

Petite Grapon, Rocky Mountain National Park

Tulgy Woods, Devils Tower

Arching Jams, Peiricle Pikes Peak

Super Slab, Eldorado Canyon

kor Ingals, Castleton Tower

Book of Saturday, Notch Peak

Indecent Exposure, Hueco Tanks

Optical Promise, Hueco Tanks

Amplified Heat, Hueco Tanks

Pigs to Pork, Hueco Tanks

Sea of Holes, Hueco Tanks

Tooth or Consequences, Organ Mountains

Fear of Flying, Enchanted Rock

The Gravitron, Enchanted Rock

Stranger Than Friction, Enchanted Rock

Wolf’s Head, Cirque of the Towers Wind Rivers

Disappointment Cleaver, Mt Rainer

 Not 50, but all classics!

Michael Rush wrote:

Roper’s 50 list and the consensus of star ratings here on MP are going to be your best sources. I doubt many will chime in with their own lists. Way to sneak that spray in though.

I went and climbed the Northeast face of pingora and the East ridge of wolfs head in Wyoming after posting this. I want to climb classic routes not trying to spray just looking for classic route suggestions 

Gumby King wrote:

IRRC, based on their criteria: 1) Significant Summit/Peak, 2) Historical Significance, and 3) Climbing Quality

I'm surprised that these are not on the list:

1) Southeast Buttress, Cathedral Peak. John Muir climbed it and it's a very striking peak with good climbing.
2) The Trough, Tahquitz. This was the 5.0 for the YDS. Striking peak and the quality is pretty good for the grade.
3) The Open Book, Tahquitz. Lead on Wooden Pitons, striking summit, and the "first" 5.9 in North America to be freed.
4) Nutcracker, Yosemite. Like seriously... how is this not on the list and Royal Arches and Travelers Buttress is!? Climbing history and quality is rich with this one.
5) Regular Route, High Cathedral Spire, Yosemite. BITD if you wanted to be "somebody" this was the Test Piece! Hell of a striking summit as well and I've heard this is the largest spire in NA (Not sure if it's true...).

Honorable Mentions:
6) Matthes Crest, Yosemite. I think should have been considered I do not know if there is any historical significance.
7) Owen Spalding, Grand Teton. I recently heard that American Mountain Guiding more or less started at the Tetons (no clue if this is true or completely biased).
8) Seneca, WV.  This fin is mind-blowing for the East Coast and is rich with climbing history.  During WWII the military used this as a training ground for a potential invasion into Italy.

I went up the Owen Spaulding route and summited the grand in 2018 and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life but the technical  climbing is very limit and feels more like an adventure