Fifty Classic Climbs of North America
Encyclopedia
Fifty Classic Climbs Of North America is a climbing
guidebook and history written by Steve Roper
and Allen Steck
. It is considered a definitive piece of climbing literature, known to many climbers as simply "The Book", and has served as an inspiration for more recent climbing books, such as Mark Kroese's Fifty Favorite Climbs. Though much of the book's contents are now out of date, it is still recognized as a definitive text which goes beyond the traditional guidebook.
The first edition was published in 1979, by Sierra Club Books
in the United States and in Great Britain by the now defunct Diadem Books. This was followed by a paperback printing by Random House in 1981. Two subsequent editions (with the same content) were published by Sierra Club Books in 1982 and 1996. Between 1979 and 1999 it sold nearly thirty thousand copies, a considerable achievement for a climbing guide book.
Reviewing the book in American Alpine Journal
, Fred Beckey
wrote: "Roper and Steck have presented a profile of what could be considered the Great American Dream climbs with a writing style that provides much Lebensraum for speculation and meditation. While reading, one is tempted to medidate: the challenge of the alpine adventure is always there; the dreams of the various pioneers sometimes filter through the narrative."
Roper and Steck received the American Alpine Club
's 1995 Literary Award for the book and for their other works such as The Best of Ascent.
To choose the list of climbs, the coauthors solicited opinions from a number of leading climbers of the era, narrowing a list of more than 100 climbs according to three basic criteria: that the peak or route appear striking from afar, have a noteworthy climbing history, and offer climbing of excellent quality. Precedence was given to climbing quality over appearance, and appearance over historical significance. In order to judge historical significance and continuing popularity, routes were limited for the most part to those first ascended before 1970. A lower limit on the length of the route, at 500 feet, was also established. Steck and Roper had personally ascended or attempted most of the selected routes.
The list of fifty climbs has served as a challenge to climbers, providing them with a "tick list" of challenging routes that span a wide section of western North America. Author Steve Roper has emphasized that the climbs were chosen from a list of about 120 climbs he and Steck considered classic, and are simply '50 classic climbs', not the 50 classics'. Nevertheless, the book brought great popularity to many of the routes it featured, and prospective climbers pursuing one of the "fifty classics" often found crowds on the more accessible climbs and unexpected company on the more remote routes, earning them the nickname "Fifty Crowded Climbs".
No one person has yet climbed all fifty routes. This has been attributed to the difficulty of some of the Alaskan and Canadian routes (the Hummingbird Ridge of Mount Logan
has never been repeated by the original route) and the fact that one of the routes (Shiprock
) is closed to climbing, and contemporary ascents are illegal. In 2010, professional climbers Mark and Janelle Smiley announced their intent to attempt to climb all fifty, including Shiprock, "with the Navajo Nation's permission".
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
guidebook and history written by Steve Roper
Steve Roper
Steve Roper is a noted climber and historian of the Sierra Nevada in the United States. He along with Allen Steck are the founding editors of the Sierra Club journal Ascent.Roper is the winner of the Sierra Club's Francis P...
and Allen Steck
Allen Steck
Allen Steck is an American mountaineer and rock climber, and a native of Oakland, California.-Mountaineering:Steck started climbing with his brother George. In 1940 when Allen was 16, the two completed the first ascent of the northwest ridge of Mount Maclure . He served in the U.S. Navy during...
. It is considered a definitive piece of climbing literature, known to many climbers as simply "The Book", and has served as an inspiration for more recent climbing books, such as Mark Kroese's Fifty Favorite Climbs. Though much of the book's contents are now out of date, it is still recognized as a definitive text which goes beyond the traditional guidebook.
The first edition was published in 1979, by Sierra Club Books
Sierra Club Books
Sierra Club Books is the publishing division of the Sierra Club, founded in 1960 by then Sierra Club President David Brower. Volumes intended for club members had been published prior to 1960. In addition, books under their name had been published before 1960, but done through already established...
in the United States and in Great Britain by the now defunct Diadem Books. This was followed by a paperback printing by Random House in 1981. Two subsequent editions (with the same content) were published by Sierra Club Books in 1982 and 1996. Between 1979 and 1999 it sold nearly thirty thousand copies, a considerable achievement for a climbing guide book.
Reviewing the book in American Alpine Journal
American Alpine Journal
The American Alpine Journal is an annual magazine published by the American Alpine Club. Its mission is "to document and communicate mountain exploration."...
, Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey is an American mountaineer and author, who has made hundreds of first ascents, more than any other North American climber.-Early years:...
wrote: "Roper and Steck have presented a profile of what could be considered the Great American Dream climbs with a writing style that provides much Lebensraum for speculation and meditation. While reading, one is tempted to medidate: the challenge of the alpine adventure is always there; the dreams of the various pioneers sometimes filter through the narrative."
Roper and Steck received the American Alpine Club
American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club, or AAC, was founded in 1902 by Charles Ernest Fay, and is the leading national organization in the United States devoted to mountaineering, climbing, and the multitude of issues facing climbers...
's 1995 Literary Award for the book and for their other works such as The Best of Ascent.
To choose the list of climbs, the coauthors solicited opinions from a number of leading climbers of the era, narrowing a list of more than 100 climbs according to three basic criteria: that the peak or route appear striking from afar, have a noteworthy climbing history, and offer climbing of excellent quality. Precedence was given to climbing quality over appearance, and appearance over historical significance. In order to judge historical significance and continuing popularity, routes were limited for the most part to those first ascended before 1970. A lower limit on the length of the route, at 500 feet, was also established. Steck and Roper had personally ascended or attempted most of the selected routes.
The list of fifty climbs has served as a challenge to climbers, providing them with a "tick list" of challenging routes that span a wide section of western North America. Author Steve Roper has emphasized that the climbs were chosen from a list of about 120 climbs he and Steck considered classic, and are simply '50 classic climbs', not the 50 classics'. Nevertheless, the book brought great popularity to many of the routes it featured, and prospective climbers pursuing one of the "fifty classics" often found crowds on the more accessible climbs and unexpected company on the more remote routes, earning them the nickname "Fifty Crowded Climbs".
No one person has yet climbed all fifty routes. This has been attributed to the difficulty of some of the Alaskan and Canadian routes (the Hummingbird Ridge of Mount Logan
Mount Logan
Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley . The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada . Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and...
has never been repeated by the original route) and the fact that one of the routes (Shiprock
Shiprock
Shiprock is a rock formation rising nearly above the high-desert plain on the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, USA. It has a peak elevation of above the sea level. It lies about southwest of the town of Shiprock, which is named for the peak...
) is closed to climbing, and contemporary ascents are illegal. In 2010, professional climbers Mark and Janelle Smiley announced their intent to attempt to climb all fifty, including Shiprock, "with the Navajo Nation's permission".
The Fifty Classics
The fifty climbs included in the book are listed below, along with their grades as given in the first edition, which may differ from those found in a modern guidebook due to changes in climbing standards or route conditions.Alaska and the Yukon
- Mount Saint EliasMount Saint EliasMount Saint Elias, also designated Boundary Peak 186, is the second highest mountain in both Canada and the United States, being situated on the Yukon and Alaska border. It lies about southwest of Mount Logan, the highest mountain in Canada. The Canadian side is part of Kluane National Park,...
, Abruzzi Ridge
- Mount FairweatherMount FairweatherMount Fairweather , is one of the world's highest coastal mountains at 4,671 metres It is located east of the Pacific Ocean on the border of Alaska, United States and western British Columbia, Canada...
, Carpé Ridge
- Mount HunterMount Hunter (Alaska)Mount Hunter, or Begguya, is a mountain in Denali National Park in Alaska. It is approximately 8 miles south of Mount McKinley, or Denali, the highest peak in North America. "Begguya" means child in the Dena'ina language...
, West Ridge
- Mount McKinleyMount McKinleyMount McKinley or Denali in Alaska, United States is the highest mountain peak in North America and the United States, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.- Geology and features :Mount McKinley is a granitic pluton...
, Cassin Ridge
- Moose’s Tooth, West Ridge
- Mount Huntington, West Face 5.9 A2 with “severe snow and ice”
- Mount LoganMount LoganMount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley . The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada . Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and...
, Hummingbird Ridge
- Middle Triple PeakMiddle Triple PeakMiddle Triple Peak is the second highest peak in the Kichatna Mountains, a subrange of the Alaska Range in Alaska, United States. It is a striking rock tower, with immense, sheer walls on the east and west sides....
, East Buttress VI 5.9 A3
Western Canada
- Mount Sir DonaldMount Sir DonaldMount Sir Donald is a peak in the Rogers Pass area of British Columbia, Canada. Its good rock quality and classic Matterhorn shape make it popular for alpine rock climbers, and the Northwest Arete route is included in the popular book Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.It was originally named...
, Northwest Arete III 5.2
- Bugaboo SpireBugaboo SpirePerhaps the most impressive peak in the Bugaboos, Bugaboo Spire sits between the Vowell and Crescent glaciers, just under 2 km West of the ACC's Conrad Kain hut...
, East Ridge III 5.7
- South Howser TowerHowser SpireHowser Spire or Howser Spire Massif, is a group of three distinct granite peaks, and the highest mountain of the Canadian Bugaboo Spires. The mountain is located at the southwest corner of the Vowell Glacier, within the Bugaboo mountain range in the Purcell Mountains, a subrange of British...
, West Buttress V 5.8 A2 or 5.10
- Mount RobsonMount RobsonMount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range. It is commonly thought to be the...
, Wishbone Arete V 5.6
- Mount Edith CavellMount Edith CavellMount Edith Cavell is a mountain located in the Athabasca River and Astoria River valleys of Jasper National Park, Canada. The mountain was named in 1916 for Edith Cavell, an English nurse and spy executed by the Germans during World War I for having helped allied soldiers escape from occupied...
, North Face IV 5.7
- Mount AlbertaMount AlbertaMount Alberta is a mountain located in the upper Athabasca River Valley of Jasper National Park, Canada. J. Norman Collie named the mountain in 1898 after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta.Mount Alberta is the sixth highest peak of the Canadian Rockies...
, Japanese Route IV 5.6
- Mount Temple, East Ridge IV 5.6
- Mount WaddingtonMount WaddingtonMount Waddington, once known as Mystery Mountain, is the highest peak in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Although Mount Fairweather and Mount Quincy Adams, which straddle the US border between Alaska and British Columbia are taller, Mount Waddington is the highest peak that lies...
, South Face V 5.7
- Devils ThumbDevils ThumbDevils Thumb, or Daalkunaxhkhu shaa in Tlingit, is a mountain in the Stikine Icecap region of the Alaska-British Columbia border, near Petersburg. It is named for its projected thumb-like appearance. Its name in the Tlingit language has the meaning "the Mountain That Never Flooded" and is said to...
, East Ridge IV 5.6
- Lotus Flower TowerLotus Flower TowerThe Lotus Flower Tower is a peak in the Cirque of the Unclimbables, Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located on the ridge one km southwest of Mount Sir James MacBrien, and though it is not prominent in relation to surrounding peaks, it is noted for its sheer rock walls which are home to classic...
V 5.8 A2 or 5.10
The Pacific Northwest
- Mount RainierMount RainierMount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
, Liberty Ridge
- Forbidden PeakForbidden PeakForbidden Peak is part of the North Cascades and is located near Cascade Pass. Forbidden Peak features a rock climbing route named West Ridge route which is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :* . MountainProject.com....
, West Ridge II 5.2
- Mount ShuksanMount ShuksanMount Shuksan is a glaciated massif in the North Cascades National Park. Shuksan rises in Whatcom County, Washington immediately to the east of Mount Baker, and south of the Canadian border. The mountain's name Shuksan is derived from the Lummi word [šéqsən], said to mean "high peak". The highest...
, Price Glacier
- Slesse MountainSlesse MountainSlesse Mountain, usually referred to as Mount Slesse, is a mountain just north of the US-Canada border, in the Cascade Mountains of British Columbia, near the town of Chilliwack. It is notable for its large, steep local relief. For example, its west face drops over to Slesse Creek in less than ....
, Northeast Buttress V 5.9 A2
- Mount StuartMount StuartMount Stuart is a mountain in the Cascade Range, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the second highest non-volcanic peak in the state, after Bonanza Peak and tenth-highest overall...
, North Ridge III 5.4
- Liberty Bell MountainLiberty Bell MountainLiberty Bell Mountain is located in the North Cascades, approximately one mile south of Washington Pass on the North Cascades Highway. Liberty Bell is part of the Liberty Bell Group, a group of spires which also includes Concord Tower, Lexington Tower, North Early Winters Spire, and South Early...
, Liberty CrackLiberty CrackThe Liberty Crack is a technical rock climbing route on Liberty Bell Mountain near Washington Pass and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :**...
V 5.9 A3
Wyoming
- Devil’s TowerDevils Tower National MonumentDevils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River...
, Durrance RouteDurrance Route (Devils Tower)The Durrance Route is a climbing route on Devils Tower in the U.S. state of Wyoming. First pioneered by Jack Durrance and Harrison Butterworth in September of 1938, it was the second free ascent of Devils Tower, following the first ascent led by Fritz Wiessner in 1937. The Weissner Route lies a...
II 5.6-5.7
- Grand TetonGrand TetonGrand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and a classic destination in American mountaineering.- Geography :...
, North RidgeNorth Ridge (Grand Teton)The North Ridge of the Grand Teton is a technical rock climbing location up the Grand Teton in Wyoming. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world....
IV 5.7
- Grand TetonGrand TetonGrand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and a classic destination in American mountaineering.- Geography :...
, Direct Exum RidgeLower Exum Ridge RouteThe Lower Exum Ridge Route is the lower section of a technical rock climbing up the Grand Teton's Exum Ridge in Wyoming. This route is often bypassed on hiking terrain by climbers who wish to climb only Upper Exum Ridge Route which is technically easier. This route is listed as the Direct Exum...
III 5.6
- Grand TetonGrand TetonGrand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and a classic destination in American mountaineering.- Geography :...
, North FaceNorth Face (Grand Teton)The North Face of the Grand Teton is a technical rock climbing up the Grand Teton in Wyoming. Today the route is usually climbed by a variation that avoids the chimneys which are often wet or icy. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and...
IV 5.8
- Mount MoranMount MoranMount Moran is a mountain in Grand Teton National Park of western Wyoming, USA. The mountain is named for Thomas Moran, an American western frontier landscape artist. Mount Moran dominates the northern section of the Teton Range rising above Jackson Lake. Several active glaciers exist on the...
, Direct South ButtressDirect South Buttress (Mount Moran)The Direct South Buttress of Mount Moran is a technical rock climbing route on Mount Moran part of the Teton Range in in Grand Teton National Park. The route is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :**...
IV 5.7 A3
- PingoraPingora PeakPingora Peak is prominent granite peak in the Cirque of the Towers. Pingora Peak is in the Popo Agie Wilderness and part of the Wind River Range within the greater Shoshone National Forest...
, Northeast FaceNortheast Face (Pingora)The Northeast Face of Pingora is a technical rock climbing route on Pingora Peak part of the Cirque of the Towers in the Popo Agie Wilderness part of the Shoshone National Forest. The route is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America....
IV 5.8
- Wolf's HeadWolf's Head (Wind River)Wolf's Head is prominent granite peak in the Cirque of the Towers and part of the Wind River Range. The East Ridge route on the Wolf's Head is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.- External links :* * *...
, East RidgeEast Ridge (Wolf's Head)The Northeast Face of Pingora is a technical rock climbing route on the Wolf's Head part of the Cirque of the Towers. The route is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :***...
II 5.5
Colorado
- Crestone NeedleCrestone NeedleCrestone Needle is one of the fourteeners of Colorado, in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Range. It is part of a group of four fourteeners known as "the Crestones", headed by Crestone Peak and also including Kit Carson Mountain and Humboldt Peak.While not as high as Crestone Peak, and connected...
, Ellingwood LedgesEllingwood Ledges (Crestone Needle)The Ellingwood Ledges is a popular technical climbing route on Crestone Needle in Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Range. The Ellingwood Ledges Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America...
III 5.7
- Hallett PeakHallett PeakHallett Peak is a mountain in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. It lies on the Continental Divide on which it is flanked by Flattop Mountain to the north and Otis Peak to the south. Just to its east lies Dream Lake, which is usually accessed from the Bear Lake Comfort Station...
, Northcutt-Carter RouteNorthcutt-Carter Route (Hallett Peak)The Northcutt-Carter Route is a popular technical climbing route on Hallett Peak in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The Northcutt-Carter Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America....
III 5.7
- Petit GreponPetit GreponPetit Grepon is a semi-detached spire in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. It is one of the "Cathedral Spires" which also includes Sharkstooth, The Saber , and The Foil. The South Face route of Petit Grepon is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America...
, South FaceSouth Face (Petit Grepon)The South Face of Petit Grepon is a popular technical climbing route on the Petit Grepon in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The South Face is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.- External links :***...
III 5.7
- Longs PeakLongs PeakLongs Peak is one of the 53 mountains with summits over 14,000 feet in Colorado. It can be prominently seen from Longmont, Colorado, as well as from the rest of the Colorado Front Range. It is named after Major Stephen Long, who explored the area in the 1820s...
, The DiamondThe Diamond (Longs Peak)The Diamond is the sheer and prominent east face of Longs Peak and named for the shape of the cliff. The face has a vertical gain of more than 900 feet all above an elevation of 13,000 feet...
, D1D1 (Longs Peak)The D1 is the original technical climbing route up The Diamond of Longs Peak. In 1954, when National Park Service was petitioned to allow climbing on The Diamond they responded with an official closure. Climbing on The Diamond was banned until 1960...
V 5.7 A4 or 5.11
The Southwest
- ShiprockShiprockShiprock is a rock formation rising nearly above the high-desert plain on the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, USA. It has a peak elevation of above the sea level. It lies about southwest of the town of Shiprock, which is named for the peak...
, III 5.7 A2 or 5.9
- Castleton TowerCastleton TowerCastleton Tower is a Wingate Sandstone tower standing on a 1,000 foot talus cone above the northeastern border of Castle Valley, Utah. The Tower is world renowned as a subject for photography and for its classic rock climbing routes, the most famous of which is the Kor-Ingalls Route featured in...
, Kor-Ingalls RouteKor-Ingalls Route (Castleton Tower)The Kor-Ingalls Route is a traditional rock climbing route located on Castleton Tower. Castleton Tower sits in Castle Valley North-East of Moab, Utah. The Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.- External...
III 5.9
- Fisher TowersFisher TowersFisher Towers are a series of towers made of Cutler sandstone capped with Moenkopi sandstone and caked with a stucco of red mud located near Moab, Utah . The Towers are named for a miner who lived near them in the 1880s. The Tower is world renowned as a subject for photography and for its classic...
, The TitanThe Titan (Fisher Towers)The Titan is the largest of the Fisher Towers near Moab and Castle Valley, Utah. It has also been attributed to be the largest free standing tower in the United States. The tower contains the Finger of Fate Route which is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North...
, Finger of Fate, IV 5.8 A3
California
- The Royal ArchesRoyal Arches (Yosemite)The Royal Arches refers to a cliff containing natural occurring exfoliation granite arches located below North Dome in California's Yosemite Valley . The arches are located on the north side of the valley, northeast of the Ahwahnee Hotel. Adjacent to the Royal Arches is the Royal Arch Cascade.The...
, Royal Arches RouteRoyal Arches Route (Yosemite)The Royal Arches Route is a technical climbing route in California's Yosemite Valley on the Royal Arches wall. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :****...
III 5.6 A1 or 5.9
- Lost Arrow SpireLost Arrow SpireThe Lost Arrow Spire is a detached pillar in Yosemite Valley, California, located immediately adjacent to Upper Yosemite Falls. The structure includes the Lost Arrow Spire Chimney route which is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America...
, Spire ChimneyLost Arrow Spire ChimneyThe Lost Arrow Spire Chimney in Yosemite National Park is the first technical climbing route to ascend the entire Lost Arrow Spire. This route shares the last two pitches with the Lost Arrow Spire Tip route which can also be reached by rappelling from above...
III 5.5 A3 or 5.10 A2
- Sentinel RockSentinel RockFor the granite dome near Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, see Sentinel Dome.Sentinel Rock is a granitic peak in Yosemite National Park, California, United States. It towers over Yosemite Valley, opposite from Yosemite Falls....
, Steck-Salathe RouteSteck-Salathé Route (Sentinel Rock)The Steck-Salathé Route is a technical climbing route up Sentinel Rock. The route was first climbed June 30 - July 4, 1950, by Allen Steck and John Salathé, up the north face of Sentinel Rock in Yosemite Valley....
V 5.9 A3
- Middle Cathedral RockMiddle Cathedral RockThe Middle Cathedral Rock is a prominent rock face on the south side of Yosemite Valley, California. El Capitan lies to Middle Cathedral's due north. Middle Cathedral's East Buttress Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America....
, East ButtressEast Buttress of Middle CathedralThe East Buttress Route is a technical climbing routes up Middle Cathedral Rock. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.- External links :****...
IV 5.9 A1 or 5.10
- Half DomeHalf DomeHalf Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar rock formation. The granite crest rises more than above the valley floor....
, Northwest FaceRegular Northwest Face of Half DomeThe Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome was the first Grade VI climb in the United States. It was first climbed in 1957 by a team consisting of Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas. Its current rating is VI 5.9 A1 or 5.12 for the free variation...
VI 5.9 A3 or 5.11
- El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
, Nose RouteThe Nose (El Capitan)The Nose is one of the original technical climbing routes up El Capitan. Once considered impossible to climb, El Capitan is now the standard for big-wall climbing...
VI 5.11 A3
- El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
, Salathé WallSalathé Wall (El Capitan)The Salathé Wall is one of the original technical climbing routes up El Capitan, a high granite monolith in Yosemite National Park. The Salathé Wall was named by Yvon Chouinard in honor of John Salathé, a pioneer of rock climbing in Yosemite...
VI 5.10 A3
- Mount WhitneyMount WhitneyMount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of . It is on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater in Death Valley National Park...
, East FaceEast Face (Mount Whitney)The East Face of Mount Whitney is a technical alpine rock climbing route and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States....
III 5.4
- Fairview DomeFairview DomeFairview Dome is a prominent granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located north of Cathedral Peak and west of Tuolumne Meadows.John Muir wrote of the peak:...
, North FaceNorth Face (Fairview Dome)The North Face of Fairview Dome is a technical rock climbing route on Fairview Dome in the Tuolumne Meadows of Yosemite National Park. The route is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :***...
III-IV 5.9
- Clyde MinaretMinarets (California)The Minarets are a series of jagged peaks located in the Ritter Range, a sub-range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California. They are easily viewed from Minaret Summit, which is accessible by auto. The peaks bear a certain resemblance to the minarets of Islamic mosques...
, Southeast FaceSoutheast Face (Clyde Minaret)The Southeast Face of Clyde Minaret is a technical rock climbing route on Clyde Minaret near Mammoth Lakes, CA and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :**...
IV 5.8
- Charlotte DomeCharlotte DomeCharlotte Dome is a granite dome in California's Kings Canyon National Park. It lies to the southeast of Glacier Monument and north of Bubbs Creek. It is most easily accessed from the Onion Valley Trailhead to the east. The South Face Route featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America....
, South FaceSouth Face (Charlotte Dome)The South Face of Charlotte Dome is a technical alpine rock climbing route. It is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Chris Jones, a member of the first ascent party, wrote that "in Yosemite, the climb would be recognized as one of the best in the Valley. In the backcountry it will...
III 5.7
- Lover's LeapLover's Leap (Tahoe, CA)Lover's Leap is a vertical granite cliff band which runs for about 2000 feet with heights between 250–600 feet located in the Eldorado National Forest . This cliffs face towards the northwest and lie just south of Route 50, between Tahoe to Sacramento. The closest major urban center is the Tahoe...
, Traveler ButtressTraveler Buttress (Lover's Leap)The Traveler Buttress is a technical rock climbing on Lover's Leap route near Tahoe, CA and is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :****...
II 5.9