Recommend me a winter mountaineering route

[martindo72050]

Something that can be done in a day. Can have a few technical pitches WI2-3, M2, 5.5 or less. Ideally something like a 3rd or 4th class ridgeline with maybe a few technical sections. I'm new to winter mountaineering but I've done summer alpine rock routes and summer mountaineering, and also ice climb. Taking avy training in a month. Someone recommended E. Ridge of Bancroft to me, so something similar maybe a little easier

[Conor]

Dreamweaver

[cottonmountaineering]

Something that can be done in a day. Can have a few technical pitches WI2-3, M2, 5.5 or less. Ideally something like a 3rd or 4th class ridgeline with maybe a few technical sections. I'm new to winter mountaineering but I've done summer alpine rock routes and summer mountaineering, and also ice climb. Taking avy training in a month. Someone recommended E. Ridge of Bancroft to me, so something similar maybe a little easier

hmmmm

[martindo72050]

Yea if it's a snow slog most of the way or scrambling but there's a short steep section. Definitely not sustained technical climbing. Again, I have mountaineering, alpine, and ice experience, just not in winter (except ice climbing obviously). I guess to be more specific so recommendations can be more accurate, Lead 5.9 trad, lead WI3, spent a few days on glaciers as well

[Scott P]

Maybe the West Ridge of Pacific?

I assume you do know how to self arrest?

[daway8]

If you're new to winter mountaineering but have some experience then Quandary West Ridge is a great warm-up route to get your winter arms/legs going. Mostly easy route but a couple fun class 3 sections near the top. You could find a little class 4 or above if you go off route.

Are you wanting to summit a peak or just looking specifically for the winter climbing?

If it's all about the climbing and not the peak bagging then Flatirons (just SW of Boulder) is a great place for for climbing. Routes range from class 4 up to around at least 5.8 or so. Was starting to see some snow/ice buildup the last time I was there which added some interest to the routes - the current storms will increase that. This is a great place to practice for higher peaks.

I can recommend multiple class 3/4 ridges that are fun in summer but not sure I'd send someone straight over to one of those in winter if you don't have other high peaks experience in winter yet (for instance just working out the gear to stay warm is much different on a ridge/summit than with ice climbing...)

[martindo72050]

Maybe the West Ridge of Pacific?

I assume you do know how to self arrest?

I’ll be doing this route and swinging over to Atlantic soon if anyone would like to join, all I ask is you’re comfortable on the terrain.

Yes I can self arrest. How soon? I'll be there January, that's not very soon I guess haha.

[angry]

Dreamweaver

+1 this is one of my fav routes

[Conor]

If it's all about the climbing and not the peak bagging then Flatirons (just SW of Boulder) is a great place for for climbing. Routes range from class 4 up to around at least 5.8 or so. Was starting to see some snow/ice buildup the last time I was there which added some interest to the routes - the current storms will increase that. This is a great place to practice for higher peaks.

much of the flatirons dry out shortly after a storm. I was on freeway on Tuesday, there were 3 parties on the 3rd and probably 10 or so on the 1st. T-shirt weather.
Routes span the entire range - class 1 to 5.immortal.

"winter" and graduating from easy ridges (< class 5.0) don't really go hand in hand. There's not a ton of technical mountaineering routes to begin with in colorado. And then there is trying to get on them without getting 'lanched. I probably wouldn't hop on dreamweaver until May, same with marthas. I know people do them at different times. Good for them. Keiners technically fits the bill for what the OP is asking, but everything says your rope and team work need to be tip top if you even think about trying it, with heaping scoop fulls of objective danger. There are things like all mixed up, but I wouldn't really call that mountaineering. If you're hoping for something like alpamayo with a couple thousand feet of 70 deg ice that ends at a peak, it just doesn't really exist here.

Plenty of 3rd/4th ridges, but nothing like what the OP is asking for (WI2-3, m2). Plenty wi2-3, m2 to go around if you want to more or less purely "ice climb." There's a reason many hone skills through ice climbing, skiing, rock climbing near the border etc during this "offseason." "snow walking" season starts in 10 days.

[SchralpTheGnar]

Have you checked on mountain project? RMNP has some of what you’re looking for, spiral route on notch top, longs kieners/nf/Alexander’s. Otherwise head up to the Tetons.

[Dave B]

I'm confused as to why you're not just going to do Bancroft, it seems to check all the boxes. That crux pitch past the notch is easy 5th and ledgy which is nice in boots.

There are a couple decent mixed routes just east of Dragon's Tail on Flattop in RMNP M1-2 ish. I'd disagree with the Dreamweaver recs this early in the year, it can get good in fall/early winter, but it'll be better in spring, but I've only climbed it in spring. The Beaver route on Longs could be fun, or Kieners/the Notch.

Is Martha in?

[daway8]

much of the flatirons dry out shortly after a storm. I was on freeway on Tuesday, there were 3 parties on the 3rd and probably 10 or so on the 1st. T-shirt weather.
Routes span the entire range - class 1 to 5.immortal.

I've only started checking them out this summer so I wasn't sure if the rapid dry out would hold throughout the winter or not. I figured I'd give a highly conservative counter-proposal since it's hard from a paragraph or two to interpret "new to winter mountaineering..."

5.immortal - wow, I've got quite a ways to go yet to be ready for that, lol.