I was just recently asked by Gramicci, what my top ten climbing destinations are. I felt like I should share this with the blogging world, so here they are:
1. The High Sierra
2. The Incredible Hulk
3. Yosemite (Including Tuolumne Meadows)
4. Zion National Park
5. Buttermilks
6. New River Gorge
7. Indian Creek
8. Joshua Tree
9. Ten Sleep
10. Whitesides, NC
Places that should be on the top ten but I havent gone to yet:
Needles, California
Devil’s Tower, WY
Calavaris Dome, Tahoe.
A Dirtbagger's Delight 
How do the North Cascades (the US’s best alpine climbing) not make your list??
Well, simply because I have only gone up there once to climb on the Liberty Bell (which looks awesome!!!!) and woke up to it raining cats and dogs……… which didnt stop for the whole week I was up there. Whats your top ten Forrest?
Yeah, that’s the downside to living here. We hired this guy from Arizona who moved here for the job, and he asked me how long it’s been raining. I had to tell him “I don’t know, I’m only 35.”
I don’t know if I have enough for a top ten list, but here’s what I’ve got:
(1) Sahale Peak (North Cascades NP)
(2) Mt Shuksan (NCNP, neighbor to Mt Shuksan) via the Sulphide Glacier
(3) Prusik Peak (Enchantment Lakes Basin)
(4) Mt Ruth (NCNP, smaller glacier route near Mt Baker, but what a view!)
(5) Ingalls Peak (Teanaway region, moderate rock route, great view)
Those are the ones that jump to mind as my “must do” list. Only two are pure rock climbs, the rest are mixed. Actually Sahale Peak is one of the main reasons I got into climbing, I backpacked and slept at the bottom of the glacier, and made it to the top. The peak looks like an easy scramble and I’m pretty sure I could have made it up. But it looks like a nasty down climb, much better to rappel, I wasn’t prepared for that, and I kicked myself for a while afterwards. Then I went and learned what I should have done.
There’s a downside to everyplace unfortunately, but most of the time its worth it! I look forward to climbing more in the Cascades. Def. a lot more snow and mix routes up there. Thanks for sharing your favorites with me!
Happy climbing.