Smith Rock Triple Crown and other crags

Making the dubious decision to spray a random idea I'm excited about on the MP forums... let's see how it goes... 

Got on Freedom at Smith last weekend (did not finish) and was reading about the history and thinking about other "big" Smith routes I've been on. Seems like there is an obvious Triple Crown (like in Yosemite, but way easier)... climb the three biggest faces by their hardest full length lines: Freedom on the Smith Rock Group, Astro Monkey on the Monkey, Abraxis on the Monument. All are 6 pitches and about 12- crux pitch. Who has sent them all? In a day? Someone strong (not me) should try them all in a day if not, it would be MEGA!

What are other obvious Triple Crowns in the PNW? WA Pass? Enchantments (I know Blake and Jens did a triple day up there)? Beacon? Darrington? Squamish? Seems like these are generally 3 big(est) features by full length routes, but whatever makes sense for a given crag.

Summitting all three Squamish Chief peaks in a day would be epic.

1st peak via: Grand Wall > Grand Finale

2nd peak via: Borderline > Angel's Crest > High Plains Drifter

3rd peak via: ??

or easier variations for mortals/easy to simul.

Ry C wrote:

3rd peak via: ??

Alaska Highway? Polaris? Which North Walls route is long and classic?

Sam Bedell wrote:

Alaska Highway? Polaris? Which North Walls route is long and classic?

Alaska Highway into The Calling maybe? I think that's classic, totally out of my paygrade, lmao.

A 5.10 version could be:

• 1st peak: Anything on the Apron > Squamish Buttress area (Rock On 10b > Ultimate Everything 10a or Squamish Buttress 10c)
• 2nd peak: Angel's Crest (10b)
• 3rd peak: Lower/Upper Parallel Passages? (10c) or North-North Arete (10a)

I think whatever area's Triple should adapt to the main style of climbing it is known for: big walls in Yosemite, long free routes in Squamish, classic sport routes at Smith, etc.

So for Smith maybe it would be To Bolt, Scarface and Badman in a day or something like that. Obviously it could be scaled to the individual, like 3 5.12s, 3 5.13s, or whatever, but your question got me wondering what single pitch link-up at Smith would be similar in difficulty to execute as the Yosemite triple.

Sam Bedell wrote:

Got on Freedom at Smith last weekend (did not finish) and was reading about the history and thinking about other "big" Smith routes I've been on. Seems like there is an obvious Triple Crown (like in Yosemite, but way easier)... climb the three biggest faces by their hardest full length lines: Freedom on the Smith Rock Group, Astro Monkey on the Monkey, Abraxis on the Monument. All are 6 pitches and about 12- crux pitch. Who has sent them all? In a day? Someone strong (not me) should try them all in a day if not, it would be MEGA!

I tried a similar thing a few years ago: Abraxis-NW Passage-Freedom.  Tried it twice and sent up to Freedom on the first and then bailed because it was cooking. (and we were worked) On the second attempt, I fell once on the North Face Crack and a handful of times on Freedom’s crux.  It’s definitely something that lingers in the back of the mind to clean up someday…

Edit to add: Picnic Lunch Wall or 5 Easy Pieces would be the obvious addition or substitution to the list, but I think I lack the firepower to get that done without more work than I’m probably willing to put into that kind of linkup. 

Ohhhhhhh I see what you are doing. A great idea for any area.

 For Goat Rock we could go counter clockwise. Warm up on Sunset Face, them move to the Pelican Arete and wrap up on Killer Crack!
If you started late in the afternoon, you could Triple Crown about 85 feet of climbing!!!!   

I’ve heard of crushers freeing Let it Burn, Dragons of Eden, and Der Sportsman in a day. Though they are not necessarily the tallest things in the area, three classic hard routes on cool formations in one of the most popular areas in Washington. 

Chuck Becker wrote:

So for Smith maybe it would be To Bolt, Scarface and Badman in a day or something like that. 

Karn sent Scarface, White Wedding and Badman in a day, circa 1990.

Brett Yost wrote:

Karn sent Scarface, White Wedding and Badman in a day, circa 1990.

Yeah well in 1976 I sent Super Slab, Cinnamon Slab and Spiderman in one day.

I did Acid Baby, Solid Gold, Outer Space in a day (20 ish hours, 20 ish miles)

If I recall from a previous forum, Max did CBR (west face?), Acid Baby, Solid Gold, Hyperspace in a day. 

Love Sam's idea for a Smith Rock Triple Crown!

I see your triple crown with lots of "Hard Man" routes and raise you the Smith Rock "Soft Man" all easy, bolted, multi-pitch: Friend's idea and we completed it earlier this year (summer solstice with a full moon which made for an epic end to the day). 

1. Wherever I May Roam

2. Skyridge (w/ diving board variation which went against the soft man ethos just a little)

3. Dirty Pinkos

4. Voyage of the Cowdog

Car to Car (w/ very long lunch break including well stocked charcuterie selection): 13 hours 

More of an endurance piece similar to Clayton’s, Jason HARDrath and I did the following (Smith Endurance Love Letter - SELL) in 2022:

25 guidebook pitches/11.2 miles/10hrs, 13m

Marsupials Traverse (5.7), Birds in a Rut (5.7), First Kiss (5.7), Sky Ridge (5.8), "West Tower" [SMG true summit] (5.4 A1).
All three Smith Rock High Points - Wombat, Misery, Smith Rock Group - a grand tour of Smith Rock.

https://fastestknowntime.com/route/smurpl-smith-rock-ultimate-ridge-peak-linkup

Yeah the soft man multi linkups at Smith are quite fun. I did a 42 guide book pitch day in 2017 and I know several people who do the jog-to-simul program with similar days. Lots of fun moderate multis to link but sadly they are rarely on the biggest features there… maybe someone needs to bolt vulture ridge all the way to Smith Rock Group’s true summit… it would for sure be a classic after the first 10,000 ascents clean it up! 

Sam Bedell wrote:

I did a 42 guide book pitch day in 2017 and I know several people who do the jog-to-simul program with similar days.

Make sure you all submit your random linkups so that you can claim an FKT!!!!  Bonus points if it's an arbitrary linkup of random things so you don't have any competition and people are unlikely to repeat it.

On the topic of summiting all 3 peaks of the Stawamus Chief in Squamish: 

Far too many climbers finish Squamish Buttress or Butt Lite/Buttface and consider that topping out on First Peak. NO! You have not topped out on First Peak! You are still significantly below the summit. 

You have to do one of the climbs at Raven's Castle, ideally Ladies First 5.10a or Whatever 5.10d as those two climbs have you topping out closest to the summit point, and, in front of the greatest number of hikers chilling out on First Peak. 

In terms of quality the guidebook gives Joe's Dyke 5.7 4 stars, but I strongly disagree. Talking Crack 5.7 is a better climb.

When I used to train in Leavenworth, it was Damnation Crack to Easter Overhang to Rollercoaster Chimney. The wide tour of Castle/Midnight rock.

My favorite softboi linkup in Leavenworth I call the Five Six. Five of Leavenworth 5.6 multipitch. 

R&D

Tree route

Stump route

Groundhog day

Canadians on horseback 

Full length routes on LTW, UTW, The diamond?

Could be done at about 11b

IJMayer wrote:

Full length routes on LTW, UTW, The diamond?

Could be done at about 11b

Would these be the easiest?

LTW: Godzilla-CP-SC-TS 

UTW: DHLA

Diamond: HBFG (does this count as full length?)

That’s what I was thinking as the easiest option.