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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Yeah I think SLR is maybe onto something. So which Sierra peaks are still unclimbed because they are so damn hard? I'm guessing its a short list.
Edit-
So Werner, which one did you have the most difficulty on?
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tom Carter
Social climber
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Ledge Rat just to straighten things out a bit - that snowfield lookers right of your route is not the Solstice Chute, it is the North Face skied by Bobo Loche and Gorden Wiltsie back in say...1976 ish.
The Solstice Chute is way down the skyline above the western most of the Glacier Lakes. John mis-placed it in his books.
I'm pointing this out as both Gorden and Bobo did a cool thing way back then. CF and I skied the chute back in 1980.
Cheers!
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WBraun
climber
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So Werner, which one did you have the most difficulty on?
Me myself and I are the most difficult to surmount .......
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Jonnnyyyzzz
Trad climber
San Diego,CA
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Did Thunderbolt car to car last month. I don't know about it being the hardest but its a full value adventure. Going car to car bumps it up for sure.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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...the one having the most fun.
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Rosamond
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Oct 14, 2013 - 02:31pm PT
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I'd agree that the NF of Morrison is a foul, murderous dragon. I almost got whacked by a bowling ball while doing some soloing on it in 1995. But you can pretty much walk up that Northwest arete, and it's been skiied numerous times, so it doesn't fit the criteria the OP was asking abt. Clarence king is a good choice for the "overall hardest" summit to attain. Although I'd also agree that some of the paiute pinnacles make me nervous enough that I haven't touched them. Everything in the palisades is pretty trivial, if you go by way of the easiest possible line. Really, these types of questions are silly. It's like asking "who's the hottest chick in the world"? Silly.
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Oct 14, 2013 - 03:55pm PT
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Hey, Johnnyyzzzz,
I did Thunderbolt back in '92 with a woman named Tina (haven't seen or heard from her since). We did from my doorstep to my doorstep in 13 hours (I live in Bishop). The time included roping her up on the last 4th class pitch, spending an hour on the summit (including getting the register off the summit block).
I've climbed over 50 Sierra peaks(most more than once), the first in 1961, the last this year, and I have no idea which one was the "hardest" - they were all fun.
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cody padrnos
Trad climber
corona ca
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Oct 14, 2013 - 04:51pm PT
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the evolution traverse? tough route finding, but only 5.9 max! nonetheless challenging.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Oct 14, 2013 - 06:43pm PT
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Morrison is not a hardest peak. It is basically roadside with a 2nd/3rd class route to top.
Evolution traverse is not a peak, it is a combination of peaks. How can it be the hardest peak?
Thunderbolt is difficult since summit block is rated 5.9, but not that difficult. It is easy to lasso it and prussik up. All kinds of noobs do peaks along the Palisade Crest.
My guess is one of the peaks on Devil's Crags ridge. Remote as hell, over 13K, technical climbing, and sh#t rock.
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Crazy John
Trad climber
California
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Oct 14, 2013 - 08:14pm PT
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West Face of Mt. Conness is very technical (hard 5th class, plus aid), but it has easy ridge route for descent.
Mountains with hardest easiest route?
Humphreys is up there, pretty exposed 4th class. I have done in summer and winter, from different directions, both dicey, exposed. Especially down climbing the winter ascent route.
North Face of Morrison is moderately technical, some 5th class, and scarily decomposed (very flakey rubble), but like Conness, it has an easy route off (the down climb -- you don't want to go back down the N Face). Common comment while climbing N face: "I can't believe I'm doing this"
Having done all three, I would say: West Face Conness >> N Face Morrison > anything on Humphreys.
But: easiest route on Humphreys >> easiest routes on Conness, Morrison
My 2 cents.
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Flip Flop
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Oct 14, 2013 - 08:25pm PT
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Half Dome.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Oct 14, 2013 - 10:27pm PT
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Don...Seems to be a lapse in your chronology...what else did you do on the summit....?
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julton
climber
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Oct 14, 2013 - 10:29pm PT
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The very fact that there is no consensus, not even a narrowing of choices, means that there is no meaningful answer.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Oct 14, 2013 - 10:36pm PT
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You could eliminate any peak with a class 1 or 2 route. Then any peak with a class 3 route. That narrows it down to the Palisades and Devil's Crags. And Gardiner, Clarence King, what else?
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Bob Harrington
climber
Bishop, California
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Oct 14, 2013 - 11:47pm PT
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Half Dome, sans cables, is a pretty good suggestion.
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John Ely
Trad climber
DC
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Oct 15, 2013 - 12:04am PT
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Again its not really a mountain but isn't the hardest most inaccessible peak in Calif Higher (or Lower) Cathedral Spire and/or Lost Arrow?
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Brock
Trad climber
RENO, NV
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Oct 15, 2013 - 12:14am PT
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"Eiger of the Sierras" is Mt Morrison. Got my attention when I first started climbing but guess I wussed out when I heard of loose blocks the size of a Volkswagen ready to take you out. Let me know how it is.
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snake
Mountain climber
sebastopol
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Oct 18, 2013 - 06:57pm PT
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Factor in the heinous approach and Castle Rock Spire is the hardest summit to attain in the Sierras, followed by the Lost Arrow (if done free) then Warlock Needle. The hardest pure mountain is Thunderbolt (5.9R summit block) although Devil's Crag #1 has a very high pucker factor. The summit block on Bear Creek Spire isn't exactly trivial either. Humphries, North Pal,Sill, Clarence King and Morrison are cream puffs by comparison. WV
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Oct 19, 2013 - 12:13am PT
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Thunderbolt? no way, even my sea level livin ass got up there no probs. a bunch of sloggin to a VB boulder problem off the ground.
Edit- beautiful peak, just not the hardest IMO
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Oct 19, 2013 - 12:17am PT
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Kinda like asking what is the hardest freeway to drive in the Bay Area.
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