What's the worst route you have ever done?

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Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Oct 20, 2015 - 08:27am PT

I honestly can't come up any with I've regretted doing, but that might be
due to other factors. I've done a lot with individual pitches that were
a hair's breadth from horrific, meaning terminal. There is one that I almost
regretted doing though. It was actually a really good route but I was a real
jerk on the descent and insisted on third-classing stuff that my future wife
was not comfortable on. She quickly put her foot down and I got the rope out,
which likely saved our future together.

There was also that guided climb where the client ran out of her meds but that's a loong story.

squishy

Mountain climber

Oct 20, 2015 - 10:02am PT

Worst route I "attempted" lol
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1148136&tn=40

JEleazarian

Trad climber

Fresno CA

Oct 20, 2015 - 11:13am PT

Having attempted new routes on lots of choss piles gives me innumerable candidates, but each of those attempts was an adventure that was worth the try.

Coming down Michael's Ledge, however, made me realize why Roper made it clear that one should only use it as a descent route, not as a climbing objective. The section of "very loose rock" was "easy fourth class" only in the sense that we roped up because there was an obvious anchor at the start. It consisted essentially of ledges on a vertical sand dune. The "climbing" part was trivial, but the "rotten" part extreme.

I have since discovered empirically that it is much easier and faster to rappel the NW corner.

John

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Oct 20, 2015 - 11:27am PT

Interesting how the Pinnacles appear on this thread so much. Have to say, I climbed there a couple of times and came away with the feeling that it was a place that would be dormant if it weren't located near so many people. The condors were interesting and I saw a couple of tarantulas, other than that.....1 star.

mtnyoung

Trad climber

Twain Harte, California

Oct 20, 2015 - 11:34am PT

Funny Jim; of all the climbing locations in all of California, Pinnacles is one place where adventure - climbing with adventure - is still alive. Of course that's probably due in part to the rock quality.

I think fivethirty's comment above yours makes this point.

anita514

Gym climber

Great White North

Oct 20, 2015 - 11:42am PT

Dawn Wall

mtnyoung

Trad climber

Twain Harte, California

Oct 20, 2015 - 11:55am PT

I posted these comments as part of a longer thread on the Mudn'Crud Pinnacles climbing web site. These (Pinnacles) routes are certainly among the worst climbs I've ever done:

TOP FOUR SCARIEST LEADS AT PINNACLES (that I have done; not in any intentional order):

Seldom Seen Pinnacle - West Face 5.8 X This 300 foot route has no belay anchor (and none is possible; use body position). I placed a few cams on the first pitch, but was certain that none would hold a fall. The second pitch has one bolt, 60 feet above the body position belay. Take a rope on the route though, it'll make you feel like you're not free soloing. Besides, with a rope, if the second pitch leader falls, he might take the belayer with him. Did this with David Harden.

Herchel Berchel 5.11a R The first pitch is easy, but is mostly moss and lichen (over good rock though). The second pitch is some of the worst "kitty litter" type rock I've ever climbed on. The third pitch has a well protected crux, but then a mandatory 60 foot runout with a 5.8 bulge. I had to be rescued from the third pitch of this the first time I tried it (thanks again Dennis). Did that first try with Mungeclimber. Then did it with Dennis - he led the crux pitch though. So I went back and led that pitch with Jennifer. I've led all three pitches.

Flake Don't Break 5.9+ A relatively new route, the first ascent was led, onsight by a young climber with an excellent sense of adventure. Will any of your gear hold a fall? Will any of your holds stay on the rock? Did this with Gavin.

Needful 5.8 R We joke about "kitty litter" at Pinnacles. On this one it's true. Total crap rock and total crap gear (most of which is huge cams). It goes most of a rope length. I estimate that, while leading this, I knocked off a cumulative total of at least 100 pounds of rock. Did this with Mungeclimber.

EdwardT

Trad climber

Retired

Oct 20, 2015 - 12:05pm PT

Burcham's Folly - RRG

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Oct 20, 2015 - 12:07pm PT

Needful 5.8 R We joke about "kitty litter" at Pinnacles. On this one it's true. Total crap rock and total crap gear (most of which is huge cams). It goes most of a rope length. I estimate that, while leading this, I knocked off a cumulative total of at least 100 pounds of rock.

It's pretty scary. I've actually led this 3 times now. First just to scout it for the guidebook, then twice to rebolt it. Going back that last time was slightly less scary, as I had removed several loose holds just one week previous and knew exactly which cams to bring. Don't forget navigating around the poison oak at the base, too. :-)

mtnyoung

Trad climber

Twain Harte, California

Oct 20, 2015 - 12:11pm PT

^^^

Well it's had at least five leads then Clint; yours and mine and Dennis led it too (roped solo if I recall).

I'm smart enough not to repeat it (but then again, I've led an equally crappy 5.8 X route, Pigeon Crack three times while trying to figure out its history).

aspendougy

Trad climber

Los Angeles, CA

Oct 20, 2015 - 02:23pm PT

In Roper's old Yosemite Valley Guide, I recall "Arches Direct" getting a write-up as being a really lousey climb? Anyone done it?

Lynne Leichtfuss

Trad climber

Will know soon

Oct 20, 2015 - 02:56pm PT

I obviously haven't climbed enough. All the routes have been different and fun, mostly because of the company I keep. :)

As for church, I have to agree with you Donini. The salt has lost its savor.

Capt.

climber

some eastside hovel

Oct 20, 2015 - 03:18pm PT

About a year ago went to a place in Paradise Valley, Montana called Allenspur. There is a route there called Jen's. It's named for a girl my sis went to HS with and whom I'd purchased my last truck from. Horrifying. About 30' into it and seeing teetering bowling balls on grass ledges I yelled to my belayer, "put your helmet on"!! After about 10' more I was in dirt/grass gully with toaster sized stuff ready to to fly. I then yelled "you need to move way around corner bro". Got to anchors with everything around VERY precarious. Pulled the draws on the way down,told my buddy to "skip it". He says "yeah,I was going to". Pulled out the guidebook and marked a big black hole next to it. Sorry Jen.

k-man

Gym climber

SCruz

Oct 20, 2015 - 03:54pm PT

It's not that The Embarrassment of Rich's at the Pinns is bad--it's actually kinda fun. The first piece is a purple TCU, quickly followed by a #6 Friend. That alone makes it novel. It even has a cool section of overhanging hands, probably the best part of the route.

But the hands are soaking with guano, and everything you touch on the route quickly becomes part of the gravel stacked at the base. Probably the worst part is the heinous rope drag that's caused by your rope squeezing ever farther into that guano-filled crack.

Highly recommended for those who need to do every route on Disco Wall.

Runner up is the route that Pat Kent and I did on the Lower Spire in Yosemite. We got lost trying to find the Regular Route, and thought the route began where we found a quick-draw hanging in a bush. Another teaser was an old bolt that we could see about 20' up.

Wrong.

I took the first lead and moved up to the very old bolt, the whole way showering Pat with dirt, dust, and detritus. Higher up, I found some perlon sticking straight up out of a dirt mound. I excavated down and found an old symmetric hex that I still cherish to this day. It was probably somebody's bail point.

We did one or two more pitches, until we found a notch somewhere that allowed escape.

I believe we ended up doing what in Roper's book is called Lower Cathedral Spire -- Lower North Face, the description of which starts thusly:

This frightfully ugly route ascends the slabby lower part of the north face...

I can't be sure that we weren't off route for even that, but the start of the description nails it perfectly.

That one is not recommended.

overwatch

climber

Oct 20, 2015 - 04:41pm PT

Any route that has been "Nanooked"?

Alpamayo

Trad climber

Davis, CA

Oct 20, 2015 - 04:46pm PT

Pretty sure it was something on Bishop Peak in SLO.

mtnyoung

Trad climber

Twain Harte, California

Oct 20, 2015 - 05:24pm PT

It's not that The Embarrassment of Rich's at the Pinns is bad--it's actually kinda fun. The first piece is a purple TCU, quickly followed by a #6 Friend. That alone makes it novel. It even has a cool section of overhanging hands, probably the best part of the route.

But the hands are soaking with guano, and everything you touch on the route quickly becomes part of the gravel stacked at the base. Probably the worst part is the heinous rope drag that caused by your rope squeezing ever farther into that guano-filled crack.

Highly recommended for those who need to do every route on Disco Wall.

The Embarrassment of Riches!! What a route K-Man! And rating it "5.9+" was pure genius.

I led the route. Here's what I wrote to a friend about it:

"I pulled off a perfect lead. Scared shitless until I got into it and then I just kept going. Absolutely brutal. I'm so sore and stiff that I'm going to bed now after dosing on Ibuprofen."

Later I added:

"Two days later I'm realizing that this was an all-out, total effort for me mentally and physically. Everything I had. I still hurt all over like someone pounded me with a baseball bat. I still recall my (instant) thought process halfway through the last crux: "Sh#t - this is getting hard. Sh#t - I'm so pumped. Sh#t - I don't want to have to come back here." I pulled that off with nothing left."

Here's what I wrote to K-Man himself (if it isn't clear, he did the route's first ascent):

"I led it clean on Tuesday."

"Bad rock, guano, pro that varies from iffy to pretty darn good. Super exposed cruxes, one after another. Maybe not a route that is worth a "star," but what a brilliant effort, seeing and conceiving of such a natural line. The route may not be "quality" (whatever the hell that means), but, if I were you, I'd be really damn proud of it."

Yep, I would absolutely recommend this route to any climber who is determined to do every route under 5.10 at Pinnacles.

k-man

Gym climber

SCruz

Oct 20, 2015 - 05:44pm PT

Dingus, I cannot believe someone else did that trash heap. And that is totally it, two pitches up to the notch. Super funny. Mostly because it sounds like you weren't lost when you did it (like we were). Some day...must climb together...

Brad, I'm so happy you had a full-body experience on the route. I did the first lead with a pal that I rarely climb with and just before I start up the rig, he pulls out this big black wig and says, "Here, wear this." Somewhere I have a picture that some passer-by took and later mailed me. Of course you would never recognize me with a full head of gorilla hair. My idea was to go hammerless, to the Top! It was a battle, but success was finally had.
PS: For clarification, the name of the route is The Embarrassment of Rich's, possessive "s" and all. ;-)