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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 2, 2010 - 03:00am PT
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Two contenders have been posited in the Southern Belle thread.
Being a lover of slabs, I find the question really interesting.
what are the criteria?
Peter tossed out these ideas for SB...
length, placement, difficulty, history, quality of rock, nature of the climbing, drama. Clint added Hall of Mirrors...
especially in the smooth and edging departments. It has had only one repeat. but indicated also...
Southern Belle is harder, has the hard crack climbing start, and of course is notorious for being more runout than the Bachar-Yerian.
For a single pitch slab climb? less than 90 degrees, preferably with the fewest features possible, so knob climbs may be out.
Let me throw out a controversial idea to get the ball rolling....
the Grack Marginal
I'm biased toward this one. What would make another line better?
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Lembert Dome.
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flakyfoont
Trad climber
carsoncity nv
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Crested jewel, North dome
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Guangzhou
Trad climber
Asia, Indonesia, East Java
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First Pitch of Rainy Day Woman at Stone Mountain. (NC)
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nutjob
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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I guess "ultimate" is going to be relative to the skills of the beholder and how strong/fresh the memories are. For me, Goodrich Pinnacle Right Side is the latest...
It had me saying stuff like "Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass" and "Take the Leap of Faith", while thinking of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, when I was strung out on lead committed on fingernails and squeaky wet rubber.
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Degaine
climber
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Table of Contents, Stately Pleasure Dome
Excellent slab, quality rock, and relatively moderate in terms of difficulty for us "mere mortal" climbers.
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Ryan Tetz
Trad climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Only one repeat on Hall of Mirrors?
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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I don't know about "ultimate", but some memorable ones are:
Rawl Drive in Tuolumne: scary!
Smoke Screen at Cal Domes: fun
Miroir d'Argentine in Switzerland: long cruiser
Honeymoon in Almo at Castle Rocks State Park, ID: short but fun
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2010 - 04:18am PT
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care to elaborate?
are you saying it's not pure slab, so it is disqualified?
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o-man
Trad climber
Paia,Maui,HI
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dogtown
Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
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The classic Valhalla (5.11) at T&S also comes to mind as well.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
SoCal
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Suicide Rock, especially the Weeping Wall, has an abundance of fun slab routes.
I think the ultimate slab is hard but not that steep because the joy of slabbing is facing the fear of the unspeakable consequences of the low-angle fall.
Nice low angle slab out at my favorite choss-pile:
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Branscomb
Trad climber
Lander, WY
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As an aside, I find it interesting that slabs were considered cool stuff 30 years ago, certainly not trivial, but something with the right approach in your head, you could develop the style and mental/emotional strength to do well. Now, 99% of the climbers around here are really quite good at the sport thing, like doing 12s and 13s and some even 14s, but they think slab climbing is absolutley insane and scary and make all sorts of vague statements about how they're going out to Lankin Dome and Moonstone and get on those 10s (because holy sh#t, I'm a 5.12 climber and I can't let this 58 year old geezer skunk me on some low angle 5.10, heavens no), but they never seem to make the trip. I'm not all that great on the sport thing, it sometimes hurts too much to throw around 180lbs on that stuff, but it gives me an evilly good feeling inside to still be good at something they are totally freaked about. HEEHEEHEE.
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Tattooed 1
Trad climber
Sebastopol, Ca
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How about Beacons From Mars at Cal Dome? I have only done the first 3 pitches but they certainly got my attension.
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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yea, weeping wall--sweet tastes of old slab.
has hensel's Someone You're Not ever been repeated?
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Lots of great candidates here! and oooooh yeah Ron is right about the incredibly high quality of those routes on Lo-cal (Hammer) Dome; for that matter, LOTS of the slab routes in the Cal Dome area are incredibly good. We went over to Set the Controls or the other one next to it, 20-25 years ago, these routes weren't in some bootleg topos I'd somehow gotten a copy of (probably originated with Smith or Crawford or somebody - or maybe Ron!), so we had no idea of where routes went, rating, or anything. Figured we'd just follow the bolts and climb. First pitch of some kind of 10 went fine, but the next one, it was about two zip codes from each set of two little bitty black bumps where the leader had drilled, to the next. And what fantastic climbing in between! Seemed you could hardly clip even if there were more bolts. Two, three of these runouts went great, but at the end of the last one before it was obvious the difficulty was about to ease off a lot, I just couldn't keep enough focus to accomplish the thumbtip/toe mantle to stand up and clip, and ....aiiieeeeeeee! the big butt-slide. Wanted to get back on it all these years, and do all the others too. Great place.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Munge... While it is true that there are MANY fine slab routes out there I must pick up on something in the OP... Grack Marginal. I believe I have done that route 20+ times. I loved that route. It was my first (of not many) free-solos and it took on a whole new dimension when it was just me, some EBs and a bag of courage. A fine Walk in the Park
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harihari
Trad climber
Squampton
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in Squamish, two are mega-classics, both testaments to what happens when you drill on lead:
White Lightning (10c)...loads of folks try this and weep. Solid runouts, scary cruxes. But it's all there...if you are.
Dancing in the Light (11b). Bolts where you need them. Bring your head.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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O-man, is that on Big Rock Candy Mtn? Childhood's End or Field of Dreams would certainly be candidates.
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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I hate to think of any route being the "ultimate". If there was one, why bother with others. I can think of many slabs that stand out in my memory, but here are two that I thought especially interesting.
There is a slab, maybe 30 degrees in steepness in the NF Kings canyon, next to a water slide. In order to repeat the water slide you have to walk up the slab out of a pool of water. Super delicate. Fun to struggle so much on such low angle, then feel your feet cut loose and go shooting back into the pool.
Nearby on Patterson Bluffs right there is a section near the top of the bluff with large (body sized) scallops. The scallops provide friction climbing on a pretty steep wall. I don't recall any edges, so we had to use pure friction to mantel from one divot to the other. Totally weird.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Aren't there some good ones out east on some of those "ledges".
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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A few of my favorites, by area:
Yosemite, Crest Jewel
TM, Miss Adventure
Courtright, Esto Power
T&S, Magical Mystery Tour
Dome Rock, About Face
But I think the most memorable slab I've done is The Prow of The Cobra, Kings Canyon, Gorge of Despair. This route has it all. It's sufficiently long, achieves a real summit, is remote in a truly spectacular setting, and is at the moderate grade of 5.9 but it is continuous and sparsely protected being devoid of bolts (FA 1979 Gary Valle and Phil Warrender.)
This is the start:
Here's the slab and summit ridge, Blue Canyon behind:
The Descent, Tehipite Dome behind:
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2010 - 01:53pm PT
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oh nice, some killer stoke going on this thread.
good stuff Simon.
Scott, yeah, wet slabs are a whole nutter animal.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Kris, can you do something about those red tights, please? Photoshop should help.
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Wack
climber
Dazevue
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Since the Grack was listed I'll put in for Cat Dancing on MCR.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Tightrope on GPA is a five star classic. Anyone else done it?
For a single pitch, I really liked "Daddy's Little Girl" on Stately Pleasure Dome.
Bruce
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Warbler, I can't remember from all the rebolting threads, can you also say "new fattie bolts" - check for Black Primo? (Can't pass up another opportunity to say THANKS to Roger Brown, Clint Cummins, and all the other many people who've worked to resurrect the huge list of all-time classic face routes on MCR and elsewhere.)
Also, while I'm partial to local areas, here's a tip of the hat to a superb one-pitch slab route at City of Rocks: Science Friction. Superb route, great pro, but alas, not done enough to scuff off all the patina of DG particles, which accumulate on your rope tarp like snow. Next time I'll bring a push broom and sweep each section from bolt to bolt before climbing it.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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I seem to remember being quite pleased with Hoppy's Favorite on the Apron. 10C I believe.
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dan-man
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Solid Gold, Joshua Tree
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dan-man
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Its about 75 degrees, and youre mostly on your feet. It felt like a slab to me.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Isn't Solid Gold - the first pitch, anyway - almost all edging on sharp flakes, on a fairly steep wall? The second pitch is a flake crack, then a traverse crack that leads to the top.
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Tye
Trad climber
Massachusetts
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The Last Tango, Whitehorse Ledge, NH
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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"I think the ultimate slab is hard but not that steep because the joy of slabbing is facing the fear of the unspeakable consequences of the low-angle fall."
For myself, I would modify this to say that the joy of slab is in getting away, just barely, with moves on holds so tenuous as to be almost unbelieveable to you. And when you're done, you feel a bit mentally taxed. It doesn't matter what the rating or run-out-ness is, whatever rating evokes that feeling in you.
Is that masochistic?
In Yosemite the pitches that have stuck in my mind are the ones on the south flank of Daff in TM, with those amazing glassy patches, and things like Dead Babies and Lean Years on GPA. Another slab that has stuck in my mind over the years as being very satisfying was one called Spud meets Hammerhead, in City of Rocks, Idaho.
The most mentally shattered and satisfied at the same time I've ever been after a slab was after the 11.c pitch on Piece de Resistance on Fairview, and I didn't even lead that one. I was already feeling a bit mentally taxed going into it from leading a few of the pitches before that. My partner, Chan, and I were trading off wearing the pack. He had just onsighted the crux pitch lead, calling out at one point, "I can't believe I'm doing these moves". I seconded, acutely aware of the disturbance of equilibrium of the pack, that slight sway with every move, and just got away with not falling by the slimmest of margins. I'm ashamed to admit that I was so mentally shattered after that pitch that I declined to lead anything else on the route, even though the hard climbing was over. Chan was annoyed to have to lead the rest of the pitches and I don't blame him - it's not good to let a partner down like that.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Ask Bridwell.
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A to Z
climber
Bishop
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Looking Glass and Stone mountain have good slab climbing. The kind of slap moves that have no handholds and it is all footwork friction. Slab always gets good when it becomes climbing from foot dish to foot dish and not worrying about any handolds, just a palm down mantle move now and then and smearing away. In my opinion it seems like a lot of "slab" climbs are just low angle face. If there is an edge to crimp even with finger nails it is loosing slabness.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Grace under Pressure..
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Stick to what??? (Only Josh 5.9er though).
There are tons in Josh, I haven't read the whole thread....
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dogtown
Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
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All of Hensel's stuff is the sh#t. Period .
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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I'm not sayin' ultimate, but here are a couple good ones.
Stoner's Highway-Middle C.
Wind Rider- Portal Butt.
No Pie A-la-Mode- Portal
La Jolla- Mex.
Autobahn- 1/2 Dome
Figures on a ...-JT
Golden Eagle-Margaritaville
The Edge- Tahquitz
Serpentine- Suicide
Rock Warrior- Black Velvet
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dogtown
Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
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Wings of Steel? Don’t start this sh#t again. Although Mark and Richard are Brass ball climbers. I think we have heard enough.
DT.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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The one with a 100' offwidth roof in it.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Ciebola, Medlicott Dome
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froodish
Social climber
Portland, Oregon
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Not sure about "ultimate", but...
I always think of Suicide Rocks when I think of slab. Some great ones already mentioned there, but I'd add Rebolting Development and Season's End.
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Matt M
Trad climber
Alamo City
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Pretty sure Hall of Mirrors has had more than two Ascents. One of the guys I learned from said (If I remember correctly so don't hold him too it if I get this wrong) he did it and it was a "career climb" for him. Tony Calderone is his name.
Squamish Slab: Dream Symphony link up, Magic Carpet Ride (yet to do)
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Stonewalker
Big Wall climber
Smartsville, Ca
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I have to echo the suicide climbs and add "surprise"... Not hard but fun slab for sure.
Also:
Morracan roll
Burning giraffes
The grove
Foxtrot
Fear and loathing
English breakfast squirrel
Jolly rancher
All you can eat
And it was mentioned unthread but the edge at tahquits has to be top five!
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Somebody mentioned Stoner's Highway. That's a fine one.
Tightrope on GPA is a five star classic. Anyone else done it?
No, tell all. I've done almost everything on the apron within my capability so there must be a devil in the details on that one. I won't give five star classic status to any death route btw.
Table of contents btw, super nice.
Peace
Karl
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gonamok
climber
aging malcontent
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I did Tightrope with Todd Tremble about 20 years ago. Sustained and runout, but that was back when i was sportin a hone.
We used to call it face climbing. Heres my list:
J tree:
Black Tide
stick to what
EBGB's
7th heaven
Suicide:
Serpentine
sundance
season's end
The valley:
Coonyard pinnacle
Tightrope
Snake Dike
Tolumne:
too many to list
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squatch
Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
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Freewheelin' on Middle Cathedral is my current favorite
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Check this out...Slab Daddy (V 5.10+ A0) Squire Creek Wall near Darrington, Washington. I haven't done it but "50" who posts here sometimes did it with one of his buddies last summer.
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gonamok
climber
aging malcontent
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holy cow, how many pitches is that thing?
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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slick rock, crystal basin
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
leading the away team, but not in a red shirt!
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Ah, The Cherubim Dome. Amazing place, that.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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have you guys been to skyline slabs?
we got the sh#t workin down there like nobody's bidness,
sandstone is the only real slab.
why? because.
it has about 15.7 times the variations in holds that granite has.
you get up there, and you say, next hold: should i take the chicken head?
pinch the cranberry?
finger bang the ant hole?
reach into the bat cave?
mantle up the friction crack? .....
no wait, no good cracks in sand stone,
can i pull this post? i just made an ass out myself, is it too late to retract this dribble?
is it too late to load up some more Gush?
we think not, for we have seen the light, and it was black,
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50
climber
Stumptown
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...and Slab Daddy is a fine route indeed Tradster. Most of the pitches are as solid as the best pitches I've done on GPA and the 5.10 pitches are smeary slab, hardly any edging. The rock doesn't have the sandy ball-bearing stuff that can spoil a route. The only down side to Slab Daddy that takes away from the "ultimate" status, for me at least, is the huge ledges on the lower section. Its just not as cool as the GPA's small belay stances and "pinnacles". But it gets better up higher; its steeper and more exposed.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/978936/Who-s-yo-Daddy-Washington-s-New-Big-Wall-Slab
Other great slab routes that come to mind:
Silent Running
Grack Marginal
Ochre Fields
Hoppy's Favorite
Deep Throat
Scimitar
Table of Contents
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nutjob
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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Moderate but super fun... Tenaya Peak
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martygarrison
Trad climber
The Great North these days......
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that slab daddy looks like a great adventure! Don't think I would bring the bivy stuff however. A good long summers day
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Adamame
Big Wall climber
Santa Cruz
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A solo of the final slab on Royal Arches that gains the rim when covered with pine needles.
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guyman
Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
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This is a short one, but it is pretty hard.
I like slabs. I get to use 37 years of acquired edging skills.
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adventurous one
Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
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Jan 13, 2012 - 10:20pm PT
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Bump
Cause you gotta love those multi-pitch, runout, pucker fests.........
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S.Leeper
Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
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Jan 13, 2012 - 10:22pm PT
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"set the controls for the heart of the sun" across the road from calveras....
It should win for best name.
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kc
Trad climber
the cats
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Jan 13, 2012 - 11:04pm PT
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All slabs are ultimately humbling, humiliating, or horrifying.
Sigh.
However, slabs make me a better climber, so I do them. Grudgingly.
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Jan 14, 2012 - 12:18am PT
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I drafted up a poem about MCatheralR north apron's "Cat Dancing" the other rainy day. Since it's on my office's pc, I've no choice but to leave you hanging suspended from some sun bleached and frayed slings until I can post it up like tomorrow.
GPA leads include Dead Babies and Ephemeral Clog Dance at my upper limit. Muchos grande following GPA Chiropodist's Shop, and saving Burk's life on his FA of The Token. Misty Beetoven 3x, including a trip up to the 4th or 5th stance w/Scott.
Followed the first of several pitches of Mother's Lament, Tightrope, led Hoppy's up to our previous high point, but still below Hoppy's Creed, or the real business pitches.
I led the 1st pitch of Middle Cathedral's Cat Dancing 5x before I finally finessed its 2nd pitch. I'll save my comments, such as they may be, for later.
Nice to have been led up both Quicksilver and Freewheeling in the same vicinity. Leading nearby Ramer, (or WTF) is great, but it is technically sport-pro'ed.
Onsight lead of the bottom half of Dream On, which is not too shabby when you take into account the runouts, the 1500 mile drive to Squeemish, and the fact that I had to troll for a partner (just don't let go of the Rope!) on my arrival.
To draw my chest beating to a welcome close, let me conclude by mentioning that I bought most of Russ McClean's pin rack at a local yard sale he'd conducted. Tired of being the builder, he, somewhat older than I, had put his course upon an architectural education, the required M.Arch degree, and, after an 8 year internship (including school), professional registration. At the time, I was aware of his FA Lucifer's to Oasis.
But, I didn't offer any career advice, but simply paid $20 for a milk crate full of mostly useless iron. With enough KB's and other thins to make it worthwhile financially - mostly I just wanted to meet Russ.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jan 14, 2012 - 02:53pm PT
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I would say that the ultimate slab route has yet to be done and lies on the East Face of Mt. Watkins to the west of "Escape from Freedom" (VI 5.12c) that Urmas Franosch and I did back in 1988. Scott Burke did some exploring in that area back in 1987 and traversed out to the big water holes at the base of the huge face. It's certainly there, but no one has put a shoe on it in over 20 years. Logistics are a problem certainly, but talk about an epic slab route in the 5.13 range! Never seen anything that even comes close to the potential slab climb that exists in embryo out there.
Only trouble is that anyone who would do it nowadays would rap bolt it, rather than lead it ground up. But what the heck! Sure would be an amazing adventure no matter what way it was done. So, okay kids, get those 120+ lb packs ready and start hauling in water for a real epic siege!
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HighGravity
Trad climber
Southern California
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Jan 14, 2012 - 03:20pm PT
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dougs510
Social climber
down south
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Jan 14, 2012 - 03:46pm PT
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Again, not muddling through the therad, if you want a butt pucker, do Whitesides in N.C.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 29, 2017 - 10:47pm PT
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wet slab bump for the early season
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 29, 2017 - 11:06pm PT
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Greasy But Groovy on the Arches Apron has a bit of a reputation. Some other, nearby routes are also notorious.
Ironically, the Great Slab Route on the Column doesn't even qualify for this topic.
The El Capitan Apron between the Dihedral and Aquarian Walls might just be the Ultimate Slab. Wings of Steel looked, to me, like it might go free. The steep slabby sections on New Dawn that Leo Houlding free climbed looked harder than what I saw on the first two or three pitches of Wings of Steel.
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Send
Trad climber
Central Sierra
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Apr 29, 2017 - 11:18pm PT
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Table of Contents
Werner's Wiggle
Welcome to Courtright
Weeping Wall
King Smear
Little Baldy
Western Front
Moro Rock
Stonequest
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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Apr 29, 2017 - 11:40pm PT
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I would say that the ultimate slab route has yet to be done and lies on the East Face of Mt. Watkins to the west of "Escape from Freedom" Not much hope that ground up will survive there - everything will now be dropped into/ equipped on rappel I suspect.
Vitaliy M. has added some legit lines recently, but those are still not addressing the main wall farther West (which Bruce was probably referring to) and I still wouldn't call it a slab per-se. I'd call it a face I guess.
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Apr 30, 2017 - 06:08am PT
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For a single pitch slab climb? less than 90 degrees, preferably with the fewest features possible, so knob climbs may be out
The hardest single pitch slab climb is most probably Territorio Comanche (proposed rating is 8c+) in La Pedriza (which already has established slab climbs at 8b+). The climber who sent the route, Ignacio Mulero describes the difficulties this way: the first three bolts consists of a V6 or V7 boulder of pure slab, almost without hands, followed by a 30 meter long, very continuous section with sustained movement like the hardest moves on the existing 8b+ slabs.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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drF
Trad climber
usa
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Apr 30, 2017 - 06:18am PT
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Didn't see Dome Rock mentioned.....here are some jems
Saucer full-o-secrets
Skid Row
Carson-oma
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 30, 2017 - 07:05am PT
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By today's definition the Dawn Wall is the ultimate slab route.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 11:53am PT
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I was up there, on the Dawn Wall, last October, and saw Adam Ondra free a 5.14c pitch from about thirty feet away from him.
It was not exactly slab climbing. But, it was not exactly crack climbing, either. The crux was a corner with a knifeblade seam, with the ubiquitous scars that would not quite take a pinky finger. He performed a series of varied moves to get past an otherwise A3 section. He did quite a bit of oppositional friction face maneuvers on the vertical corner.
What he did was magic.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2017 - 12:47pm PT
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I think its preposterous to consider the Dawn Wall a slab climb in that only the bottom pitches can be seen as less than vertical.
Slab has historically, and has no logical reason otherwise to change, been where the majority of the climb is under or just under vertical aka 90 degrees.
To take an overhang and call it slabby is to remove all coherent meaning of the word when talking about the majority of the climb's style. Whether you want to define a 'vertical' climb as tending to slabby because 49 percent of it is less than vertical is arguable, but not the majority.
The 'ultimate' aspect of an ultimate slab climb is one where the aesthetic of the style is necessary to make progress in the most continuous series of moves without resort to alternative style of movements that are not in the slab category.
While difficulty is possibly a factor in pushing a climb toward ultimate status since it removes other styles from helping upward progress, a moderate line with more continuity of the exemplary type of moves of a slab would be more deserving in a stack ranked list.
Now which line do you think is the ultimate slab?
Runout, gear vs. bolt, should not be dispositive.
Glacier Point climbs?
Darrington?
Stone Mountain!
Joshua Tree climbs?
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 01:18pm PT
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Another criteria: it's not really a slab route unless there are so few holds that you're just trying to step on colors and shadows. And hands are just extra weight
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Apr 30, 2017 - 01:51pm PT
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There is no such thing as "the" ultimate slab route, IMO. And I'm reasonably serious, although I'm not going to try and convince anybody to buy into that line of reasoning.
Perhaps the definition of ultimate allows many routes to qualify as long as they meet some listed criteria (as seems to be the case)? Ultimate seems to imply singularity, and there is simply to much rock out there with too many superb lines to single anything out as an ultimate.
Personal taste also further muddies the waters.
I agree that deciding which routes are of the highest quality involves, or should involve, more than rating.
From what I've seen over the years just on ST alone, we'll never agree on the definitions of slab vs face, much less on what constitutes an ultimate.
In the past few years my main partner and I have done slab routes (anything < vertical, the traditional definition mentioned by Munge) that we felt were the best routes we had done at their respective grades - ever. But that doesn't make them our own, much less anyone else's, "ultimate".
Trying to find and climb an ultimate does/could make for a fun quest though.
Edit: Hey Munge, aren't you supposed to be doing slab routes somewhere today instead of posting here?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2017 - 02:46pm PT
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I *should* be.
I would be doing the ultimate slab route for sure. :)
Work has jammed me up lately.
Spring is here. Time to charge, sharpen, and stance!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Apr 30, 2017 - 05:09pm PT
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The guidebooks of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, which was founded in 1906, offer the following: "The angle of a glacis is such that it can be walked up; a slab is steeper; whilst a wall is nearly vertical and may overhang. The slopes are approximately: below 30 degrees, between 30 and 75 degrees, above 75 degrees."
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines wall as "a vertical rock face, such as one that lies exposed on the steep side of a mountain" and glacis as "a gently sloping bank".
Enough of the nonsense about a "slab" being anything even slightly less than vertical.
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Nanobody
Trad climber
Fresno, CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 05:54pm PT
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This forum is so California-centric. There are plenty of granite slabs in places other than Yosemite. Places that are not crowded.
How about Nomash Slab on Greyback Peak--Vancouver island? 14 pitches - sport bolted, 5.10b. Amazing climbing in a isolated wilderness, temperate rainforest.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2017 - 06:21pm PT
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Nice one Nano!
MightyHiker, seems legit. 1906, is cool!
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Apr 30, 2017 - 06:58pm PT
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...is a slab at dead vertical to slightly overhanging.
I can't define slab, but I know it when I see it. Vert to slightly overhanging ain't it.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Apr 30, 2017 - 07:04pm PT
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The Oxford English Dictionary, online, provides the following subsidiary definition of the noun "slab". It is the definitive and a current source as to the origin and use of words in English.
Mountaineering. A large, smooth body of rock lying at a (usu. sharp) angle to the horizontal.
You'll note that it doesn't say "nearly vertical", or any such thing - the reference is to the horizontal. And yes, they quote a variety of sources for the usage, some quite modern.
Using "slab" to describe something that's vertical is typical climber-jargon, and so quite sloppy.
(I was pleased to discover that the public library provides free online access to the OED.)
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 08:28pm PT
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Bull honkey! Vertical is thin face climbing, not slab.
Common knowledge.
Just about any courtright route is a contender
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Apr 30, 2017 - 09:20pm PT
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Haha. slab vs. face, endless fun.
Munge, we're hoping maybe we'll get a tour of the "west" from you this year. It would be fun to do some of those slab, face, wall, or whatever the heck they are routes.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Apr 30, 2017 - 09:28pm PT
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Don't shoot the messenger
I was paraphrasing Justice Potter Stewart.
"Holding that the Constitution protected all obscenity except "hard-core pornography." Stewart wrote, "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that."
Just having a little fun. As, I think, are some climbers who refer to "vert and slightly overhanging" as slab. It has always been stylish to make light of difficulties.
You mention friction slab. That stuff has to be relatively low angle, although it's very impressive what can be done without holds. And so slab with holds can be a lot steeper. But despite the statements of a very few, slab is by definition less than vert.
edit: At least Henny has a sense of humor here... :-)
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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Courtright, Esto Power
Ho Man! I remember "trying" to lead that second pitch and cursing Eve's name! Pissed my pants....
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Great thread.
Finally did "Balls" at Tollhouse this year. Four stout pitches of 5.9 run-outish slab. My calves hurt for a week afterwards. Really great route. Tollhouse is "In Season" right now yall!
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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^^^^^
That's not slab micro, that's friction slab. Slab is a vertical to slightly overhanging face with small holds. But steep face is not face climbing, it's slab climbing. Haven't you been paying attention?
But Tollhouse is top notch friction slab
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Limpingcrab who made you the slab dictionary police? I can fall off any of the three....slab, face, or friction.
Here is Hudon and Macronut on Nuts and Bolts 5.7R up at Tollhouse this past weekend.
When you comin up for a slab morning? Its the most fun right now when the seepage from the top increases your chances of wet shoes.
Davey Tree took a 20 footer off Half-a-Snake Saturday.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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I keep hoping that kingtut will tell us about his climbs on the pyramids, and whether they're slabs or not.
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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I'm with you Micro. I started and continued on friction slab for a number of years, mainly at Tollhouse throughout the early 90's. Balls is definitely a sustained 5.9 friction slab which always had my full attention!
On a humorous note, I love it when little gym rats that boast of pulling "V6", give an old school Tollhouse friction slab a try. Quite a show! :) Remember 'Funnel Runnel' at Lost Eagle, Micro? Witnessed a "5.12" climber bail off that route. ??????????
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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The ex-wife soloing the join up pitch for Tollhouse Traverse/Elephant Walk/Wandering Taoist etc. I used to "run" the Traverse and that friction slab pitch for time.....starting at the Hanger Slab down to the base and up the Traverse, then back to the Hang Glider Slab. Best time: 21 min 12 seconds. Got pretty comfy "running" up this section.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Dave I still can't believe when I hear those tales of you running laps on that thing that fast. I still feel a little insecure when I take the lead on that last pitch of Elephant Walk. And that shot of Deb (I only know her name from the MP page and that photo) has always given me sweaty palms.
For the longest time when I was a teenager, Tollhouse and Courtright were the only place I climbed. We never called it "slab" climbing. It was just "rock climbing" cause its all we knew!
Turns out I was a slab climber without ever knowing it.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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"Granite climbing is all slab climbing"
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Sometimes innocent, sometimes ignorant, most often insecure, but there are better ways to be stylish in the climbing world.
It's a rare time when I have to disagree with Mr. Worral. Or perhaps not so much a disagreement as a lack of clarity on my part.
To say that the fine art of competing for the alpha position while at the same time being popular and well liked is innocent, ignorant, or insecure misses my point.
I think that making light of difficulties, as a point of style, takes confidence, charisma, and of course accomplishment. Otherwise, as you describe, it falls flat on its face.
So yes there are better ways to be stylish in the climbing world. I think that mostly happens on the rock? What happens later in talking about it is another artful thing. BTW I think its awesome when handled by the right person.
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Nanobody
Trad climber
Fresno, CA
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I climbed nuts and bolts at Tollhouse a couple of weeks ago for the first time. Highly enjoyable!
Micro - How does Balls compare to Wandering Taoist?
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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The ultimate slab route requires precision, balance and a zen-like focus for every move. And consequences for unworthiness.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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I'm familiar with Jim's remark, although I didn't make the connection.
(Edited. Didn't mean to sound snarky...)
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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For myself, I would modify this to say that the joy of slab is in getting away, just barely, with moves on holds so tenuous as to be almost unbelieveable to you. And when you're done, you feel a bit mentally taxed. It doesn't matter what the rating or run-out-ness is, whatever rating evokes that feeling in you.
That's sums it up.
God invented slabs so fat old men could still go out and climb.
On Prime Interest:
After leading my pitch, things are more relaxed:
After we got down from Prime Interest, which features 30 feet between bolts, JohnX asked us if we ever looked down while on lead. Big Daddy said, "No. There was nothing down there for us but death and dismemberment."
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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If you took square footage of granite in YNP, probably well less than .1% would be overhanging.
If you took the human population and averaged them, they'd all have one testicle, too.
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i-b-goB
Social climber
Wise Acres
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Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley...
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BigB
Trad climber
Red Rock
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If you took square footage of granite in YNP, probably well less than .1% would be overhanging."
If you took the human population and averaged them, they'd all have one testicle, too.
Gold!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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A thorough search of my failing memory has resulted in a recollection of a time when I actually "enjoyed" being on a slab.
In the early 70's my Berkeley University gf was in the Valley resulting in one of the half dozen times or so that I dropped acid. We happened to be at the bottom of the Apron and before I knew it I found myself, barefoot and unclothed, happily perched in a no fall zone on 5.6 slab terrain. I seem to recall spending some time there before wandering back down.
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BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
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goB, those are some classics😀
i always loved Lovers Leap for slab.. Fantasia,,,OMG. Even the East Wall crack's are mostly slab climbing with a crack nearby for protection. Like the East Corner, just succulent 😛
And don't forget Hogsback,, SchaWinnnggggg💃🏻
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Any 5.10+ slab route without people on it during a busy weekend at Whitehorse Ledge.
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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We've all become slabbers without realizing it...it's in our DNA and not our choice. It's time to stand proud and fly our rain-bowed slabber flag before friends and family and come out proudly from our "Schlock and Vice" magazine prison of what a normal climber should be. I'm a slabber AND I'M PROUD!
BTW, what are you doing tonight?
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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And,... some of my best friends also out of the closet "slabbers" and I just love them for who they are.
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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Love you too, Dwight! SLABBERS fer life!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2019 - 07:44pm PT
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Nah000 visibility, link over, click and bump!
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Their all too short to make an "ultimate" list, but Joshua Tree offers up some pretty good slab climbing. Here's a couple that don't get done much.
Snap on Demand
Stand and Deliver
But then these are steepish and have some holds, so maybe they're face climbs, not slab? They are less than vert, especially Snap on Demand.
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johnkelley
climber
Anchorage Alaska
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The unreapeated Kelley/Beyer (VI 6,000’ 5.12a A0) on Mt. Moran is a contender for the Tetons
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Scole
Trad climber
Zapopan
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Hall of Mirrors is one of the most continuous, classic slab route in existence. You won't find any unnecessary cracks, or painful jamming, on the entire route, just sparsely protected friction climbing and thin edging for pitch after pitch.
I may be biased, because I was involved with the FA, but It is still a fine piece of granite.
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Climbsrox
Trad climber
seattle, wa
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Roan Wall's Centerstage in Darrington is not too shabby
M.Hanna
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johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
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What about Tuolumne's Needle and Spoon. I used to do a lot of slabs 25 years ago (before I met sport climbing) and a couple of years ago I got on Needle and Spoon and scared the padiddle out of myself.
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