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climberdee
Jun 30, 2002, 6:51 PM
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I am wondering what is the longest, moderate (5.5 - 5. trad climb in the U.S.? Royal Arches (5.7) in Yosemite is at least 14 pitches. Any others over the 10 pitch range that anyone has found to be enjoyable and worth doing? Am especially interested in those that are more backcountry and remote.
Climberdee
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smithclimber
Jun 30, 2002, 9:03 PM
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Tenaya Peak, Matthes Crest, West Ridge of Mt. Conness, and Regular Route on Fairview Dome. All of these are in Tuolomne.
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crackaddict
Jun 30, 2002, 9:22 PM
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Hey Donna,
Besides the Sierras.
Go to Red Rocks
Solar Slab 5.6 in Red Rocks is a fun moderate multi pitch. 14 pitches of cool views and climbing.
Crimson Chrysalis 5.8+ , 9 pitch. Not as long as you are looking for but is one of the
best climbs of its grade in Red Rocks.
Both have a hike and will give you a feel of backcountry.
Lots of long moderates in Red Rocks to enjoy.
But the cream of the crop in Red Rocks is
Epinephrine 5.9, 18 pitch.
Have'nt done it yet but I hear it is one of the best.
[ This Message was edited by: crackaddict on 2002-06-30 14:28 ]
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jgorris
Jun 30, 2002, 9:34 PM
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A good resource for remote Sierra moderates is: Sierra Classics by Moynier and Fiddler.
In Yosemite Valley (not exactly remote) but neverthless worth doing is:
East Buttress of El Capitan
5.10b or 5.9 A0
Warning: long beta follows. Note: the following beta is from my journal dated in the early 90's so your mileage my vary.
Gear: "standard Yosemite rack" including one wide piece. I can't imagine doing it without two skinny ropes.
Park at the one of the pullouts below SE face of El Cap. Approach via talus working up and right towards the E Buttress. Work your way up to the base of the SE face and traverse until you reach a bushy tree'ed ledge. Directly above you is the East But.
The place I start is actually at a ledge/ tree about 10-15ft above what some call a 4th class scramble but I'd call it class five. Whatever.
Pitch 1: 5.9
Crack-corner-chimney There is decent protection in the cracks and flakes throughout this pitch. You chimney a bit in the lower part and eventualy stem the upper part to reach a belay stance good for one. Anchor used to be a bunch of pins.
Pitch 2: 510.b or 5.9A0
A few feet right of the belay starts a short section of thin face climbing protected by a piton driven into a seam. There is a one/two finger lock in the seam below the piton (sometimes hidden by hanging tattered webbing). Crank this (5.10) to reach a 5.9 groove/crack or grab the tattered webbing and yard (that'd be the A0). The 5.9 groove peters out at a tree from which you can belay if you really want to. Red ants live in this tree so I advise moving up on the blocky 4th class section beyond this tree and find another belay spot, combining pitch 2 and 3.
Pitch 3: 4th class
Move up and left a bit to find another small tree which is below an obvious face/arete. (In case you have the old Yosemite Guide, this face is pictured showing Willi Unsoeld climbing)
Pitch 4: 5.6
Step out on the the face and move up and left on easy, yet highly exposed face. There is not a great deal of protection here, a couple of really old pins and maybe you can urge some small wires in. A classic airy face and arete climb in a magnificent setting. The arete "tops out" to a poor bolt and some loose 3rd class ledges. Move the belay up to the base of the "grassy cracks".
Pitches 5-6: 5.7 - 5.8
Follow discontinuous cracks past some loose blocky sections. This part of the route can be running with water, especially after rain
or when winds blow Horsetail falls across the route. Near the top of the second of these two pitches, there is a blocky overhang which requires an awkward little 5.8 mantle move to surmount. This will bring you to a small ledge good for two, on the very prow of the Buttress.
Pitch 7: 5.9
From here there is a finger/hand crack system leading out up and left. There is a large loose block near the beginning which you must move very carefully past. Pro is OK when you can let go of the crack to place it . The old books says "many fixed pins" but I don't recall seeing more than one. After going left for 20-30 feet, you go around a bulge at the base of a left facing corner, the "alcove". You may belay here or as I do, continue up the corner. The crack in the corner widens as you go up until it is a sporty offwidth. A # 4 Camalot is handy here. Two ways to go: continue up the offwidth to the top of the alcove or: I go up the corner until I can get the #4 in with a double length runner on it. Then I downclimb until I can step left out on the face (5.9) and face climb past the offwidth W(5.9) to a poor bolt. Near the bolt there is place to build a hanging belay, or continue up the face to join the top of the alcove where there is another belay below a small overhang.
Pitch 8: 5.6
From here you move out up and left on slightly polished knobs. Really nice. Slightly run-out. The face eventually leads to a nice belay spot good for two.
Pitch 9: 5.7
From this belay, traverse right about thirty feet. Totally spectacular and scarey. The traverse crosses two thick, white flakes which appear to be ready to cut loose at any moment. There is at least one pin protecting the traverse but you can also get good gear in. However, don't put a lot of gear in because at the end of the traverse the route turns straight up and you might end up ith rope drag of epic proportions. Leading on two skinny ropes helps here. So after you traversed to the second large white flake, go slightly past then step out and begin face climbing straight up on a steep knobby face (5.7) Take a moment to check your position here. We're talking mega-exposure.
The face continues straight up and "tops out" to some small broken ledges.
Pitch 10-13: 5.7
The next few pitches go fast and easy over intermitent cracks and some low angle face.
Some of it, especially just after the 5.7 knobby face, has lots of loose rock. Near the top there is a huge house-sized block which I pass on my left. Past that there is class 4 and class 3 scrambling to top out. From here traverse right to get to the East Ledge descent.
[ This Message was edited by: jgorris on 2002-06-30 14:52 ]
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clymber
Jun 30, 2002, 9:58 PM
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There is a 9000' 63 pitch 5.9R traverse in the Gunks. I havet done it yet just because I cant find a partner. If you wanna do it with me let me know Ill be there. Thik it would best to do it during the week in the fall or spring
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tim
Jun 30, 2002, 10:01 PM
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The aforementioned Matthes Crest and Fairview Dome (Regular Route) are fantastic moderate routes. I also like the long route that goes up the spine of Magician Needle (Magic Dragon) which is 12 pitches of mostly easy stuff with a few moves of 5.7-5.8 thrown in for fun. Charlotte Dome (South Face) is ostensibly 5.7 but I was leading low 5.10's when I tried climbing it and got stumped... very tough route finding.
I believe Bear Creek Spire is a 12- or 14-pitch route that goes around 5.8, and there's some other route with a chimney on it that goes at 5.9+ near Bishop. Not the Smokestack but I'm blocking on the name -- it's in Fiddler's book. Great beta I know ... there's a lifetime's worth of such routes in the Sierra Nevada.
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sparky
Jun 30, 2002, 10:17 PM
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there is a 5.6 on the flatirons that is around 10 pitches
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climberdee
Jun 30, 2002, 10:28 PM
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Thanks for the replies so far.
Crackaddict...thanks for the reminder about Vegas.
Jgorris...Wow! That sounds cool. Thanks for the detailed beta.
Keep the routes coming in...what is the longest route in the Needles in the 5.5 - 5.9 range?
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newtocalgary
Jun 30, 2002, 10:37 PM
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When your bored come up to Alberta there is a easy climb called guides route thats 18 pitches of 5.6
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apollodorus
Jun 30, 2002, 11:32 PM
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Add the South Face of North Dome (5.7) to the Royal Arches, and you get a 20+ pitch grade IV.
[ This Message was edited by: apollodorus on 2002-07-01 11:06 ]
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atg200
Jul 1, 2002, 4:24 PM
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The Flatirons near Boulder have tons of 5.0 to 5.hard routes in the 5 to 12 pitch range.
Blitzen Ridge on Mt Ypsilon in RMNP is very long and 5.6 - usually most of the route is simulclimbed so I don't have an exact pitch count, but I would guess if you belayed at every pitch it would be around 15 or so.
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bradhill
Jul 1, 2002, 5:01 PM
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Ellingwood Arete on Crestone Needle is a long 5.8. I'm not sure exactly how many pitches, and parts are often simul-climbed but it ascends about 2000' vertical.
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rocknpowda
Jul 1, 2002, 6:21 PM
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I concur-Solar Slab is sweet!
In Salt Lake City, you can climb If you belay for every pitch, rather than simul-climb, the west slabs of Mt Olympus (5.4 or 5.5) in Salt Lake City is around ten-twelve pitches.
The upper exum ridge on the Grand Teton is an awesome long moderate route. there are 3-4 tecnical sections (where you'll want to have a belay)in about 1500 feet of climbing.
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brianinslc
Feb 7, 2003, 4:41 PM
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East Ridge of the Grand Teton. I seem to recall belaying 20 pitches...
Brian in SLC
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kman
Feb 7, 2003, 4:46 PM
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Just look to the alpine. There are tons of routes in the 5.0 - 5.5 range
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cologman
Feb 7, 2003, 9:36 PM
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Symmetry Spire in the Tetons. Good long route, don't remember how many pitches, but certainly a long day with the aproach,5.6.
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tanner
Feb 7, 2003, 9:55 PM
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In squamish climb "The bottom line" 5.9 2p to "diedre" 5.8 7p or "bannana peal" 5.8 7p on the apron Then do another 10p one "The ulimate Everything 5.9 A0 (or 5.11)
19 Pitches!!!!! no harder than 5.9!!
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agrauch
Feb 7, 2003, 10:08 PM
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Durrance Ridge on Symmetry Spire is 8 - 10 pitches, depending on rope length. Its definitely is a long day.
Direct South Buttress, 5.8 A1, on Mt. Moran is huge. The short variation is 11 pitches. Above that is another 2000 feet of 5.4 and under.
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superdiamonddave
Feb 7, 2003, 10:20 PM
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The North Face of Sugarloaf Peak in the Organ Mountains of Las Cruces, NM is 13 pitches of 5.6
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wallrat
Mar 11, 2003, 8:22 PM
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Try linking up Royal Arches & North Dome's Crest Jewel. Gives you more than 20 pitches in a day, and spectacular views.
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drkodos
Mar 11, 2003, 8:33 PM
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In reply to: There is a 9000' 63 pitch 5.9R traverse in the Gunks. I havet done it yet just because I cant find a partner. If you wanna do it with me let me know Ill be there. Thik it would best to do it during the week in the fall or spring
The Great Wall of China 5.9 R
It still lays claim to "Longest Rock Climb"
I don't know if I'd call this Ken Nichol's special a moderate.
I attempted it once in the fall of 94' and found many pitches to be much harder than 5.10 and aborted the attempt after relentless rain.
Got on the route again in 96 and completed it in three days......
about 70 pitches of horizontal climbing, mostly below 5.8. MANY picthes 5.10 or harder...with decking potential! Yes, nothing like being on the 45th pitch of a climb, looking at a deck shot because you are only 50 feet up but are 45 feet off the last piece of protection. Quite the Rubiks cube of route finding.
The up side is, it's only a single rope to bail from any point of the climb.
A bizarre endeavor...still not sure why we did it....The whole thing was fairly ridiculous, but good fun! 8)
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apollodorus
Mar 11, 2003, 9:21 PM
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Crest Jewel on North Dome, above the Royal Arches, is 5.10 slab/friction/face climbing and is a bit run-out. The South Face route of ND is right next to it, only 5.7 and less intimidating.
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dingus
Mar 11, 2003, 9:32 PM
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For a true rock climb that isn't a girdle traverse (ie mostly horizontal) the title in America may just go to Galactic Hitchhiker, VI, 11b, 39 pitches, in Yosemite.
DMT
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iamthewallress
Mar 11, 2003, 9:49 PM
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I think that the Galactic hitchhiker grade drops to 5.10-something if you pull on a couple of key bolts too.
N. But of Middle Cathedral is a 20 pitch 10a (one pitch of 5.10). DNB is too.
I don't know if you consider 5.10 "moderate". I only do if I'm following someone that does.
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cruntley
Mar 11, 2003, 10:26 PM
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Anything in the Sierra's. East Face East Buttress of MT. Whitney or Keller Needle routes are some good 10+ pitch moderate routes. See climbing california's high sierra by Moynier and Fiddler. Red Rocks is your other great bet.
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