Winter Alpine Rock Climbing

Hey all, just planning ahead. Where in North America can I find good alpine rock climbing in the winter, perhaps south facing, warm, and without snow/ice? 

Paolo E.A. wrote: Hey all, just planning ahead. Where in South America can I find good alpine rock climbing in the winter, perhaps north facing, warm, and without snow/ice? 

I fixed that for you.

Chris Winter wrote:

I fixed that for you.

Haha thanks. I really dont have enough money for that type of thing this year. Could Albuquerque (the Sandias) hold some good stuff?

Hahahahah. Warm sunny alpine rock in the Winter. Good one

whats alpine rock climbing?...granite? limestone? part of a peak objective or just to climb rock? 

"Winter" + "alpine" = NOT warm and/or dry.

You're looking for a unicorn, mate.

Paolo E.A. wrote: Hey all, just planning ahead. Where in North America can I find good alpine rock climbing in the winter, perhaps south facing, warm, and without snow/ice? 

If this question is for real, and you literally want alpine rock climbing without snow or ice in the winter-- it sounds like the standard sierra objectives would fit the bill (conness, keeler needle, incredible hulk, stuff in the sequoias, etc...)

I think you're getting alpine climbing confused with multi-pitch climbing with a longish approach ie backcountry rock climbing.

Alpine = snow, ice, glaciers, rock, ect
Multi-pitch = long rock routes may or may not have an approach, but do not involve the use of crampons, ice axes, ect

mpech wrote:

If this question is for real, and you literally want alpine rock climbing without snow or ice in the winter-- it sounds like the standard sierra objectives would fit the bill (conness, keeler needle, incredible hulk, stuff in the sequoias, etc...)

dry winter, the sky is the limit. 

Be advised storm comes, and its nearly unlimited how much it can dump in the Sierra. 15' weeks at the base of ski resorts = 30++ drifts on the peaks. 

Sandias or Organ Mtn's, NM

Sandias

I hear Long's stays dry most of the winter

It’s possible some stuff on the grand could be doable. The full exum or gold face would probably bake but you’d have to ski in and out and be fast. Things in death canyon could be drysh also but I haven’t been back to those places in winter just saying what others have mentioned on here. 

I'd say....the Black Canyon is going to be as good as you're going to get. Providing you can access it, and you're comfortable with virtually no chance of rescue if anything goes wrong. If you want to deal with snow on approach, but not the climb, then RMNP could be good depending on how you definite warm. A bluebird 20 F day in RMNP makes me shed down to my summer warm layers when I'm climbing.

You're going to have to leave the country for anything that resembles July.

What you're asking for doesn't exist except where there are mountains in the northern tropics (North Africa and Middle East). Learn to dry tool and ice climb. That's how you alpine climb in winter. Your ski touring boots will serve on ice until you can afford a proper mountain boot.

Even the sierras in winter are snowy and cold. I've been there in March. People were going after iced up summer rock routes with ice tools, crampons and hexes, and it looked brutal. Thousand-yard-stare brutal. You can climb the diamond in winter but not in rock shoes. You will lose your toes to frostbite. Learn to climb 10s and 11s in leather boots and gloves like European alpinists and then maybe if you're strong you'll have a chance. Of those I've heard of who have done it (Charlie Fowler, Mark Wilford, Josh Wharton) all also ice/mixed climb. Coincidence?

This is how you alpine rock climb in winter:

Thanks for always keeping my grammer in check Jaren! When are you doing that Lemhi traverse?

Mabey in all seriousness lone peak in the Wasatch. There is always a high pressure stretch in January or February where it’s climbable...

No guarantees, but the Petit Grepon/Saber in RMNP could hold some promise for a winter ascent. Both are south facing faces with small top outs that don’t hold too much snow. I’ve personally done it in the spring, skiing to the face and back to the TH. With a high pressure window, the route may be mostly dry and somewhat warm after the first pitch or two. The lower ledges are guaranteed to hold snow, so you may still need to mountain boots/approach shoes to deal with that. Either way, expect some suffering and full on conditions.

Nobleman wrote: No guarantees, but the Petit Grepon/Saber in RMNP could hold some promise for a winter ascent. Both are south facing faces with small top outs that don’t hold too much snow. I’ve personally done it in the spring, skiing to the face and back to the TH. With a high pressure window, the route may be mostly dry and somewhat warm after the first pitch or two. The lower ledges are guaranteed to hold snow, so you may still need to mountain boots/approach shoes to deal with that. Either way, expect some suffering and full on conditions.

If anybody is interested in doing this take down my info and HMU when the time comes. It's the sort of dumb but fun sounding idea I would never be able to talk any of my friends into.