Valley sandbag

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List

This thread has been locked

Messages 1 - 7 of total 7 in this topic

Gumby

Novice climber

Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 25, 2002 - 11:50am PT

how 'true' are the ratings of valley climbs? way sandbag 5.10a=5.11d? I know ratings are subjective to some extent, but some are a little more 'subjective' than others. This isn't a troll either, I'm just a humble gumby wondering about the valley.

thanx

Nor Cal

Intermediate climber

Nor Cal

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2002 - 12:46pm PT

I'll jump on this ship as I have NOTHING to do at work today.

I would say that a few climbs are sand bagged in the Valley, try Ying Yang @ 5.10d.

I think more over you will find that the technique is what sand bags some of the climbs.

Take Sacherer Cracker for example, its only 10a and the 10a crux is about right, but most people get slammed on the 5.9 OW up top, you would think its easier because its a 5.9 move and if your an OW master it is only 5.9, but if you suck at slick wide OW then it will be very hard to get though this section of the climb.
I have seen many people move into the Slack just to finish Sacherer Cracker because they could not pull that OW move.

Does this make sense to you?

I can climb up to 5.11 in the Valley and I get slammed on that 5.9 OW or that 5.8 chimney but I can sure rock in that 5.10+ hand crack.

So in my mind the sand bagged climbs are technique dependant, for the most part.

Gumby

Novice climber

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2002 - 01:23pm PT

Thanx Nor Cal. This is what I figured.

Erik

Novice climber

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2002 - 01:30pm PT

Allow me to include Tuolumne in this discussion. The "5.7" pitch on the Yawn is my favorite Yosemite sandbag. If that is 5.7 I will have a pony for christmas.

Erik

Novice climber

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2002 - 01:49pm PT

If you are a good crack climber, then you'll find Valley grades are no harder than any other trad area. If your main trad area is say, the Gunks, then you might find the crack climbing to be pretty burly. If you've never climbed OWs or chimneys before then you'll think some 5.8s feel like 10+.

FWIW, I didn't think Yin-Yang was even one of the harder 10d's in the Valley (though it is harder than Manana and Serenity). The 10a OW on pitch 2, now that felt desperate (kind of like the Rostrum "10a" OW)! Just goes to show that if you have the right skills than the grades are right on, but if you don't have the right technique wired....