Hey guys, I've been lurking this site for awhile trying to take in any info I can. I've come to a point where I'm not sure which direction to go..

I'm not new to the outdoors. Most of my life I have hiked, camped , fished etc. I was in the Marine Corps Infantry for 4 years which had its own various forms if hikes ( humps) , camps and outdoor survival.
Although I've been hiking over the last few years , last November I went dispersed camping in a national forest. It was awesome and came with some minor challenges.

Recently though I've been looking for more. Something different. As awesome as it would be to climb something like everest etc I think. Due to money, kids . my job etc its not gonna happen. But I'm looking for something with the " wow" effect without all the in depth skills and experience involved in reached a summit. I have a very basic knowledge of ropes And rappeling, not a lot of money, or time, and I live in Chicago ( not by choice)

Is this one of those things where you either just hike and camp at sea level or go all out and go on a huge month long expedition?

Or are there places that you can essentially " hike" to a " summit" where you can say " I did it" ?

I'm not sure if the issue makes sense. If not ill try to better explain.

All you need is some time off from work and a bit of money for gasoline (or for airfare). We're not talking months and thousands, we're talking a week and hundreds.

There are many, many spectacular peaks that you can hike up and/or camp on/near without any special training.

From Chicago, it's about 14 hours to Denver by car, 20 hours by bus, or three hours (and currently under $300) by air. Also consider California, Washington state, Utah, Alberta, ... Browse around on Summitpost and see what peaks get your attention. There should be lots of threads in the forum with titles like "best peaks for beginners".

Hello! Attaining lofty summits with breathtaking panoramas does not always involve technical rock climbing. Many of our great mountain ranges have impressive peaks that can be reached via class II (essentially off-trail hiking, no climbing required) or class III (short stretches of climbing with minimal exposure) routes. The scramble routes I am most familiar with are in Glacier National Park in NW Montana, but there are countless areas throughout the American West that offer similar experiences.

Some of the more famous peaks I can think of that can be reached via trail include Mount Whitney (highest point in lower 48), Mount Saint Helens (active volcano in Washington) and Mount Elbert (highest point in Colorado and the Rocky Mountains). As one might expect, these relatively "easy" summits often involve crowds and permits for camping/hiking, so there if you're looking for a wilderness experience on your trip you would benefit from finding some lesser traveled areas.

Have you heard of Harney Peak in the Black Hills of South Dakota? I mention it because geographically it's the most prominent peak that's nearest to Chicago, and I know from growing up in Minnesota that Midwesterners regularly make the trip to the Rapid City area to get a taste of the old west. There is a short trail to the top and the views from the summit are truly spectacular. Harney Peak is the tallest point between the Rocky Mountains and the Pyrenees in Europe, so it's a very remarkable place to visit.

I never heard of some of those so ill def look them up. When you say trails, I'm thinking , gravel and the occasional old lady walking her poodle as she waves to me. I've hiked in places before thinking " man no one else can do this" only to be met by a middle aged woman with standard issued poodle, walking stick and sweat band.... Kills my " glory" real fast..

Good suggestions by nartreb & distressbark.

The Rocky Mountains and the Sierra provide lots of hiking (one day and backpacking) and rock climbing options. As of mountaineering I definitely prefer the Cascades. I would suggest getting a taste by trying Mt Shasta via one of the simplest but still physically challenging route Avalanche Gulch. It’s over 14K mountain with elevation gain of 7K. In the right conditions (May till July), all you may need would be a helmet, ice axe and crampons (no rope), an investment of a few hundred dollars for many years. And yes, we go there from sea level and climb that beauty in one day or overnight. However, if you really want to increase a chance of summiting this majestic mountain, go in the right conditions and have extra time for flexibility; otherwise, you may be very disappointed. And don’t be discourage by 7 year yang or 70 year old climbers performing better than you. Compete only with yourself; otherwise, you may miss the adventure.

Oh, one more thing, mountaineering is suffering!

I find enjoyment in suffering lmao. I'm looking for something that I can stand at the base , look up and say I can do it. Without previous mention of ropes. Guides etc. Would be me . my brother and 1 or 2 others. Hike/ boulder climb up , camp somewhere reach the top a,d come down

Nightstalker32 wrote:I find enjoyment in suffering lmao. I'm looking for something that I can stand at the base , look up and say I can do it. Without previous mention of ropes. Guides etc. Would be me . my brother and 1 or 2 others. Hike/ boulder climb up , camp somewhere reach the top a,d come down

Yeah, that's me. And any time I "stand at the base", of, e.g., Mt Rainier, "look up and say" with disbelieve, ...and I just was on the top of this huge giant? Well, mountaineering is suffering. Or like some people say, "no pain no gain."

Mt Rainer is a specific mountaineering type mountain right? Its not meant for ppl with little mountain skill etc ? There's no way I,could essentially hike/maneuver my way to the top ?

Mt Rainier is a popular first peak for people who hire guides. You can do it unguided, but it wouldn't be my first choice, for several reasons.

http://www.summitpost.org/mount-rainier/150291

1) Time. The mountain is big enough that you should plan on at least two days to climb it, in good weather. But the main problem is that it's over 14,000 feet tall. Going from Chicago to 14,000 feet in two days is a good way to get altitude sickness, which is no fun at all. A night at Camp Muir at 10,000 feet is pushing your luck. You really want several days of preparation where you're sleeping above 5,000 feet and/or hiking above 10,000 feet. So your road trip just went from "extra long weekend" to "this year's whole summer vacation".

2) Danger. While the easiest routes are normally quite safe (the guide services will put in ropes where needed, mark crevasses with wands, etc), you probably shouldn't go up unguided if you're not comfortable with ice axe, ropes, etc.

3) Crowding. There's limited space at the campsites, so you need to get your permit in advance. That means you can't be flexible with your schedule if you have work conflicts, bad weather, or acclimation problems.

You get the idea. There are lots of very scenic options that don't suffer these drawbacks. Mt St Helens is a fine example - you can camp at the base, hike up in a day, and never worry about altitude, and as long as you don't step too close to the edge of the crater or go in icy conditions, it's quite safe and straightforward.

http://www.summitpost.org/mount-saint-helens/150360

PS Speaking of Rainier, there's a circular trail around it (93 miles) that's supposed to be spectacular.

Come to think of it, there are some very scenic circuits in the Alps, Pyrennees, etc. Go just outside the peak season and airfare won't be too bad, but time may be a problem: you want to spend several days hiking plus a few days for jet lag.

As fellow Chicagoan with kids, I can offer the following suggestions:

Do family vacations in National Parks that have a variety of activities for the family, with some mental health days where you can exhaust yourself on worthy summit or canyon objective(s). This wears you out and makes you more amenable to family time. I have had lots of success in combining the two in Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, Zion, Yellowstone.

There are some very enjoyable hikes, even small summits, 8-10 hours (car) from Chicago in the Upper Peninsula of Michagan and Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. A 3-4 day weekend makes a nice change of pace About the same distance away is Kentucky's Red River gorge. The Smokies are busy but not much farther. Even nearby Wisconsin (3-4 hours) has some nice change of pace areas (Devil's Lake, Door County).

Good suggestion above about not attempting Rainier without proper skills and exploring National Parks as an alternative; they are all very beautiful.

Nightstalker32 wrote:Mt Rainer is a specific mountaineering type mountain right? Its not meant for ppl with little mountain skill etc ? There's no way I,could essentially hike/maneuver my way to the top ?

People with various skills (or lack of them) attempt Mt Rainier. All you need to get the climbing permit for the standard route is basically (at least) two people with rope, etc. However, I would strongly discourage from such approach. It’s a serious mountain covered by huge glaciers (snow, ice, crevasses as well as rapidly deteriorating weather) and any mistake may result in serious injury or fatality. Team-self-arrest, crevasse rescue and previous mountaineering experience should be minimum consideration factors before the attempt.

Mt Shasta is much more forgiving (although people die there too) and has many non-glaciated routes. For instance, If you go in August-September via Clear Creek, you may hike up to the summit without even touching any snow. There is so called use trail; stick to it; otherwise, you may suffer on scree.

Clear Creek: http://www.summitpost.org/clear-creek/157378

If you like snow, try Salt Lake City, UT ...

If an avalanche closes the road, you can try some of the lower elevation "fishing holes" in the Dixie National Forest. Capitol Reef and Zion are great parks.

If you visit Bryce Canyon, you can check out "Poodle Rock." It'll give you zero barks and very few bites.

clmbr wrote:Good suggestion above about not attempting Rainier without proper skills and exploring National Parks as an alternative; they are all very beautiful.

Proper skills are important, but you COULD try "slogging" up to the 10,000 ft level (above Paradise), known as Camp Muir. Rainier makes its own weather, so there's times when you can't see 10-feet in front of you, and will have to reluctantly abort your mission.

For what you're looking for, I'd say check out Middle Teton.

Or get one of those cheap Chicago-Anchorage nonstops and we'll send you up Bold Peak.
http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2014/10/363429,xcitefun-bold-peak-3.jpg

One of the other issues I have being from the terrible state of illinois is I don't know ANYONE that climbs or has experience climbing. Im assuming you guys have friends from all over the country that have climbed and know the process. I don't. Its me and my brother. So I can't say " hey I know john climbed this or that, maybe he can help me plan, and even go with "

In fact , I love hiking and camping in the winter ( snow, etc ) and I have brought 1 co worker once to the Indiana dunes and once to manistee national forest. When we were done they literally thought I,was,insane. I would see a used trail and tell them " na we're gonna make our own trail through the,snow or brush".
Chicago is full of ppl. That go out to party and not climb / hike.

I had that SAME problem when I lived in WA state back in the 1980's -- everybody wanted to stay home and party, and I ended up blazing my own trails.

But that was before the age of internet and smart phones. If you're not necessarily a dog lover, there are folks "out there" without "commitments" who would
welcome your company.

Of course, you still have to maintain your patience with some of these "numb-skulls." (Just don't give up hope.)