Favorite Technical Rock Summit?
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Daydreaming about an upcoming trip got me thinking: what's your vote for the best summit of a route you've climbed? What makes it so great in your opinion? I figure Katahdin is best on the East Coast but probably doesn't figure in at all to America's best once you consider the numerous big walls in the Rockies, the desert towers, etc (of which I have scant experience). I figure that a great summit should have:
But that's all obviously in the eye of the beholder. What's your pick? |
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I'm partial to the Cascades, so I'm going to vote for Dragontail Peak in the Enchantments. Specifically via Backbone Ridge, because of the "Fin" feature at the top. The proximity to Mt Stuart and the other peaks in the area is really dramatic, plus the lake and temperate rainforest on the approach made for one of the most aesthetically pleasing alpine experiences of my life. Highly recommend, but definitely bring the #6! |
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I’m a sucker for the Northeast colors in the fall, so any route at the Gunks stands out to me. A lot of the classics finish on some pretty sweet exposed ledges with 180 panoramas of the fall. |
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Anything in the cirque of the towers. So so isolated |
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Cathedral peak has to be up there |
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Seconding Cathedral Peak for the prominence, the views, the great rock, and the incredible summit, though it doesn’t feel as isolated because of the peak’s popularity. A more isolated and less traveled (though still popular) High Sierra summit I like is The Incredible Hulk. Can’t beat the climbing and the exposure, it’s definitely isolated, but the views aren’t as great. Still the best rock I’ve been on in the Sierra in terms of its bullet nature and the incredible (heh) climbing. |
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Summit of Mt Proboscis was pretty cool. |
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The Obelisk in Kings Canyon checks all the boxes. |
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Liberty Bell WA. Glaciated peaks one way high desert the other, good climbing. |
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Asgard is quite impressive and feels pretty much 'out there' - albeit less so, I would imagine, than the East Coast stuff. |
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Top of tower one, redgarden wall (yellow spur) |
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Castle Rock Spire, Sequoia Cerro Trinidad, Cochamo Higher Cathedral Spire, Yosemite Torre Principal, Frey Black Velvet Peak, Red Rock Hamilton Dome, Sequoia Black Kaweah, Sequoia |
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South Peak, Seneca Rocks... though it doesn't meet the isolation stipulation. |
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Add the summit block on Starlight Peak to the list . |
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Wallface Adirondacks NY |
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Castle Rock Spire, Sierra west side. The easiest free route is action packed 5.11. And it's a true summit, not the top of a wall... |
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Tip of the lost arrow spire. Once you top out the fun is just beginning. Tyrol back to tthe rim is epic |
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Sometimes it is a bit of a congo line, but if you catch it on the right day, the Petit Grepon in RMNP is one of my all-time favorites. |
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