fav CO summit route at each level of YDS

[-wren-]

Thought this could be a cool conversation starter.

1: standard on Redcloud
2: James Pk to Mt. Flora “forever botany traverse” (2+)
3: Meeker Iron Gates to Longs via the The Loft
4: Little Bear SW Ridge
Low 5: N. Buttress of Crestone Peak or El Camino Royale on “The Regency” to E. Face of Royal Arch in the Flatirons
Mid-high 5: haven’t done any summit routes harder than low 5

[Scott P]

1. Meridian Peak
2. Windom or Mount Ethel
3. Wetterhorn
4. Diamond Tooth
Low 5th. Devils Thumb or The Palisade
Mid-High 5th. Independence Monument

[Alpinefroggy]

1. ???
2. La Plata
3. Mchenry's peak, stoneman pass
4. bancroft east ridge
5. Cables
upper 5th rewritten

[yaktoleft13]

Cool question! The hardest one to choose was the class 1 route, since there are surprisingly few true class 1 routes out there that I've done. The others were easy.

1. San Luis standard
2. Half Peak standard
3. Arrow Peak standard
4. Snowmass S ridge
5. Coxcomb standard

[dubsho3000]

I decided to limit my list to CO 14ers...

1. Handies
2. Torreys - Tuning Fork
3. Wetterhorn - Southeast Ridge
4. North Maroon - Northeast Ridge
5. Peak to Needle Traverse

[RestlessLegSyndrome]

It is always so difficult to choose a favorite, especially since it is impossible to separate a route from the experience as a whole. If I had to choose though, limiting myself to non-snow routes, these would be it. Ask me tomorrow though and my answers will be entirely different.

Class 1: Elbert NE Ridge
Class 2: SW Ridge of Huerfano
Class 3: SE Ridge Wetterhorn
Class 4: NE Ridge of N Maroon
Low 5: SE Face of Little Matterhorn
Upper 5: Kor's Door to Kieners on Longs

[Danger_D]

Mostly pulling from the Cents for these

C1: Handies SW Slopes
C2: Jupiter Mountain SW Slopes
C3: Cathedral Peak A South Ridge (Mostly for the amazing winter trail)
C4: Pyramid Peak NE Ridge
Low C5: Crestone Traverse Peak to Needle, though Dallas Peak gives it a run for its money

[NatDog]

Limited to 14er Routes:

Class 1: San Luis Peak NE Ridge
Class 2: Uncompahgre Peak S Ridge
Class 3: Snowmass Mountain "S" Ridge
Class 4: Capitol Peak NE Ridge
Class 5: Little Bear Peak W Ridge Direct

[Mtnman200]

Ask me again next week, and I'll probably have a different list. Today it's:

1. Electric Pass Peak (beautiful fall colors in September)
2. East & West Buffalo Peaks
2+. Arrow Peak
3. Crestone Needle
3+. Sleeping Sexton
4. Middle Trinity Peak
Low 5. Jagged Mtn.

[climbingcue]

C1 no fun peak
C2 Massive southwest slopes
C3 Longs via Iron gates over Meeker Ridge up Loft
C4 Kit Carson North ridge
C5 Coxcomb the 150 ft rappel is awesome

[Aphelion]

There's really too many to pick a favorite, so the best I can do is some of the best that come to mind right now.

1) ... I don't do a lot of C1, maybe San Luis NE ridge? It seemed a bit more remote/aesthetic than most other places in CO.
2) Bison Peak, and/or McCurdy Mountain. Lots of neat rocks up there.
3) I've always liked Crestone Needle's south face route, but that could just be sentimentality. Bierstadt's east ridge from Burning Bear is great, because it turns a boring zoo into a solid day's work without too many crowds.
4) Maybe the LB-Blanca traverse? Solo flight on Lone Eagle would be another contender, but mostly just for the views.
5.low) Tossup between Blitzen ridge on Ypsilon, and Kiener's route up Longs.
5.higher) No summits in this class for me. I generally only climb up mountains that I am fully comfortable soloing, and currently that caps out at 5.4-ish.

[hellmanm]

Ooh I like this thread a lot. There are so many to choose from.

C1: Handies Peak SW Slopes (runner-up: California Peak N Ridge... it has maybe a couple feet of "class 2" since there's not always a trail on the tundra, but I'd call it 1)
C2: Rio Grande Pyramid E Ridge (runner-up: Mt. of the Holy Cross Halo Ridge loop w/north Ridge)
C3: Wetterhorn Peak SE Ridge (runner-up: Quandary Peak W Ridge)
C4: Snowmass Mountain S Ridge (runner-up: Sunlight Peak South Face)
C5: Jagged Mountain North Face (runner-up: none -- I've only done 1)

There are so many more too. I feel so lucky to live here.