Class 3/4 route crux comparisons

[peterkfes]

Thanks for all the responses guys, a lot of perspective I'm adding to my files. Enjoy your adventures this year.

[greenonion]

Crushing it at 71 -- what an inspiration! As a lover of loose rock, take this with a grain of salt, but I'm happy to chime in:

1. For Sunlight, find a partner with a rope if the block is important. I had fun ropeless, even as a timid climber, but extra precautions are totally reasonable. The biggest lesson from the Eoluses is learning how to deal with sustained scrambling (in addition to the backpacking ofc). If you're in a good headspace after that, you'll like the mental game of a lot of the peaks to come.

2. North Maroon and Pyramid are similar to each other -- if you can do one, you're in the ballpark for the other. Both are 95% class 3, though -- class 4 only really felt appropriate for a move or two in N Maroon's crux (which, btw, if you do a lot of digging online, you'll see that it can be bypassed at class 3. Be careful, though -- I found the bypass my first time but not before cliffing myself out going the wrong way). I think N Maroon's crux is a bit like Lindsey's NW Ridge if you were to go straight up (as opposed to Lindsey’s class 3 way climber's left). In each case, the exposure is significant but not "fall for 1,000 feet"-type of terrain. Both are easier than South, though -- S. Maroon is a very long day with complex routefinding when you're tired, even though the moves themselves are easier.

3. I did the needle via the crossover. The move itself is tricky, and the fin you hop onto is exposed, but I'd do it that way again if I had to go back. Sustained class 4 walls unroped are not my thing. I think it's relatively similar in difficulty to that last move getting out of the trough on Longs (with the rest of the fin similar to the narrows but more going up vs going across). The Needle has more dangers, though -- broken hand pass is underrated, and even though I love loose rock, I don't love broken hand pass other than for the pictures. Make sure if you take the crossover route to pay attention on the way up to where you enter the West Gully area -- like Kit Carson, you can get yourself into trouble if you miss one of the turns on the way down.

4. Snowmass was top-5-hardest 14er for me, but I did an alt route. Curious what others think.

5. Capitol is legit -- you're correct to be wary. The routefinding is easier than expected, though. It's actually a lot more fun than Little Bear in many ways.

6. Little Bear has everything to do with conditions. Recent rainfall (to loosen up rocks and ruin the small holds in the crux), ice (the hourglass is shaded), and other climbers, are your biggest dangers. Your shoes matter here -- I had a blast in my approach shoes, and my partner struggled with the small holds in regular hiking boots. I think the rockfall risk here is spooky, and the climbing can be too. It's not the hardest 14er, but it's on my "never again" list at least via the hourglass.

Regarding Needle's crossover from east to west gully... Correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't Bill change the standard route to entirely stay in the east gully (which includes c4 at the new crux), due to rocks shifting at the base of the east/west crossover and making that more dangerous than it used to be? If so, this changes the discussion of using the crossover, and instead one should consider going all the way up the east gully. If not, I stand corrected, and further details would be appreciated. BTW - rock on 71 yo brother! I'm 61 and definitely beginning to look at things in the mountains as you are.

[Ed_Groves]

Regarding Needle's crossover from east to west gully... Correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't Bill change the standard route to entirely stay in the east gully (which includes c4 at the new crux), due to rocks shifting at the base of the east/west crossover and making that more dangerous than it used to be? If so, this changes the discussion of using the crossover, and instead one should consider going all the way up the east gully. If not, I stand corrected, and further details would be appreciated. BTW - rock on 71 yo brother! I'm 61 and definitely beginning to look at things in the mountains as you are.

You are correct. I am 64 and did Crestone Needle via the East Gully route last August. It is a good route and any exposure is hardly noticeable due to the great rock. If the OP has done Wilson Peak and Crestone Peak I don't think he would have any problem with the east gully. It lowers the risk of getting off route doing the crossover. Kudos to the OP for still doing this at 71.