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Bad Climber
climber
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:55pm PT
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Another vote for the first pitch of the DNB. Done that route twice, and it still feels like one of the toughest pitches! It's what immediately came to mind when I saw the thread title. Sandbaggery?
BAd
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Fletcher
Trad climber
The great state of advaita
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Apr 17, 2013 - 01:32pm PT
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Interesting. Agree with y'all that the numbers are just a rough guideline at best and at 5.7 at one crag often means something different at another. It's more about walking up to a route, being able to assess it (in terms of your own abilities), and the experience and quality of the route. Now, we're all perceiving the same things differently, so this is pretty subjective at the end of the day. And if you don't have a lot of experience or confidence in your abilities, then you might tend to rely on the guide book.
That said, Uncle Fanny's was mentioned by Ed at the beginning of this thread. Back when I was a brand new ultra-N00b and just doing my first leads, I got on that route thinking it was Aunt Fanny's Pantry (Don't ask how... just chalk it up to life's rich pageant!). Well, this became obvious pretty quickly. I got a bit wigged out and was in a place where I couldn't go down and and couldn't go up (in my mind at least). So I went sideways and jumped on the face route to the right for the last 15 or 20 feet (and I wasn't much of a face climber in those days!). But man, it felt way better than the original plan! Ha ha!
Clint's take on Jam Crack is interesting too. I lead the first pitch of that on the same trip as Uncle Fanny's and I recall it being fun and nothing heinous (re: the first move). It did eat cams and I filled the thing up, fer sure! Didn't do the second pitch because it was 5.9 in the book (see above!), but heck, I should have gone in for some adventure climbing!
Eric
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 02:56pm PT
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It obviously depends on what you're used to. When I came to the Valley, I was pretty good at cracks, but frightened of friction and face climbing. The last pitch of the regular route on Patio (5.7, but very sparse pro) I found much harder than the first pitch or two of the DNB or either pitch of Jamcrack. After a few years at Indian Rock in Berkeley, the face and slab problems weren't particularly daunting, but Uncle Fanny seemed like a lot of work for a climb that was then rated only 5.6.
John
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LB4USC
Trad climber
Long Beach
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Apr 17, 2013 - 03:30pm PT
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Woof. First pitch of After Six. Greasiest thing I've climbed. Had me gripped ... and I wasn't even leading.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Apr 17, 2013 - 03:43pm PT
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Interesting to see people call out After Six. That was, IIRC, the second pitch I ever lead in the Valley (p1 of jamcrack was the first, on the evening before, and it felt polished but dead easy). I didn't think p1 of A6 was harder than 5.7 then, and have never repeated the route.
What got my attention was being up high where there are some choices and having to do some easy low 5th friction that wigged me out. No holds, no pro (it's probably 5.2 or something), and no idea where the line of least resistance goes. I was a little apprehensive.
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LB4USC
Trad climber
Long Beach
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Apr 17, 2013 - 04:13pm PT
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Might have been a little rattled. Untied to empty my bladder. Buddy upped rope until I shouted to stop. Free-soloed first 15-20 feet to tie in. And, of course, there's never anyone waiting to get on the route to laugh at your misfortune, is there?
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 04:54pm PT
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^^^
Figures that the person from SC had problems with a 5.6. Heh heh...
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aran
Trad climber
berkeley, ca
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Apr 17, 2013 - 05:06pm PT
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Vitaliy,
Just send them out some Sierra '4th class'... that should get their attention!
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 17, 2013 - 05:16pm PT
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Just send them out some Sierra '4th class'... that should get their attention!
Good call. From solid 5.9 leaders my friends will be downgraded to 4th class roped scrambles. I like it.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Apr 17, 2013 - 05:52pm PT
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"Tiny Tim" (5.7) not only the hardest 5.7 in the Valley, but also the worst.
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Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 06:19pm PT
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I second Remnant Right 5.7 at Reeds. Very good climb , short approach, and not mach gear to cary.
And also p1 on Mental Block rated 5.6. This pitch is not worth to go without continuation of the other 3 pitches. But this 5.6 can be a crux if you not 6'2"
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Apr 17, 2013 - 06:37pm PT
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Dave, I have no problems with the rateings @ Seneca and I do know how to read between the lines of a guide book. Heck I tried to lead one of my own 5.9's from 85 or so a few years ago and couldn't do it/ felt 11ish to me now;) the problem with Sceneca is they have a bunch of 5.0 to5.4 climbs that are really 5.5 to 5.8 . that is a range that suckers in total noobs and kills them. They have a lot of accidents there and a lot of fatalitys. Several on a 5.0 that has 5.5 move on it. Lots of accidents on a 5.6 that has a 10aR move on it. etc.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 17, 2013 - 06:50pm PT
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Right on Tradmanclimbs. Areas like Seneca are clearly sandbag ratings. I suppose the locals feel some perverse pride in that.
A rating is meant merely to be a guide and shouldn't be the raison d'etre for some big fish in a small pond.
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David Lewis
Trad climber
North Conway,New Hampshire
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Apr 17, 2013 - 07:23pm PT
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Donini
Some of those people you call locals at Seneca have been considered locals in your neck of the woods for more than 30 years (ie Herb and Jan Conn). Once your locals set a standard, the more recent climbs have to follow their precedent. Remember that a lot of the climbing began on the East Coast and then moved West where they got soft.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 17, 2013 - 07:42pm PT
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and then moved West where they got soft. hahahahhaha!
Gauntlet down!
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fosburg
climber
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Apr 17, 2013 - 07:48pm PT
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Another one that comes to mind is the last pitch of Independence Pinnacle, very stout for the 5.7 grade!
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Plaidman
Trad climber
South Slope of Mt. Tabor, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 07:55pm PT
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I say the slippery After 6
I'm glad someone else thinks that one is slippery. It's better in the Spring than in the Fall, after everyone and his brother have been on it. I think it gets a little cleaned up after the Winter cleaning.
Plaid
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Menlo Park
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Apr 17, 2013 - 07:57pm PT
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'Inner Reaches' at Five and Dime . Chuck Pratt 5.7 , a little wide at the top...
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Apr 17, 2013 - 08:03pm PT
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I hear a lot of folks say that one or the other coast is harder. Well my experience is i get spanked no matter where I go;)
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 17, 2013 - 08:53pm PT
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And to be sure I was playing the impish instigator there with my comment highlighting that contextual grab I did from David Lewis concerning getting soft on the West Coast.
It's not like me to troll, really it's not. It's early yet in this nice thread for such behavior. I'll simmer down!
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