| Messages 1 - 51 of total 51 in this topic |
wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 5, 2012 - 06:49pm PT
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We always hear about the sandbags and how most are underrated. So What are some of the most overrated? My vote goes to The Boltway on Stately....No way it's 10a. I rate it 9.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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The other day I had to explain to someone that Snake Dike was not really "5.7R". It's 5.7 + 5.4R. The 5.7 friction move is very well protected, and the run-outs on the dike are so easy, you can almost climb them blindfolded.
Ironically, the crux of Snake Dike might just be the long, final stretch of 3rd class slab.
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bergbryce
Mountain climber
California
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Bishops Terrace
Oh overrated that way.
No idea.
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The Warbler
climber
the edge of America
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Regular Route on Fairview and Steck Salathe get more than their fair share of accolades.
Great lines, so-so climbing overall.
Reeds Direct is OK, but that's about it. I like the first pitch best.
Central Pillar's got the money pitch and that little 5.8 roof, but.... nice line, so-so climbing - why all the fuss?
Ahab's not that hard.
Neither is New D, Cramming, Leanie Meanie, Edge of Night.
South Crack and The Yawn are great lines, but kinda boring climbing.
Midterm kinda sux - too slippery and wedged out.
There's way more underrated routes, especially quality wise.
Climbers are like people - most of them do what all the rest do...
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Donald Thompson
Trad climber
Los Angeles,CA
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The 5.7 friction move is very well protected, and the run-outs on the dike are so easy, you can almost climb them blindfolded.
On the day we did Snake Dike the wind was ferocious. And later on lightening strikes and static electricity permeated the air. Doing that route blindfolded under those conditions would have been hair-ball, to say the least.
We decided to almost crawl with bowed heads up the friction pitches.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Crack-n-up ...
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TMJesse
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Summit block of Cathedral Pk is deemed 4th class, but that seems like a stretch. Never seen anyone up there tied in.
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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South Crack..basically a 5.6 slab route..with some easy crack
Tenaya is a class 4 scramble...still awesome
And I will go with The Reg in Fairview as well....basically an ok alpine route with a few feet of classic crack climbing...
Still all amazing climbs....
If I were to pick one that is still underrated it would be Snake Dike....that's just a legendary climb.....nothing like that in the world..if you climb one moderate that has to be it
edit - I remember some run out 5.5 stuff - I mean it is easy for a real solid leader - but you are stil way, way out on easy ground...pretty much free soloing....I lead all the pitches and I didn't find it boring at all..
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Jim Brennan
Trad climber
Vancouver Canada
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I always felt lucky to be climbing in the Valley.
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Fletcher
Trad climber
The rock doesn't care what I think
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Agree that Tenaya Peak is super easy, but man, also agree that it is a total fun place to be and would do it again in a heartbeat. Great views. I think it would be a great intro for a beginner to get a feel for longer alpine climbs.
Eric
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raymond phule
climber
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I didn't think that the east buttress of middle cathedral was a very good climb.
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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Can't think of any overrated Yosemite climbs, though many underrated climbs come to mind.
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Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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Yes, hard to think of the overrated climbs in that area.... I can think of a few overhyped climbs. Rumors of greatness build impossible expectation. But when a climb exceeds those expectations, or the experience somehow transcends all expectation.... that's what we're all looking for, I'd guess.
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10b4me
Boulder climber
Somewhere on 395
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I thought Boltway was 5.7/5.8. At least it was when I climbed it.
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Byran
climber
Yosemite Valley, CA
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Most of the ones I can think of that are overrated (in terms of difficulty) are size dependent. Serenity Crack, The Rostrum, Fish Crack, are all pretty light for the grade unless you have sausage fingers. Zorro is sort of famous for being the easiest V4 in the Valley...
And I also concur that Tenaya is pretty much 4th class (and only 3rd class for the first half), with some short sections of easy 5th that you could probably avoid if you want to.
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 6, 2012 - 11:02am PT
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10b4me....if you keep climbing up past the belay near the bottom of the crack which most people use to finish West Country, Boltway, etc. there are some bolts continuing up the face. That's why there's a 5.8/5.10 rating. Just thought it might be interesting to find the overrated ones.
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nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
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Can't think of any overrated Yosemite climbs, though many underrated climbs come to mind.
+1
I think of it this way because there is no climb I've done that I felt disappointed after doing it. Then again I'm a starved weekend warrior and never gave myself the chance to immerse in a sea of opportunity and really develop my climbing palette.
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weezy
climber
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Not Yose/TM, but there's a "5.10+" hand crack on the far right side of the Reservoir Wall in Indian Creek called Warm-Up crack. I'm in no way a sandbagger but even calling this thing 5.9+ is generous.
Sorry for the desert derail...
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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I know this is an obscure one but I'd have to say that Death Crack in TM seems overrated at 5.11d. It is tough & challenging but IMHO no way 5.11d. I did it once with a cast on my left leg & a cutoff climbing shoe strapped to my leg cast, so how hard can it be? More like 5.11a.
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Bruce Kay
Gym climber
BC
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OK I think we've thrashed that one to death.
Who are the most over weight climbers in yosemite / Tuolomne?
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Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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I know this is an obscure one but I'd have to say that Death Crack in TM seems overrated at 5.11d. It is tough & challenging but IMHO no way 5.11d. I did it once with a cast on my left leg & a cutoff climbing shoe strapped to my leg cast, so how hard can it be? More like 5.11a.
That is a sexy looking crack, good to know it might be in my range after all.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Help me out here, are we talking overrated for difficulty or quality?
Most Valley climbs kick my sorry ass, especially the current version.
The off width on Blind Faith seemed a lot easier than Twilight Zone.
The NA was a classic outing but somewhat of a pile as an aid route.
PB
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 6, 2012 - 09:33pm PT
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Overrated both in grade and in reputation....Can include ghosts as well where the climb is not nearly as hard or scary as it's rep.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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OK I think we've thrashed that one to death.
Who are the most over weight climbers in yosemite / Tuolomne?
Now we're talkin'
Pics of fat guys climbing really hard sh#t would be way more entertaining.
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The Warbler
climber
the edge of America
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Pics of fat guys climbing really hard sh#t would be way more entertaining.
We could probably do old skinny guys climbing really easy sh#t...
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Maxine's Wall
and
+1 for Peruvian Flake
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fosburg
climber
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Thought about this today at work after seeing the thread this morning.
For sure the 11c pitch on the Rostrum is light, Peruvian Flake, as mentioned, Fish Crack, Butterballs, Catchy, Wheat Thin.
I started breaking into harder grades in Joshua Tree where in retrospect the grading seems stiff so almost everything in Yosemite felt a bit soft.
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Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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Peruvian Flake is definitely a 5.10a primer.
Great climb though, whatever the grade. I had a magical moment belaying a friend up in the waning light after doing Royal Arches one time. No drugs or nothing, just got lost in a timeless moment, staring out over the trees, nary a hint of anything resembling humanity to be seen. I'm not sure what grade you give that sort of experience. Maybe it's an example of the oft-cited five-fun, although it felt weightier than that at the time.
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Inner City
Trad climber
East Bay
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Crest Jewell seems like it's not really 5.10. With the newer rubber, I think it is easier. Great location though.
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Menlo Park
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Absolutely Free center route ....
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ryankelly
Trad climber
el portal
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At least this thread is about climbing but come on:
Talk about a first world problem!
All kidding aside, in answer to the question I didn't really enjoy Crest Jewel, but it was fun because we climbed it in January and topped out to snow and sunset on Half Dome.
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Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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If I do Crest Jewel, I also want to do that South Crack on North Dome in the same trip. Which will either entail being incredibly fast (unlikely), or an overnight up there to slog it all out. Anybody that link-up (any combo of: RA->CJ->South Crack)?
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Captain...or Skully
climber
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Sounds like fun. I'd camp out & savor, but some folk(many) are faster than I.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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+1 for Absolutely Free Center.
If the 1-1/2" crack at the start of pitch 2 was longer than 15 feet than maybe it's worth it, but pitch 1 and 3 are highly unremarkable with pitch 3 being not only wide, but also rough. Then there's the ant trees and the yucky descent.
If this climb was in some place other than Yosemite then maybe it's an OK route. But, given all the great climbs in Yosemite, Ab Free Center is a waste of time and energy unless you have done every other route in the Valley.
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brat
climber
El Portal
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OMG The Yawn is so hard.
Overrated? Maybe Commitment?
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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Damn Kevin, you are trashing half of my favorite routes.
Midterm is in my top ten Yosemite pitches for sure and no the lines are not backing up for that one. It tests all the sizes, technique, and endurance. The most solid rock anywhere I've climbed, not a loose grain on it. It shuts over half the people I've seen down but not that hard with good technique.
Cental Pillar... Best route I can think of for the grade. Linking P2 and 3 is so good.
Reeds Direct...just look at it, vertical, splitter, clean ????
Ahab's not hard???? Shuts most people down.
I agree that New D is soft for 11a on the last pitch but think the route
is a stout affair overall.
The most overated pitch I can think of as far as difficulty is the first pitch of The Free Blast at 10c, more like 10a. I love that pitch though.
I guess we all have are likes, dislikes and challenges.
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The Warbler
climber
the edge of America
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Damn Kevin, you are trashing half of my favorite routes.
Gotta laugh at that Tork.
I admit, by nature, I tend to stray from, if not run from, popular opinion and pursuit.
Midterm is too slippery, uniform, and stuffed back in a slot for me. I think Anticipation, TKO, Gripper are all better.
I did the second ascent of Central Pillar, and did the whole original 8 pitch route. Compared to other routes on MCR, it didn't seem that great. I agree that 2 and 3 are good, 1 1/4 pitches might be great, but that's just one an a quarter pitch out of 8 pitches..... MCR is for face climbing ;-)
Reeds Direct pitch 2 is splitter, yeah, and super clean, but repetitious easy moves, and the crux of that pitch is slightly awkward to me. The last pitch crux is short and unexposed.
Ahab's not hard???? Shuts most people down.
That's just it - if you do it right it's not that hard. Intimidating, yes, but overrated difficulty wise, or should I say rep wise, IMO. Great pitch, though, one of the best at Base of El Cap.
New D is a bit overrated quality wise and difficulty wise, I think. It's got good, fairly hard climbing, but it's cut up by ledge systems, and the upper half and crux has easier climbing not far to the right. Not saying it isn't a good route, just that I don't feel it lives up to its stellar reputation. I think The Biscuit is a way better route, for example.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Kevin (Fosburg)
How the hell are you?
You're taking some of the proud off our Rostro-Man day, one of the best days of climbing I've ever had!
I do agree though, that compared to Butterballs, the Rostrum finger crack is a softer 11c.
Josh is generally stout and anything by Lechlinski/Gilje is likely a full heads up sandbag.
Hope you're well!
Perry
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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crux pitch on rostrum
rostrum 11b pitch up high
fish crack ( but i just TR'd )
chingando
crack a go go ( tricky though )
manana
vanishing point
catchy
any pitch of SS if rated 5.10
+ 1 for peruvian
-1 for cramming - hardest 10d i've done in yos
-1 for ahab - also seemed really hard
-1 for top pitch new D
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Quality wise- American Wet Dream
Grade wise.... there are soft grades in the park?? If so they must be changed- we have a rep to maintain
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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Kevin, now I have to rethink my idea of heading south to check out some of that stuff you've been developing. Our differences are scaring me away.
IMO the amount of technique plus mental and physical relaxation required to do Ahab earns it's hard reputation.
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2012 - 12:57pm PT
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Snowhazed....Also depends on which guidebook you look at. Anything other then Supertopo is what I'm basing ratings on. Supertopo has definitely softened up the grades by upgrading many climbs and in my opinion, screwing up the system because they are way different. It seems as if Supertopo is trying to match trad with sport grades to get the gym crew a more realistic view of what their getting on which I think is not a bad idea except it messes with established rating systems for areas.
And the Warbler has put up some of the most heinous sandbags in the valley. So I would think that anything he says is easy is normal for mere mortals. Get on Quicksilver sometime and let me know if you think it's 5.9.
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The Warbler
climber
the edge of America
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You have to take my words with a grain 'o salt, Tork.
My perspectives are undeniably filtered through some forty years since I was doing those routes.
I do remember getting worked over by Ahab on my first go at age 17, I got up it, but the difference btw that day and the next a year later was so dramatic it struck me that it wasn't that it was hard, but that I just didn't know how to climb that well the first time.
Most of the routes I've done in SD are sport bolted and from steep slab to slightly overhanging. Nearly all on really good rock. With my ankle I make sure ledge and groundfall possibilities are minimal. It's old man friendly, IOW. And super pleasant in the dead 'o winter.
On a certain level that stuff in Southern Yosemite looks similar... Not saying this is up to that level of quality and setting, but the routes, scale, features, and protection are along the same lines.
Edit: If we had rated Quicksilver 5.10, it would have been downrated (by some) for sure. Not that that's the reason we rated it 5.9, it just doesn't have any 5.10 moves on it, IMO. Unless you get offroute of course.
I could see rating it 5.10 as a warning of sorts to the uninitiated.
Still sometimes wish we had put 2 or 3 times the bolts on that so more climbers could enjoy it, but it is what it is...
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chill
climber
between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing
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Warbler wrote - There's way more underrated routes, especially quality wise.
Climbers are like people - most of them do what all the rest do...
Clearly your time would be best spent climbing elsewhere, the Valley is not worthy of you.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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We climb on immutable (with a few exceptions) rock features that were sitting there long before apes evolved into humans. Affixing numbers (grades) to them is a very recent game we play. "Climbs" are neither over or under rated, the arbitrary numbers we give them are transient and will fade away into history.
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Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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We climb on immutable (with a few exceptions) rock features that were sitting there long before apes evolved into humans. Affixing numbers (grades) to them is a very recent game we play. "Climbs" are neither over or under rated, the arbitrary numbers we give them are transient and will fade away into history.
Donini's right, we need to start making permanent plaques at the base in order to memorialize the grade forever.
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The Warbler
climber
the edge of America
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Clearly your time would be best spent climbing elsewhere
True
...the Valley is not worthy of you.
But that's about the last reason.
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| Messages 1 - 51 of total 51 in this topic |
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