Langley is a nice and beautiful hike semi-comparable to the main Whitney trail. I think it's nicer and the views are better though.
After you've done the MR, Mt Russell would be a nice progression, as would Middle Palisade. MP is a tougher day hike than the MR though. You've been warned. :) Start early. If you're up for it, tackle Williamson or Tyndall or Sill. Again, very tough day hikes, and better done as a backpacking trip. Based on your time on the MR, you'll need to get in better shape for every thing but Russell.
If you're interested in hikes other than 14ers, try Cloudripper or Agassiz in the Palisades. They are nice scrambles with great views. Mt Lyell, Dana, Conness, etc. in Yosemite...too much to name.
Don't take this the wrong way John, but the MR is [u]NOTHING[/u] like the East Buttress. Unless you have a friend who has done these types of climbs or hire a guide, forget about it until you've put in some time rock climbing. Best case scenario, you'll be eating humble pie. Try a 5.7 route at a little local rock wall (not the climbing gym) and see what a Class 5 climb is like. It's nice reading others' trip reports about some gnarly route/climb they did, but those guys put in a lot of effort and time before they were able to do what they do. I say everyone I know can, and encourage them to go up something like the MR, but when you get into the Class 5 or even Class 4 territory, things aren't as straightforward as Class 3 and things can go wrong very, very quickly and easily.
I have not done many peaks, but when you take alternate routes, a mountain takes on a fresh new perspective. Great example would be Langley via Old Army versus Tuttle Creek.
The Palisades area is my favorite, with North Palisade as my favorite climb so far, but my mind changes all the time. Great looking range. My suggestion would be to try Russell or Middle Palisade. You'll find the exposure much worse than the MR even though all three are rated Class 3. Take a rock climbing course to see your comfort level and whether you want to put in the effort before thinking about the Class 5 routes. Also, look beyond the day hikes and the experience and views will open up further.
My humble $.02.
Last edited by 2600fromatari; 10/04/12 09:59 PM.
