A recent exchange with Vitaly M. got me thinking about 'Full Value routes'. We both mentioned routes we felt were much more grueling than the famous Liberty Ridge on Mt. Rainier. These are routes my friends refer to as 'Full Value’. With the proliferation of ‘classic’ or ‘select’ guide books, (most of my guides are of this nature), many of these routes are well known. What are some ‘Full Value’ routes that you feel are ‘undervalued’ or don’t get the traffic they deserve?
Here is my selection, which in my mind is equal to all the alpine rock routes I’ve done anywhere given the price of admission:

Colchuck Peak, Northeast Buttress http://www.summitpost.org/northeast-buttress/168476
2,500 feet
Grade IV
5.10- (Two moves of 5.10, the rest is no harder than 5.
Glacier approach and descent
May – September
Doable in a day but also good (but limited by permit) camping high above the lake, below the pocket glacier on rock slabs amid pretty meadows.



Report http://www.summitpost.org/northeast-buttress-of-colchuck-peak/689764

we thought east ridge of inspiration was fully value to us anyway. not sure whether it's underappreciated, esp. anymore given the many tr's on it now.

Dark Star on Temple Crag. Grade V (33 pitches if pitched out), 5.10c

http://www.summitpost.org/dark-star-v-5-10c/737009

Goes up the prominent buttress (12 pitches, 10 of those is sustained climbing 5.8 and up to 10c to free it). Than up the second buttress. After which you continue scrambling for a while and hope to beat the sunset till the top.

Temple Crag


Dark Star Buttress


1st pitch (10a)

Did Doug Robinson do the F.A. on Dark Star? I seems to remember he mentioned it in his book.

I think Goode (WA) NE Buttress (~5.6, III or IV?) feels big for the grade. In Europe looking back over a few years the Innominata Ridge on Mont Blanc (D/D+) impressed (depressed?) me for the way it went on and on. The Totenkirchl West Wall in the Wilder Kaiser (5.10c, ~18 pitches) is the same...the "hard" sections keep on coming when you mentally thought the crux was finished.

I'm seeing a common element here...not a lot of good reports on the routes at the time we did them in the language we want. So a bit of the unknown and unexpected seems important.

Did Doug Robinson do the F.A. on Dark Star?

Yes. Since than there were few more full value (even more full value than dark star) routes established on the buttress, but I have not touched those.
Sun Ribbon Arete which is a IV 10a on another arete is also pretty long and not easy to do in a day.
I am actually excited to go back and do other two popular climbs on temple this summer- Moon goddess and venusian blind. Both grade IV, one 5.7 other 5.8. If I do than I will be finished climbing all 4 aretes.

mvs wrote:I think Goode (WA) NE Buttress (~5.6, III or IV?) feels big for the grade.

That was one of the routes I was thinking of when I started this thread. It was one of the most arduous routes I've climbed. Your story as well as other's had me fearing we wouldn't find our bivi on our descent, but one partner who stayed back in camp hiked up to meet us and guided us down just before night fall.

ExcitableBoy wrote:

mvs wrote:I think Goode (WA) NE Buttress (~5.6, III or IV?) feels big for the grade.

That was one of the routes I was thinking of when I started this thread. It was one of the most arduous routes I've climbed. Your story as well as other's had me fearing we wouldn't find our bivi on our descent, but one partner who stayed back in camp hiked up to meet us and guided us down just before night fall.

So excellent. Man...if there was ever a reason to write trip reports, there you go!

ExcitableBoy wrote:

mvs wrote:I think Goode (WA) NE Buttress (~5.6, III or IV?) feels big for the grade.

That was one of the routes I was thinking of when I started this thread. It was one of the most arduous routes I've climbed. Your story as well as other's had me fearing we wouldn't find our bivi on our descent, but one partner who stayed back in camp hiked up to meet us and guided us down just before night fall.

It is interesting there are these climbs that are grade II in guidebooks but end up being IV+ in reality. My friend Mark had an experience like that on Dragon peak I think...

Do you think NE Buttress of Slesse is full value?

I am trying to pick 1 easy (not too far in, hopefully done in not too long of a day) and one full value climb in N cascades for Summer. Possibly will be there on the way to Bugaboos...

I think Slesse is an amazing climb that shouldnt be missed, but it's not "full value" according to the definition we are building here. If you can pack really light, then a bivouac on the route makes it an unforgettable weekend trip, not especially hard but "just right."

I never climbed this route, but something that I *suspect* is full value in that neighborhood is Nooksack Tower.

Vitaliy M. wrote:I am trying to pick 1 easy (not too far in, hopefully done in not too long of a day) and one full value climb in N cascades for Summer. Possibly will be there on the way to Bugaboos...

Full value:

Full North Ridge of Mt Stuart with Great Gendarme finish, CTC in a day. 3,000 ft, 5.9 -5.10 (some route latitude on the lower buttress).
North Ridge of Forbidden Peak. 2 miles long, 5.6, expansive glacier, comitting approach, amazing views. CTC in a day. MVS and I did it in 15 hours, record is 10.

Half value: (Delivers outstanding climbing in an excellent position but is easily doable in a relatively short day)

NW Corner of North Early Winter Spire. Short approach, 5.9.
SW Buttress South Early Winter Spire. Short approach, 5.8
The Beckey Route, Liberty Bell. Short approach, 5.7

Excellent list! Would I corrupt it if I added Cutthroat Peak South Buttress under the half-value column? The rock climbing doesn't live up, but the position and length are great.

You could also stop at Roger's Pass on the way to the bugs for the NE Arete of Sir Donald. I don't know our exact CTC time, but it was long. Lots of soloing or simul-climbing on that required for a day trip.

mvs wrote:Excellent list! Would I corrupt it if I added Cutthroat Peak South Buttress under the half-value column?

Yes.

mvs wrote: NE Arete of Sir Donald. I don't know our exact CTC time, but it was long. Lots of soloing or simul-climbing on that required for a day trip.

My friend wants to do that, I do too.

If you can pack really light, then a bivouac on the route makes it an unforgettable weekend trip, not especially hard but "just right."

So the views from high on the route are nice? I do not really enjoy to bivy, but some times it is worth it for the views IMO. Sucks to carry extra gear/food/water. I am sure there will be no snow up there to melt. Also, we will have 1 car, so unable to shuttle. Does that complicate things a lot?
How are temperatures/weather around that altitude in August? (i will check forecast when I will go, but what can I expect?)

There is also South Ridge of Mt. Gimli. If we can do Gimli, Slesse, and 3-5 climbs in Bugaboos I would be super happy. Will mostly depend on the weather.

One thing I love about climbing is that it is really hard to run out of routes you want to do haha.
Mt Stuart, Forbidden (via N and E ridges), and a lot more in North Cascades is something I want to do as well...and it is not even in my 'home' range! And I have PLENTY here to keep me busy for 2 life times.