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nature
climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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I second or third or whatever:
Third Pillar on Dana. I've never done a Grade III or any other climb for that matter with a better view. The Dana plateau is like walking on the moon.
Not sure if this counts as grade three but "Absenth of Mallet" at Chochise was simply awesome (but the view no where near as splendid).
Ok, back to climbing talk for me I hope....
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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The East Butt of Middle is a grade four as is the East Butt of El Cap.
Now I know some of you might suspect that Middle should be a three and yet you probably climb harder than 5.8. The first time I did the East Butt of Middle, I had to crawl down the talus on all fours in the dark with no headlamp. Since then I've soloed it in 2-2.5 hours. Did the route change or did I change? The nose could be a grade 2 for Potter.
But yeah, it's a shorter grade 4 but, in the Reid guide, the Good Book is a grade 4 as well. Probably should be a 3.
Anyway, it is what it is, the the East Butt of El Cap is practically the definition of a Grade 4
Peace
Karl
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yo
climber
NOT Fresno
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Oh yeah. Moses.
What do they call Matthes Crest?
Let's hope the Potter grading system doesn't catch on. Everything will be Grade II. And X rated. Or maybe nothing will be X rated.
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dufas
Trad climber
san francisco
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No votes for the E. Butt or E. Face of Whitney? the Mithral Dihedral or Fishook Arete? East Pillar of Barnard? N. Face of Mt. Goode (or is that a IV)?
Despite Dingus' episode, the Arrowhead Arete is awesome for a scenic cruise in a great location.
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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I don't know if the Vampire is a grade III but I would have to nominate it as one of the better routes of it's length.
3rd Pillar for sure,
Isn't the Nutcracker a grade III? That would be a good candidate for sure if it wasn't for the constant hordes on the thing.
Or maybe OZ, now that's a fun route.
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Elcapinyoazz
Mountain climber
Anchorage, Alaska
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Primrose Dihedrals
Cloud Tower
W. Face Colchuck Balanced Rock
South Face Prussik Peak
Serenity->Sons
Rostrum Reg Route
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Festus
Mountain climber
Antelope Valley
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I'm pretty sure Cracko's favorite Grade III is the traverse of the Applebees parking lot trying to find his car after happy hour in Palmdale. It's a Grade IV if he hooked up.
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spectreman
climber
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Top 10:
Naked Edge
The Barb
Wunch's Dihedral
Epinephrine
Primrose Dihedrals
Lucky Streaks
Fine Jade
Jah Man
Days of Future Passed
War Paint
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thebleeder
Trad climber
chosstown
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anything on elephant's perch
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malabarista
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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This time of year I would vote for the Weeping Wall just off the icefields parkway, in Alberta. The day I did the left hand is inscribed in my memory as one of the best days of climbing I've ever had.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Four or five of you would do Fine Jade one more time just before you die. The topo looks good and the description says " A classic and excellent route up a crack line...." but there must be more. How about some stories or history or epics?
Zander
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Ice Climbs?... Black Dike...Cannon Cliff, historic and wicked good!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Karl, as I said in the begining of my post, the Grades are bent around these days... I'm not sure quite what they are supposed to mean anymore.
Roper '71 gives the following definition in terms of Valley routes:
Grade I - Monday Morning Slab Right Side Glacier Point Apron
Grade II - Overhanging Bypass Lower Cathedral Rock
Grade III - Steck Route Higher Cathedral Spire, The Braille Book, Slab Happy Pinnacle Center
Grade IV - Yosemite Point Buttress, E.Butt. El Capitan, Powell-Reed Route Middle Cathedral Rock
Grade V - South Face Washington Column, Steck-Salathe Route Sentinel, East Face Washington Column
Grade VI - West Face Sentinel Rock, Direct Northwest Face Half Dome, Salathe Wall El Capitan
Reid doesn't list the grades for the most part and does not discuss them in his introduction.
SuperTopo doesn't list the grades or discuss them...
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shakey legs
Trad climber
san diego ca
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How about the hudonit on tahquitz or sundance on suicide?
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jacs
climber
Colorado
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If we are calling the Rostrum grade III, then that is obviously #1. But I think it is definitely grade IV, and everywhere I've seen its grade listed, its been called IV.
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handsome B
Gym climber
Saskatoon, Saskatchawan
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For those who nominated Pingora,
you should check out the Warrior I
standard route. It has a handcrack to
die for waaaay off the deck and finishes
in much better style, atop a wild set of
needle-thin gendarmines.
That's my choice.
The North Face of Castleton is a grade
III which is on my must do list. Looks
sweet!
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Cracko
Trad climber
Quartz Hill, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2004 - 05:04pm PT
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When the Gumby who started this tread called it a Grade III!
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handsome B
Gym climber
Saskatoon, Saskatchawan
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I did both Pingora and the Braille
Book in about the same time.
You have to be speedy in the Winds
so you don't get zapped on top by the
2pm thunderstorm.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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I failed to agree to Karl that some of the climbs I mentioned in my first post were traditionally considered IV's but as I also said, I am not sure what the grades mean anymore. I say that because the grading system is based on commitment as measured by time to complete the climb.
Grade I and II, how are they different? a single pitch vs. a couple of pitches? or less then or equal to 1 hr, vs. 1 to 2 hours?
Grade III - a half day... 6 hours?
Grade IV - close to a full day... 8- 10 hours?
Grade V - a full day likely resulting in being out overnight? 10-18 hours
Grade VI - multiple nights out
And who is the standard climber? If Nutcracker is a grade III, and I do it in 2 hours is it really a grade II, or grade I? Gary and I do it with all the belays, leapfrogging and not simulclimbing, but we've been up it a ton and sort of have it wired. It's nice to do it so fast because it can often be the last thing done while driving out if the mood hits us.
I think I have done the E.Butts.. (Whitney, Middle and El Cap) in grade III times... and will probably improve (but not to grade II) that in the future, using standard two person team techniques.
handsome b: I have looked at Warrior I and the standard (Beckey) route and really want to do it, but my teams haven't been strong enough to pull it off... but it is a very nice line and the Warriors are very compelling... I also got off route on Pingora at the top and would consider what we did a true grade IV...
del cross: I thought I had seen grades too, but when I checked my book there were none... thinking back, Gary has the pdf and when he prints stuff out the grades are there... go figure.
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DE
Mountain climber
Tustin, Calif.
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3rd Pillar
But, here are a few more.
Dream of Wild Turkeys
Wholesome Fullback
Conness W. Ridge
Sun Ribbon Arete
Imaginary Voyage-Needles
Thin Ice
THE VAMPIRE
Castleton N. Chimney
Crimson Chrysalis
South Face of El Gran Trono Blanco
Central Pillar of Frenzy
The Bastille Crack
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