UKC

Chris McNamara founder of the guidebook company and website Supertopo.com is thinking of compiling and publishing a US classic climbs book and has published the provisional list on his Supertopo.com forums for comment.

Even if he doesn't go ahead, he has yet to decide, this is some 'tick' list an...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

ALASKA
Alaska Range Eye Tooth Dream in the Spirit of Mugs - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=akeywpil
Alaska Range Mt. Barrill Cobra Pillar - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=akbacobr
Alaska Range Denali Cassin Ridge - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=akdecass
Alaska Range Denali West Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=akdewbut
Alaska Range Royal Tower Gargoyle Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=akrogarg

ARIZONA
Cochise Stronghold Chochise Dome What's My Line
Cochise Stronghold Sheepshead Peacemaker
Granite Mountain?

CALIFORNIA
Calaveras Dome Calaveras Dome Wall of the Worlds
Calaveras Dome Calaveras Dome Sands of Time (w/ Silk Road Bonus)
High Sierra Whitney East Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=hiwhebut
High Sierra Mt. Russell Mithral Dihedral - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=hirumith
High Sierra Clyde Minaret Southeast Face
High Sierra Temple Crag Sun Ribbon Arete - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=hitesunr
High Sierra Incredible Hulk Positive Vibrations - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=hiinposi
High Sierra Keeler Needle Harding Route - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=hikehard
Idyllwild Tahquitz Mechanic's Route
Idyllwild Tahquitz Open Book
Idyllwild Tahquitz Vampire
Lover's Leap Main Wall Corrugation Corner - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=lomacorr
Lover's Leap East Wall The Line - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=loealine
Lover's Leap East Wall Travelers Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=lomatrav
Needles Witche's Needle Igor Unchained/Airy Interlude
Needles Sorcerer Needle Thin Ice
Needles- Kern River Voodoo Dome White Punks on Dope
Tuolumne Fairview Dome Regular Route - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=tufaregu
Tuolumne Cathedral Peak Southeast Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=tucasout
Tuolumne Mathest Crest Traverse from South to North - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=tumctrav
Tuolumne Mt. Conness West Ridge - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=tucowest
Yosemite Washington Column Astroman - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yowaastr
Yosemite El Capitan East Buttress
Yosemite Higher Cathedral Rock Northeast Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yohcnort
Yosemite Half Dome Regular Northwest Face - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=ybharegu
Yosemite Royal Arches Royal Arches - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yoraroya
Yosemite El Capitan Salathé Wall - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=ybelsala
Yosemite Half Dome Snake Dike - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yohasnak
Yosemite El Capitan The Nose - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=ybelnose
Mt Shasta North Side Hotum Bolum Ridge
Castle Crags The Ogre (Mt. Hubris) Cosmic Wwall

COLORADO
Black Canyon National Monument North Chasm View Nose The Cruise (Scenic Cruise)
Boulder Third Flatiron East Face
Colorado National Monument Independence Monument Otto's Route
Eldorodo Canyon Bastille Crack
Eldorodo Canyon Redgarden Wall Naked Edge
Eldorodo Canyon Redgarden Wall Yellow Spur
Rocky Mtn. National Park Mt. Ypsilon Blitzen Ridge,
Rocky Mtn. National Park Diamond Casual Route
Rocky Mtn. National Park Hallett Peak Culp-Bossier route
Rocky Mtn. National Park Mt. Meeker Flying Buttress
Rocky Mtn. National Park Petit Grepon South Face
Rocky Mtn. National Park Syke's Sickle, Spearhead
Rocky Mtn. National Park Diamond, Casual Route
Sangre de Cristo Range Crestone Needle Ellingwood Ledges
Sangre de Cristo Range Kit Carson Peak South Prow
Sawatch Range La Plata Peak Ellingwood Ridge
South Platte Sheep's Nose Lost in Space
South Platte Helen's Dome-Acid Rock-Sheep Rock Tour de Platte
South Platte Cynical Pinnacle Wunches Dihedral
Hallet's Peak, Culp Bossier
The Petit Grepon


IDAHO
Sawtooth Mountains Elephant's Perch Mountaineer's Route
McCall Slick Rock Regular Route

NEVADA
Red Rocks Cloud Tower Crimson Chrysalis - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=reclcrim
Red Rocks Black Velvet Canyon Dream of Wild Turkeys (include Prince and Yellow) - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=rebldrea
Red Rocks Rainbow Wall Original Route
Red Rocks Black Velvet Canyon Epinephrine - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=reblepin
Red Rocks Eagle Wall Levitation 29 - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=reealevi
Red Rocks Solar Slab - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=resosols
Red Rocks Nightcrawler

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Cannon Cliff Cannon Cliff VMC Direct Direct
Cannon Cliff Cannon Cliff Whitney-Gilman
Cathedral Ledge Cathedral Ledge Thin Air
Cathedral Ledge Cathedral Ledge Recompense
Whitehorse Ledge Whitehorse Ledge Standard Route
Whitehorse Ledge Whitehorse Ledge

NEW MEXICO
Questa Dome Questa Dome Questa Direct

NEW YORK
Gunks High Exposure (Directissima Var.)
Gunks Shockley's Ceiling
Gunks Erect Direction
Gunks Bonnies Roof

NORTH CAROLINA
Looking Glass Looking Glass Cornflake
Looking Glass Looking Glass Glass Minagerie
Stone Mountain State Park Stone Mountains Grand Funk Railroad
Whitesides Whitesides Original Route

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

OREGON
Smith Rocks Monkey's Face Pioneer Route - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=smmopion
Smith Rocks Monkey's Face West Face Variation
Smith Rocks Sunshine Wall Zebra/Zion - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=smmgzebr

UTAH
Castle Valley Castleton Tower North Face
Castle Valley Castleton Tower Kor Ingalls - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=decakori
Castle Valley The Rectory Fine Jade - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=derefine
Canyonlands Moses Primrose Dihedrals - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=demoprim
Canyonlands Standing Rock Kor Route
Fisher Towers Ancient Art Stolen Chimney Route - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=deanstol
Fisher Towers Titan Finger of Fate - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=detifing
Zion Moonlight Buttress Moonlight Buttress - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=zianmoon
Zion Angel's Landing Lowe Route

WASHINGTON
North Cascades Liberty Bell Mountain Liberty Crack - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwlilibe
North Cascades Liberty Bell Mountain Thin Red Line - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwlithin
Northwest Volcanoes Mt. Rainier Liberty Ridge
Leavenworth Snow Creek Wall Outer Space - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwsnoute
Stuart Range Colchuck Balanced Rock West Face - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwcowfac
Stuart Range Dragontail Peak Backbone Ridge with Fin Direct - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwdrback
Stuart Range Prusik Peak South Face - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwprsfac
Stuart Range Mt. Stuart Complete North Ridge - http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=nwstnrid
Index Town Wall?

WEST VIRGINIA
Seneca Rocks?

WYOMING
Devils Tower Durrance Route
Devils Tower Walt Bailey Memorial
Tetons Grand Teton Direct Exum Ridge
Tetons Mt. Owen Serendipity Ridge
Tetons Irene's Arete
Tetons Cathedral Rock The Snaz
Tetons Caveat Emptor
Wind Rivers Wolf's Head East Ridge
Wind Rivers Ellingwood Peak North Aréte
Wind Rivers Pingora Northeast Face

MAINE
Katahdin Armadillo Buttress

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: there is climbing in New York? GF keeps asking me to go, i now may consider it!

In reply to Jimbo MSider:

Gunks (New Palz http://www.gunks.com/ ) and further to the north, the Adirondacks.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Isn't there already a "50 most classic/crowded" book out there?

In reply to Mick B:

Read the news report.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=10&year=2008#n45409

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Don't think I've been on Erect Direction but the three others in the Gunks (NY) are truly classics. High E is my favorite. http://www.uc.edu/geology/geologylist/gunks1.jpg

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

What strikes me is the conservative (small c) nature of the list. It seems as if it is trying to be Classic, Hard and Extreme Rock in one book - probably potential sales driven - having Astroman (UK E4/5) and Shockley's Ceiling (VS) in the same list is a bit of an eye opener. (Incidentally Bill Shockley who put up the route was one of the three inventors of the transistor).

Not a lot of the modern classics - Moonflower Buttress for example, nothing from Kichatna. What about the Smith Rock sports routes that were a big influence in the current direction of US climbing. Nothing from the New River Gorge or many of the other newer areas. Finger of Fate on the Titan should sort the men from the boys

Does look like a rehash of the original list rather than a fresh start.

ALC

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Rocky Mtn. National Park Diamond, Casual Route is down twice. He may have meant a second route on the Diamond - Yellow Wall?

In reply to Simon Lee:

It's a provisional list.

Chris is asking for feedback and has visited this thread.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I think he should be looking at splitting the list (remember Ken had 4 lists and we have no alpine stuff in the UK). Certainly combining classic moderates with really tricky stuff is not ideal. Nice to see I've done a few of the easiest ones though

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

11/100 ... almost 12/100. Was that the question?

In reply to tobyfk:

I was waiting for someone to start!

1/100 with designs on a few more.

In reply to Tyler: Well I've only spent 2 days climbing in the US and I've got 2. Can anyone beat 1 for every day's US climbing?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Personally I didn't really rate these two that highly compared with other routes in the same areas.

1. Tuolumne Fairview Dome Regular Route

2. Yosemite Royal Arches Royal Arches



I'd be inclined to include Crest Jewel with the direct start on North Dome as it's just so different from other routes.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I wouldn't have Snake Dyke on the list, and I would have Dark Shadows at Red Rocks.

Also, Amazing Face at Boy Scout Rocks, Mount Diablo, CA.

In reply to Hugh Cottam:

If it's the same Hugh Cottam, I enjoyed East Buttress of Middle Cathedral that day several years ago!

In reply to tobyfk:
At least 10, plus initial pitches of 5 others. That's a pretty good failure rate, I think you'd agree.

In reply to Hugh Cottam:
Hi Hugh. I'd agree about both routes, especially Royal Arches, which wanders contrivedly and vegetatedly, and lacks interest or quality. It exemplifies one of the problems with the whole list: too many routes of historical interest, and/or the longest routes in the area regardless of quality.

Plus, the Durrance? Bastille Crack? Those Lovers' Leap routes, etc etc? Predictable nods to the besuited publishing accountant. Where's the new goods, the stuff that makes you want to get out there again (without going to Alaska)?

In reply to Jimbo MSider: there are the boulders in central park too.... like dumbie, but less graffiti and smaller boulders

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I have only done Irenes Arete in the Tetons and thought it was a fantastic climb but having nothing to compare it to I can't say if it is one of the 100 best. I would give it 3stars though.

In reply to jhenryb:

I really enjoyed Royal Arches and found it much more interesting than I expected, partly as the easier pitches were bold (like the upper slabs) or awkward (like the chimney start). I can forgive wandering lines for finding such an easy way up such a big cliff. Really if it wasn't for the overall experience being rather 'wow' I'd say it was more a HS (4c) than VS equivalent.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
The only 2 I've done are Cathedral Peak and Matthes Crest, and those were 2 of my best ever climbing days so no disagreement from me
Cathedral Peak really needs to be combined with Eichorn Pinnacle for maximum wow factor.

I'd love to see "Figures on a Landscape", J-Tree in there somewhere.