50 classic ice/mix climbs of North America

Jake907wrote:

I have not climbed it but Stairway to Heaven in Utah has to be one of the top10 continental US climbs.  Wyoming and Montana are probably underrepresented too.

Has anyone climbed this since 2002?  I've never even heard of it forming again.  Chad J told me the story about bolting the route and having friends ferrying them out fresh batteries each night. Amazing looking route but hard to call it a classic if its probably seen 2 ascents!

Any list of "classics" should include a route or two of "forbidden fruit".  Things that have only been climbed once and never repeated or can't be climbed any more because it's changed or access is lost.  It keeps it spicy for people trying to check their way through the list.

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

I'm not sure if any Utah ice climbs warrant being in the top 50, but if one does it would probably be Stairway to Heaven.

 

Exhiled, if ya ever get a chance check out the ice in Zion. Some of the longest sustained steep routes in Lower 48. On a good year (perhaps sadly getting rarer) Utah can hang with anywhere in N. America. Stairway to Heaven when farmed years ago was nine or ten pitches. Maple on a good year is hands down one of the most unique & beautiful places to climb ice in N.A. Lastly, the Trinity in Santaquin and forgotten lines in Northeastern Utah are all-time when formed. 

What about Ham and Eggs? It doesn’t get more “classic”, and the conditions pose different challenges each time you climb it. And better views than anything listed, by far!

Nick Awrote:

What about Ham and Eggs? It doesn’t get more “classic”, and the conditions pose different challenges each time you climb it. And better views than anything listed, by far!

Seems like if we start adding alpine climbs then it adds a whole other dimension. Lots of alpine ice routes that would fill up the list. Seems like an ice climb is one where you climb the ice and then descend, as supposed to going to the summit as most folks would ideally do on the Mooses Tooth. I'm all for starting a 50 classic alpine ice routes thread, though I suspect it will get filled up with the few already well known ones, because catching conditions and approaching make many hard to repeat. Thus filling out 50 in any reliable way will be hard, since most people will only have done a few, or in areas they are familiar with. 

No ice in the Carolinas don’t come here🙅🏼‍♂️

The worst

1. Fourth pitch of gwi

2. Third pitch of gwi

3. Second pitch of gwi

4. First pitch of gwi

5. Apron pitch on stairway

The rest of the list doesn't really matter

ASAP Beckywrote:

Well I did include several routes that are rare. The terminator had only formed twice. Same with El Shaddai, I doubt katana has come in again. But I could be convinced that a route needs to at least occasionally come in to be on the list. Angel of fear does look good though.

Terminator is epic🧊🧊🧊

Jabroni McChufferson wrote:

Oh my God can’t believe Cleo’s was SO PHAT a month ago I’m late to the game!!