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The following is a brief overview of some of the alpine routes I have done and my comments and recommendations. For grades, I have listed french alpine grades according to the current guidebooks (BC and Europe) or provided a grade based on other nearby areas using alpine grades (i.e. North Cascades). Where I felt the guidebook grade was not accurate, I have included my suggested grade in brackets. Route length is generally the elevation gain of the technical climbing and does not include the approach.
Note that alpine grades for European and North American climbs cannot always be easily compared, as the european grades tend to weigh technical difficulty more, while the north american grades tend to give more weight to commitment / objective hazard.
| Anderson River Group | ||||
| Yak Peak | Yak-Check * | D- | 5.10a | 650m |
| An aesthetic peak obviously visible from the Coquihalla highway. Generally good climbing though variable rock. Mostly fixed belays. | ||||
| Ibex | East Ridge * | AD+ | 5.9 | 300m |
| A long approach for a relatively short climb to a fine summit. Generally good climbing, with fine views on the nearby peaks. We were caught by a surprise storm which rolled in quickly while we were napping on the summit. | ||||
| Bugaboos | ||||
| Pigeon Spire | East Ridge *** | PD+ | low 5th | 300m |
| A classic moderate route on near perfect granite with fine views of the surrounding spires. | ||||
| Bugaboo Spire | North-East Ridge *** | D- | 5.8 | 450m |
| An excellent and classic route. A long summit traverse and descent make this a longer route than it might first appear. Don't expect solitude. | ||||
| Eastpost Spire | McTech Arete ** | D- | 5.10a | 250m |
| A short technical route near the applebee dome campsite. | ||||
| Snowpatch Spire | Snowpatch Route ** | D- | 5.8 | 450m |
| A long route, mostly at a moderate grade but with a fine situation high above the crescent glacier. Many variations are possible. | ||||
| Coast Mountains | ||||
| Ashlu | South Face (attempt) | D- | 5.10- | 300m |
| Our first attempt was fouled by bad weather, our second by melting ice and bad routefinding. In general excellend highly compact rock. Often difficult to protect. | ||||
| Bardean | NE Buttress ** | AD+ (D-) | 5.8 | 700m |
| A long route, with a long approach and a long descent. We found the route more technical than the guide suggested. Generally good climbing. Bardean and the surrounding peaks of the Chehalis area offer some of the best long technical alpine rock walls in southwest BC. | ||||
| Vienese | East Ridge * | AD | low 5th | 400m |
| Mt Matier | Northwest Face * | AD | ice | 350m |
| Crown Mountain | Widowmaker Arete * | AD+ | 5.9 | 500m |
| Mostly moderate ridge scrambling with a few pitches to 5.9 on the upper headwalls. A bit scruffy down low, but generally good rock higher up. The headwall pitches are easier than they first appear. | ||||
| Habrich | Life On Earth * | D | 5.10 | 300m |
| Technical climbing though generally well protected (cracks or bolted face/slab). Rock is good but not great. suprisingly well travelled considering the approach | ||||
| Habrich | Solar System * | D | 5.10 | 300m |
| Similar climbing to Life on Earth, less technical though more committing. Rock occasionally less than ideal. | ||||
| North Cascades | ||||
| Slesse | NE Buttress ** | TD- | 5.9 | 800m |
| A classic and aesthetic line up the soaring NE butress. My first attempt ended half way up in a snowstorm when my partner dislocated a finger by falling onto a fingerlock. A year later we returned in mid fall after the pocket glacier had slid and had better success. The lower half of the route can be unpleasant if wet. A very long day car to car with close to 2000m total elevation gain and descent. | ||||
| North Nesakwatch Spire | North Ridge | PD | low 5th | 200m |
| An easy scramble to the summit of the northernmost spire. I'd only recommend this as part of a link up of the two Nesakwatch spires followed by Rexford | ||||
| North Nesakwatch Spire | West Ridge * | AD+ | 5.9 | 250m |
| A more technical alternative to the N ridge. Generally good climbing. | ||||
| South Nesakwatch Spire | Northwest Face ** | D- | 5.10- | 250m |
| A line on the NW face following cracks and chimneys to the shoulder of the North ridge. We climbed it summer 2003, it may have shared some pitches with a line climbed summer 2002, not sure. we started way left up a stellar finger and hand crack only to be stimied by an unavoidable refrigerator sized block which rocked back and forth whenever you touched it. in the end we made a rather indirect traverse to reach the cracks/chimney system about a quarter of the way up the wall. | ||||
| South Nesakwatch Spire | North Ridge * | AD- | mid 5th | 250m |
| Good rock, mostly a scramble though the final summit block is ~6m if 5,7 offwidth. No anchor on top of the block, best is to simulrap. | ||||
| Rexford | West Ridge (variation finish ) | AD- | 5.9 | 250m |
| Most of the ridge is a simple scramble, but the final headwall offers some good steep cracks. The normal route traverse on the north and keeps the grade to 4th/low 5th. | ||||
| Prussik Peak | South Face *** | D | 5.10- | 250m |
| A stout line on perfect rock on the south face of this picturesque peak. Easily justifies the long approach. Permits required to bivi. | ||||
| Prussik Peak | W Ridge ** | AD- | 5.7 | 250m |
| Another fine line on this stunning peak surrounded by beautiful alpine lakes and summits. Much more accessible than the south face. | ||||
| Ingalls Peak | E Ridge | PD+ | 5.7 | 300m |
| Mostly a fun scramble on good rock with a couple tricky sections to 5.7. (solo) | ||||
| Liberty Bell | Becky Route | PD | mid 5th | 150m |
| South Early Winter Spire | Direct E Buttress ** | D+ | 5.11 | 400m |
| Mostly 5.8-5.10 crack work with two bolts ladders which can be free climbed at 5.11. | ||||
| South Early Winter Spire | E Shoulder | AD | 5.8 | 250m |
| A relatively moderate route following broken cracks. | ||||
| North Early Winter Spire | W Face ** | D- | 5.10+ | 200m |
| Mostly excellent crack climbing with a stiff thin crack crux. | ||||
| Rockies, Selkirks and Tetons | ||||
| Edith Cavell | E Ridge ** | AD+ | low 5th | 1000m |
| A long, mostly moderate route on generally excellent quartzite. Given the altitude, it is often a mix of rock and snow climbing. The preferred descent is to reverse the route as the alternative (west) descent involves a ~10km hike to reach the car. | ||||
| Sir Donald | NW Ridge *** | D- | low 5th | 700m |
| A long ridge of sustained but never difficult rock climbing. The descent (reversing the route) is often even longer. Beware - the character of the route can change significantly if it is icy however. | ||||
| Grand Teton | Complete Exum Ridge *** | D | 5.7 | 700m |
| A fantastic route on excellent rock to a high summit which dominates the surrounding plains. The lower (direct or 'complete exum') section is generally steep with featured rock and plentiful holds while the upper ridge is more moderate. Watch for thunderstorms... | ||||
France
| Massif Des Ecrins | ||||
| Aguille Dibona | Voie Madier *** | TD (TD-) | 6a+ | 400m |
| An obvious line direct from the hut to the summit of this stunning aguille. Although the route is mostly sustained at IV+/V-, we found the climbing generally very easy except for the burly 'Fissure Madier' pitch which would be considered textbook 5.9+ in North America... | ||||
| Mont Blanc Massif | ||||
| Premiere piliere des nantillons | Amazonia/Guy-Anne*** | TD+ | 6a+ | 350m |
| An excellent route. We had an adventurous day after dropping the (out of print) topo on the 3rd pitch and mixed the two routes. Most of the difficulties high on the route are avoidable (if you still have the topo...) | ||||
| Tour Verte | La Piege *** | TD+ | 6a+ | 200m |
| A short but relatively sustained and very strenuous route only a 15 minute hike from the refuge des Envers des Aguilles. Excellent rock and beautiful cracks. | ||||
| Eperon des Cosmiques | Rebuffat ** | TD- | V+/6a | 120m |
| A short but sweet route easily accessible from the Aiguille du Midi cable car. | ||||
| Aiguilles Rouges | ||||
| Aiguille de la Gliere | South Arete *** | (D+) | V (6a ) | 400m |
| An excellent climb with stunning views on the Mont Blanc massif. The climbing is mostly IV/V- on excellent gniess with a few scrambly bits between the steep sections. Most of the cruxes are avoidable but well worth the effort, particularly the final 6a on the summit tower. | ||||
| Les Aravis | ||||
| La Mamule | Tonneau des Danaides* | (equipped) | 6b | 300m |
| A fully equipped limestone sport climb. Not too sustained, but the route offers many pitches of fine climbing and excellent views. The stated grade is for the alternate finish (recommended). | ||||
Switzerland
| Arolla | ||||
| Aguilles de la Tsa (via Dent du Tsalion) | E Face / W Ridge** | AD+ | IV+ | 700m |
| A link up of the 650m west ridge of the Dent du Tsalion (from Tsa hut) followed by a snow traverse to the east face of the Aguille de la Tsa. Generally very good rock, delightful exposure and moderate climbing, If the ridge crest is followed directly expect climbing up to IV+, though most difficulties can be avoided. | ||||
