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North America

General

The highest mountains of North America are located in the far north in Alaska and neighbouring St. Elias. Alaska range in general and Denali in particular, has one of the worst weather in the world as it locates at the collision front between warm damp Pacific air and the cold interior. The area is comprised of several mountain ranges. Furthest to the north lie Brooks Range. Aleutian range on the peninsula intruding far to the Bering Sea is notorious of it's horrendous weather, even on the Alaskan standards. Alaska range is located in the central part of Alaska. It is dominated by Denali (or Mount McKinley) with it's height of 6194m. Mount Hunter, Mount Foraker and Mount Huntington, all of which are popular among the climbers, are also located in the Alaska range. Chugach, Wrangel and St.Elias ranges are located to the south and east of Alaska Range. The most popular climbs are found in Alaska range.

The Rocky Mountains, or shorter "Rockies" are a vast mountain system in Western North America, extending from Canada to New Mexico. There are over twenty principle ranges that comprise the Rockies. Best known of them among climbers are Canadian Rockies, Colorado Rockies and Tetons in Wyoming. The highest peaks of the range are located in Colorado, with Mount Elbert (4401m) being the highest. The highest peak in Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson (3954m). There are several national parks of both sides of the border.

The Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwestern United States is best known for its massive snow-capped volcanoes. Often they rise in isolation, separated by great intervening plateaus. Mostly there's at least one relatively easy route to the summit. However, the highest, Mount Rainier (4392m), provides challenges even on its easiest routes.

The Sierra Nevada range in eastern California has several peaks over 4000m (for example Mount Whitney 4417m). However, the best known part of the Sierra Nevada is the Yosemite Valley, that is home to legendary big-wall on the sheer granite walls of El Capitan and The Nose.

Mexico's volcanoes offer an exciting trip for climbers seeking the challenges of climbing at moderate altitude amidst an interesting cultural backdrop. Highest mountain is Pico De Orizaba (also known as Citlateptl) at 5611m. Other well known alpine destinations of the continent include the famous granite spires of Bugaboos in British Columbia and Mount Washington and Mount Katahdin in New England.

Besides the aforementioned mountain areas, there are plenty of other areas having high quality ice and rock climbing.

Alaska & St. Elias

Alaska Range

The most popular climbs are found in Alaska range. West Buttress is the easiest and most popular route on Denali, while West Rib and Cassin Ridge are more difficult classics. Sultana Ridge and Infinite Spur on Mount Foraker and West Ridge and Moonflower Buttress on Mount Hunter are other classics.

St. Elias Mountains

St.Elias range lies partially on Canadan side of the border. It hosts a the greatest concentration of high peak in the North-America, topped by Mount Logan (5959m), the second highest summit of the continent. On the coastal area to the south and east of St. Elias range lie Fairweather and Coast ranges.

The highest mountains of North America are located in the far north in Alaska and neighbouring St. Elias. Alaska range in general and Denali in particular, has one of the worst weather in the world as it locates at the collision front between warm damp Pacific air and the cold interior. The area is comprised of several mountain ranges. Furthest to the north lie Brooks Range. Aleutian range on the peninsula intruding far to the Bering Sea is notorious of it's horrendous weather, even on the Alaskan standards. Alaska range is located in the central part of Alaska. It is dominated by Denali (or Mount McKinley) with it's height of 6194m. Mount Hunter, Mount Foraker and Mount Huntington, all of which are popular among the climbers, are also located in the Alaska range. Chugach, Wrangel and St.Elias ranges are located to the south and east of Alaska Range. The most popular climbs are found in Alaska range.

Because of harsh weather and remoteness, climbing on Alaskan mountains is more serious than similar routes would be in more accessible ranges (this phenomenom is sometimes referred to as Alaskan factor). Alaskan mountains are excessively glaciated, so most climbing is on snow or ice. The rock quality is generally poor. Access to climbs can be very long. However, airplanes are often used which make otherwise extremely tedious approaches a breeze.

Besides alpine ascents, Alaska has also plenty of good water ice climbing, especially close Valdez in Keystone Canyon. The first major climb of the areas was the classic Keystone Green Steps (5 pitches (200m) III-IV/WI5).

Rocky Mountains

Canadian Rockies

The Rockies are Canada’s most well known and easily accessible mountains. They are also the highest mountains in Canada south of Yukon. The Canadian Rockies run along the British Columbia-Alberta border from the Northwest Territories through into the US. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are rugged, remote, and heavily glaciated, with steep snowy peaks. Most mountains have easy routes up rounded flanks, and more difficult climbs up steep rock faces. The rock is very poor, though. Weather is cold and snowy through much of the year, the best months for climbing being July and August.

Highest mountain of the area is Mount Robson 3945m located in Mount Robson Provincial park. Other popular areas include Jasper National Park, especially Columbia Ice Field (Mount Andromeda, Mount Athabasca, Snow Dome, Mount Kitchener) and Banff National Park, especially around Lake Louise (Mt. Fay, Mt. Lefroy, Mount Temple). Other destinations include Yoho and Glacier National parks and Mt. Assibaie Provincial Park with its namesake, the classic pyramid shape of Mount Assiniboine ("Matterhorn of Canadian Rockies", 3618m). The mixed north ridge is a classic climb (IV 5.5).

Alpine classics include moderate north face of Mount Athabasca, Skyladder on Mount Andromeda and North and Kain Faces on Mount Robson. Snowdomes Slipstream, Mount Robson's Emperor Face and Grand Central Couloir on Mount Kitchener are famous hard routes. Canadian Rocky mountains are the mecca of waterfall ice climbing of North America. Especially Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise have plenty of frozen waterfalls.

Mount Robson & Jasper National Park (excl. Columbia Ice Field)

Jasper is the largest and most northerly Canadian rocky mountain national park, part of a spectacular World Heritage Site. It is located in Alberta, adjacent to and east of Mount Robson Provincial park. Mount Robson provincial park is located to the SW of Jasper National park, on the border between British Columbia and Alberta. The park contains the impressive massif Mount Robson, which at 3954m (12,972 feet) is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.

Columbia Icefield

Columbia Icefield is located in in the southern part of Jasper Nationalpark, between Jasper in the north (60 miles) and Lake Louise in the south (80 miles). It is the largest icefield in Canadian Rockies consisting of eight major glaciers and has host of famous climbs. Moderate classics include north face of Mount Athabasca (3491m) and Skyladder on Mount Andromeda while Grand Central Couloir on Mount Kitchener (3505m) and North face of North Twin (3684m) are testpieces for the elite. Highest peak of the area is Mount Columbia (3747m, the secondf highest peak in Canadian Rockies). The area is accessible from Icefields parkway (highway 93).

Banf national park

Lake Louise, the heart of the Canadian Rockies is where mountaineering began in Canada. The highest peak of the Lake LKouise group is Mount Temple (3543m) . Other important peaks include Mt Fay (3234m) , Mt. Lefroy (3424m) , Stanley Peak and Mt. Victoria (3416m) . Main centers of the area are lake Louise and Canmore. During the winter the area has several world classic ice climbs.

Colorado Rockies

The highest mountains in the Rockies are found in Colorado, there are 54 summits over 14 000 feet (4267m) and more than a thousand over 10 000 feet (3048m). Most mountains have easy routes up rounded flanks, and more difficult climbs up steep rock faces. Some small glaciers exist, and snow covers the mountains from December through May, with some snow patches remaining through most of the year. The mountains are more accessible during the summer, but severe afternoon thunderstorms are common.

Colorado has world class water ice climbs in the Boulder area as well as Vail, Aspen, Summit County, and Ouray.

Tetons

Located in Wyoming, approximately 50 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park hosts one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the lower 48. The Grand Teton (4197m) towers above the other peaks of the range. Other popular peaks include Mount Moran (3842m), Middle Teton, Mount Teewinot (3757m), Baxter's Pinnacle, Symmetree Spire and the Snaz. The climbing season is teh Tetons goes from around the end of June to the middle of September.

Tetons offer fine alpine climbing, mostly on rock but there are also several rock and mixed routes. Classics include the Owen-Spalding, Exum Ridge and and North Ridge on Grand Teton. There are also classic ice climbs. Gullies offer the most reliable ice climbing often with hard snow in early summer and white or black ice in late summer and autumn. Most of these gullies range in steepness between 40 and 60 degrees and thus in winter, are usually filled with snow. The most famous of them being Black Ice Couloir and Enclosure Couloir on Grand Teton, Glacier Route and Northwest Couloir of Middle Teton and north couloir of Buck Mountain. Ice fall climbing can be found in Death Canyon (Tetons), Torrey Canyon in the Wind Rivers and Lake Louise Area.

The Rocky Mountains, or shorter "Rockies" are a vast mountain system in Western North America, extending from Canada to New Mexico. There are over twenty principle ranges that comprise the Rockies. Best known of them among climbers are Canadian Rockies, Colorado Rockies and Tetons in Wyoming. The highest peaks of the range are located in Colorado, with Mount Elbert (4401m) being the highest. The highest peak in Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson (3954m). There are several national parks of both sides of the border.

Cascades

North Cascades

North Cascades form a 150-mile stretch of mountains south of the Canadian border. The area consist of few dormant volcanoes and many non-volcanic mountains. The area contains North Cascades National Park and several National Wilderness Areas, the Ross Lake National Recreation Area and the Chelan Lake National Recreation Area. These peaks are smaller than high peaks further south, seldom over 10,000 feet, but among them are hundreds of sharp rock peaks whose base to summit height often exceeds that of the higher peaks of the Sierra Nevada or Colorado Rockies. These mountains receive heavy snowfall and have extensive glaciers, offering the high quality ice and snow climbing.

Rock and weather conditions are both severe in the North Cascades. Precipitation levels are heavy, particularly during the winter months. "Variable conditions" also include glorious weather for lengthy periods, usually in late summer. Usually the combination of weather and snow conditions is at its best between may and august.

The North Cascades defining features are Mount Baker (3285m), the highest point of the North Cascades. Other highlights include Mount Shuksan (2782m), Liberty Bell, Mont Mqaude, Forbidden Peak and Glacier Peak (10,541') lovingly referred to as the "hidden giant" of the North Cascades, is the most remote of the volcanoes in this range, and is Washington's fifth highest peak.

Southern Washington

The South Cascades' three snow-capped volcanoes, Mount Adams, Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens, rise dramatically above their lesser neighbors as the outstanding featured attractions in this widely popular recreational area of south central Washington. The highest peak of the area, Mt Rainier (4392m) is more glaciated than any other peak in the contiguous United States. The rock on the mountains tends to be friable, so most climbs are glacier climbs. Mostly there's at least one relatively easy route to the summit.

The Central Cascades offer an extensive array of outdoor recreational activities less than two hours by car from Seattle, making the area a popular playground for hiking, backpacking, climbing and skiing for one of the Pacific Northwest's largest metropolitan centers.

Oregon and California

The Oregon Cascades are a wide swath of forested hills and low summits dominated by several volcanic cones towering into the sky. Mounts Hood, Jefferson, the Sisters, Thielsen, Crater Lake, McLoughlin, and a few lower, more-eroded volcanoes are so prominent that the remainder of the Oregon Cascades are almost an afterthought. Non-volcanic peaks are largely logged-over foothills.

Apart from Mount Shasta, California Cascades are not that interesting for climbers. Neighbouring Sierra Nevada has plenty of more worthwhile climbs.

The Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwestern United States running from British Columbia to Northern California. The area is best known for its massive snow-capped volcanoes. Often they rise in isolation, separated by great intervening plateaus. Cascades are heavily glaciated, the highest, Mount Rainier (4392m) being more glaciated than any other peak in the contiguous United States. There are also many non-volcanic mountains in the range, most notably in the North Cascades of Washington, a 150-mile stretch of mountains south of the Canadian border. These peaks are smaller, seldom over 10,000 feet, but among them are hundreds of sharp rock peaks whose base to summit height often exceeds that of the higher peaks of the Sierra Nevada or Colorado Rockies.

Besides Rainier, Mount Shuksan (2782m), Mount Baker (3285m), Mount Stuart (2870m), Mount Adams (3742m) and Forbidden Peak (2687m) are other peaks popular among the climbers. On the volcanoes the rock on the mountains tends to be friable, so most climbs are glacier climbs. Mostly there's at least one relatively easy route to the summit. North Cascades receive heavy snowfall and have extensive glaciers, offering the high quality ice and snow climbing.

Sierra Nevada

Western Sierra Nevada

The best known part of the Sierra Nevada is the Yosemite Valley, that is home to legendary big-wall on the sheer granite walls of El Capitan and The Nose. Besides world famous hard routes, there are also easrer classics, such as Snake Dike on Half Dome and East Buttress of El Capitan. Most free-climbing in Yosemite is trad, and largely on cracks. Besides El Capitan and Hald Dome, Cathedral Rock, Leaning Tower, Lost Arrow Spire and Fairview Dome have plenty of classic climbs. In cold winters, Yosemite valley offers several ice climbs, for example 300m Widow's Tears (V WI5).

Eastern Sierra Nevada

Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4421m), is the highest point in the continental United States. The area is perhaps most famous for high quality alpine rock routes and peak ascents at all different levels of difficulty. For those in search of alpine ice, Sierra Nevada has host of enjoyable gullies, especially in the Eastern part of the range. Most favourable conditions are usually found during late summer and fall. The V-Notch, the U-Notch and the Mendel Couloir are established classics, as is Ice Nine, that offers challenging mixed climbing. June Lake and Lee Vining Canyon count among the best known areas for waterfall climbing.

The Sierra Nevada runs from north-northwest to south-southeast for around 600km in the central part of Eastern California. There are several peaks over 4000m, the highest of them being Mount Whitney at 4417m, the highest mountain of the lower 48 states. The height of the mountains in the Sierra Nevada gradually increases from north to south. Thus, the crest near Lake Tahoe is roughly 9000 ft (2700m) high, the crest near Yosemite National Park is roughly 13000 ft (4000m) high, and the entire range attains its peak at Mount Whitney. South of Mount Whitney, the range quickly diminishes in elevation. Eastern front rises sharply from the Great Basin, while its western slope descends gradually to the hills bordering the Central Valley of California.

Sierra has a tremendous variety of climbing for all levels of expertise. It is perhaps most famous for high quality alpine rock routes and peak ascents at all different levels of difficulty. Especially Yosemite valley in the western part of Sierra Nevada is very famous for large scale rock climbs. Also Mount Whitney (at 14,505 feet (4421m) the highest point in the continental United States) and other California 14neers have plenty of rock routes. That being said, California has also plenty of ice climbing. For those in search of alpine ice, Sierra Nevada has host of enjoyable gullies, especially in the Eastern part of the range. Lee Vi9ning canyon is propably the best bet for winter ice fall climbing in California.

Northeast

New Hampshire

Mount Washington Valley in New Hampshire is very popular climbing area. Huntington ravine is very popular both in summer and winter. Besides the Mount Washington itself, the valley has host of other attractions. South of Mount Washington are some of the finest rock climbing spots in the northeast. Just outside of North Conway are Whitehorse and Cathedral ledges, both have many popular climbing routes of varying degrees of difficulty. Frankenstein Cliff on the other hand has very popular waterfall ice climbs.

Maine

Mount Katahdin (1606m) located in the Baxter State Park is the highest peak in Maine and most popular alpine climbing destination of the area. It has both alpine rock routes and winter snow and ice climbs. Besides Katahdin, Acadia National Park has host of climbs on dramatic sea cliffs.