Classic routes

The ten lines every alpinist should tick before anything else.

What makes a classic

A classic route is one people come back to — a clean line, good rock, and a summit worth the walk. These are the ten we'd tick first.

The list

1. The Monarch SE ridge       IV, 5.8
2. Grey Fang NW arete         III+, 5.7
3. Skyline traverse           II, 5.4
4. The Cathedral SW pillar    V, 5.10
5. Snowfield couloir          AI2, 55°
6. The Notch direct           5.6
7. West col ice line          WI3
8. Cirque headwall            5.9
9. East face gullies          III
10. The Fang step             5.7

How to use this

Work the list in order of commitment, not difficulty. A grade III with a long approach will teach you more than a gym 5.10.