Southwest Ridge, Canada
By Cameron M. Burns
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| On the mountain (Cameron Burns) |
Southwest Ridge: Mount Temple, Canadian Rockies, Alberta
Mount Temple is often referred to as the "Eiger of the Canadian Rockies," because when viewed from the tourist mecca of Lake Louise, the 5,000-foot-high north face resembles—if only slightly—Europe's most famous north face. Mount Temple's north face certainly is one of Canada's most popular goals for the hard-core mountaineering crowd, but there are other routes on the mountain, including perhaps the easiest "classic" climb in the Rockies, the Southwest Ridge.
This route starts south of Lake Louise in the fantastically beautiful Valley of the Ten Peaks (depicted on the back of the Canadian $20 bill), works its way up the southern slopes to the crest of the Southwest Ridge, then follows the ridge to the glaciated summit. From here, there are outrageous views in all directions, as Mount Temple is one of the Rockies' highest peaks.
The great thing about the Southwest Ridge is that it offers the beginning mountaineer a little bit of everything: altitude, scrambling, and glacier travel across the summit ice field.
It's a stimulating mixture that will challenge but not destroy.
Just the Facts
First ascent: S. Allen, F. Frissel, Walter Wilcox, 1894
Time required: 1/2 day
Technical grade: IV, Class 4
References:Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockiesby Sean Dougherty
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| Cam Burns on the summit of El Pico de Orizaba (Cameron Burns) |
Jamapa Glacier: El Pico de Orizaba, Mexico
Although most of us think of margaritas, hot salsa, and warm beaches when the topic of Mexico comes up, Mexico is also the home of the third highest mountain in North America, El Pico de Orizaba.
Third only to 20,320-foot Denali (aka Mount McKinley) in Alaska, and 19,850-foot Mount Logan in the Canadian Yukon, El Pico de Orizaba is a magnificent section of the earth's crust, jutting almost 18,700 feet from the edge of the Gulf of Mexico into the skies over Veracruz.
While all three mountains are tall, it's the contrasts, rather than the few feet of altitude, that really separate Mexico's highest mountain from the other two peaks.
Denali and Logan are sought after by hard-core mountaineers and require pretty big wads of gear, money, and time to ascend. El Pico de Orizaba is relatively simple, and those with no mountaineering experience can easily get up the mountain given time and determination. The Jamapa Glacier is the most direct, and the easiest route to get you there.
Most important of all, perhaps, the views of Veracruz's beaches from the Jamapa Glacier will keep you motivated to get the mountain "done" fast, so you can focus on sun, sand, and margaritas.
Just the Facts
First ascent: American soldiers, 1848
Time required: 1 full day from the Octavio Alvarez Hut
Technical grade: Alpine Ice 2 (Steep hike)
References:Mexico's Volcanoesby R. J. Secor
Read more:http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/travel-ta-mexico-mountaineering-sidwcmdev_060527.html#ixzz161Z8KEKv
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| Mount Kenya from the west (Cameron Burns) |
Normal Route (Southeast Face): Mount Kenya, Kenya
Mount Kenya has the reputation of being the hard mountain, while Kilimanjaro is the walk-up. But that commonly held assessment isn't totally correct. Kilimanjaro boasts many walk-ups, but it also offers the most difficult high-altitude climb in all of Africa (the Breach Wall, first climbed by Rheinhold Messner in 1978). On Mount Kenya, there are plenty of hard routes, but there's also the Normal Route, which offers easy, straightforward rock climbing up to the peak's needle-like, 17,200-foot summit.
Most of the climb is a lot easier than the overall rating of 5.7+. In fact, it's mainly a scramble. But when you throw in a little altitude, and the fact that you'll want to carry a sleeping bag and bivouac en route, Mount Kenya becomes a fun but rewarding challenge.
From the mountain's twin summits of Batian (17,058 feet) and Nelion (17,021 feet), all of Kenya opens up before you, from the distant Aberdare Mountains to the smog-topped metropolis of Nairobi.
The most adventurous aspect of climbing Mount Kenya, however, is the approach hike through the forests. Wandering through bamboo jungles where elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and buffalo are present is awe-inspiring—if not, at times, a little frightening.
Just the Facts
First ascent: Eric Shipton and Percy Wyn Harris, 1929
Time required: 1to 2 full days
Technical grade: IV, 5.7+, with some easy ice climbing
References:Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya: A Climbing and Trekking Guideby Cameron M. Burns
More onMount Kenya
Details onAfrica's Other Mountains
Read more:http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/travel-ta-rock-climbing-kenya-mountaineering-sidwcmdev_060528.html#ixzz161ZEuUhn
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| The French Alps |
Frontier Ridge: Mount Maudit Alps, France
Also known as simply "the Kuffner," the Frontier Ridge on Mount Maudit is a mixed snow, ice, and rock ridge with a stunning position. First climbed in 1887, this climb takes you easily through wonderful scenery to a spiky summit with excellent views of Mount Blanc. While the route holds a very easy grade, it's no giveaway. It's real climbing at a high elevation, and even experienced climbers stay roped up for most of the route.
George Mallory—the famed Everest pioneer—did the third ascent of the Kuffner in 1911. Mallory was so impressed with the quality of the route that he later wrote an account of his ascent and waxed lyrical about the route, the nature of summits, and why we push ourselves toward them: "Have we vanquished an enemy? None but ourselves. Have we gained success? That word means nothing here. Have we won a kingdom? No...and yes. We have achieved an ultimate satisfaction...fulfilled a destiny.... To struggle and to understand—never this last without the other; such is the law....
It was, some writers have observed, a foreshadowing of that great epithet to come: "Because it's there.
Just the Facts
First ascent: M. Kuffner, A. Burgener, Josef Furrer, 1887.
Time required: 10 hours round-trip from the Torino or Cosmiques Hut
Technical grade: Alpine Ice 3
References:Mont Blanc Massif, Vol. I, by Lindsay Griffin
Read more:http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/travel-ta-european-alps-mountaineering-france-sidwcmdev_060529.html#ixzz161ZIfYzU
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| Cuillin Ridge |
Cuillin Ridge: The Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Skye's Cuillin Ridge doesn't have the attributes you find on most classic climbing routes. First, it's not really a climb, but a long ridge traverse. Second, it's pretty low (the highest peak, Sgurr Alasdair is a mere 3,255 feet high). And third, it's not even in the Alps, but the remote Scottish islands, the Inner Hebrides.
But what the Cuillin Ridge lacks in height and alpine environment is more than made up for in other ways. The ridge is seven miles in length and offers sustained scrambling and easy rock-climbing along a narrow and frequently knife-edge crest.
Much of the route is climbed solo, but only the most confident will avoid roping up for some climbing sections, or rappelling some of the steeper descents. More than 30 rocky peaks have to be traversed on the ridge, above shear mountain "corries" (amphitheaters) rising straight from sea-level—no margin for error here. In general the rock is rough, solid gabbro, but this is a mountain expedition and all kinds of terrain are encountered.
Pulling off a successful traverse depends less on technical skills than it does on physical and mental stamina and a keen mountain sense of where you are and where you're going. More importantly, good weather is critical. Skye is notoriously misty and wet. (Ironically, dehydration—there is little or very little drinkable water on the ridge—has also ended many attempts.) And few of those who attempt the Cuillin Ridge without any prior knowledge of the ridge complete it on their first try, but thankfully, easy escapes are possible from the route in a number of places.
The ridge is usually attempted from a bivouac on Gars-bheinn, a peak at the southern end of the ridge, and finished, usually in the dark, on Sgurr nan Gillean, a peak at the northern end. The record for "running" the ridge is currently 3 hours, 32 minutes.
Just the Facts
First traverse: L. Shadbolt and A. McLaren, June 1911
Time required: 4 hours to bivouac on Gars-bheinn, 12 to 14 hours for the ridge, 3 hours descent from Sgurr nan Gillean
Technical grade: Class 4 with a few sections of 5.2 and 5.3
References:Skye Scramble, by Noel Williams, Scottish Mountaineering Club
Read more:http://www.gorp.com/weekend-guide/travel-ta-rock-climbing-scotland-sidwcmdev_060530.html#ixzz161ZMOobL
South Face "Via Classica": Marmolada di Penia, Dolomites, Italy
The south face of the Marmolada comprises a single, massive, limestone wall, nearly two miles wide and 2,600 feet high, rising to an elevation of almost 11,000 feet.
The summit of the mountain had already been attained from the north, but in 1901, a 42-year-old English woman became infatuated with the Marmaloda's South Face.
Beatrice Tomasson was a mountaineer with an eye for a good line. She hired a guide who climbed the initial chimneys of what was to become the Via Classica to investigate whether the line was feasible, but the guide descended and the route remained unclimbed. In June of 1902, Tomasson returned, hiring two more guides who probed another line without success. The following month, she returned a third time with two more guides and was rewarded with success on the original line, forcing their 2,000-foot climb, up and down in a single day.
This is one of Europe's most cherished classics. The lower part of the route follows chimneys, both tight and wide, while the upper section is straightforward rock climbing. (Rock quality does deteriorate, however.) Stonefall is a danger, so a helmet is essential, and the route should be avoided if crowded. On the sunny south face it is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security, but this is very much an alpine environment. There is snow on the summit and a glacier below the north face, and the Marmolada's altitude attracts bad weather. But if you go prepared, you'll be rewarded with one of Italy's best climbing experiences.
Just the Facts
First ascent: M. Bettega, B. Tomasson, B. Zagonel, 1902
Time required: About 10 hours round-trip from the Rifugio Falier (hut).
Technical grade: Some pitches of 5.6, but mainly 5.5 or easier
References:Classic Dolomite Climbs, by Annette Kohler and Nteorbert Memmel
Read more:http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/travel-ta-rock-climbing-mountaineering-italy-dolomites-dolomite-region-sidwcmdev_060531.html#ixzz161ZQiZJW"
I have had a chance to climb Mt. Temple, SW Ridge which is practically in my backyard. We dealt with late season snow in early September and a talus slog at the top but a great Rockies peak.
As well, had a chance to climb Mt. Orizaba in November 2002 and although I suffered with the altitude and the cold I brought with me, we battled through the vertical ascent to get to the top of Mexico.
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