5.10d, The New Old-school 5.9

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List

This thread has been locked

Messages 41 - 60 of total 64 in this topic

<< First | < Previous | Show All | Next > | Last >>

chill

climber

between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing

Apr 15, 2015 - 03:40pm PT

Jim D.- for me its a problem of committing to gunning through the crux to the next good hand jam. I hesitate, and then... "screw it, take".

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Apr 15, 2015 - 03:45pm PT

When in doubt, run it out.

Used to be kind of a mantra for me. Now when I consider those words a nervous shiver precedes the growing realization that I'm aging.

Fat Dad

Trad climber

Los Angeles, CA

Apr 15, 2015 - 04:31pm PT

For Five + Dime you do need to motor thru the crux. A slow, methodical approach will not work well for that climb, at least it didn't for me.

I was surprised to see Little Wing high on the difficulty list for 10ds. I remember it being kind of funky, but it didn't feel hard for the grade, at least not compared to some of the other .10ds on that list.

enjoimx

Trad climber

Yosemite

Apr 18, 2015 - 04:04pm PT

Just tried my first lead of Mark of Art about 2 hours ago. 1 fall.

After having lead the 3rd pitch of Moratorium 11.b pretty easily yesterday, I can confirm that Mark of Art 10.d felt Harder! Super awesome pitch though!!

My list:

1. Serenity Crack
2. Lots of other random 10.d's
3. Corner on Good Book
4. Finger Lickin'
5. Lord Caffeine
6. Cramming
7. 3rd pitch Moratorium
8. Mark of Art

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Apr 18, 2015 - 05:35pm PT

JTDS, 5.9 up:

5.9
5.10a
5.9+
5.10b
5.11-
5.10c
5.11a
5.10d
5.11
5.10+
5.11b

Etc…

ruppell

climber

Apr 18, 2015 - 07:40pm PT

The original system everywhere was a minus or a plus. I believe Dick Williams was the first to introduce the letter grade system. I still can't tell the difference between b and c. So I still use the old system when telling someone how hard a route is. But yeah 5.10+ can be a real bitch.

Jon Clark

climber

philadelphia

Apr 19, 2015 - 05:33am PT

The original system everywhere was a minus or a plus. I believe Dick Williams was the first to introduce the letter grade system.

I thought Jim Bridwell introduced the letter grade subdivisions in his article "The Innocent, The Ignorant, and the Insecure" in 1973. I don't think Williams was using the letter grades in his early guide books.

MisterE

Gym climber

Being In Sierra Happy Of Place

Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2015 - 07:33am PT

Most of the '+' routes were on the grrrr side

Ha! Love it.

Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber

Old and Broken Down in Appalachia

Apr 19, 2015 - 09:42am PT

I never climbed that many 10d routes

Is Lazy Bum really a solid 10d? I came "this close" to free soloing that baby, but my nuts were too tiny.

throwpie

Trad climber

Berkeley

Apr 19, 2015 - 11:02am PT

The Australian grading system always seemed the most logical... 1 is the easiest and it goes up from there.

Mar'

Trad climber

Fanta Se

Apr 27, 2015 - 09:45am PT

Dangs!! No wonder I've never progressed into 11-land!! No more 10d for me!! ahahhaa!!

Phil Bard

Trad climber

Lake Oswego, OR

Apr 27, 2015 - 09:46am PT

Dude, that's a dude in the Twilight Zone photo. Nick Taylor I think? Still, probably not the best climb to go shirtless on, but then he's way harder than you.

I always thought that was Yabo, BITD. I could be wrong, memory is failing.

Fist stacking... rugged.

Byran

climber

San Jose, CA

Apr 27, 2015 - 10:26am PT

I always thought that was Yabo, BITD. I could be wrong, memory is failing.

Fist stacking... rugged.

The photo is from George Meyers' "Yosemite Climber". The appended description is:

Twilight Zone is perhaps the most classic 5.10 off-width crack in Yosemite. When Chuck Pratt first led this Cookie route in 1965, without the comfort of protecting bongs, the climb gained an instant reputation as being hard and unprotectable. Tube chocks now protect the crux second pitch, seen here. However, on any off-width crack there is the danger that adding protection will make climbing around the chocks difficult. Most first-time visitors to Yosemite find the steep, awkward and strenuous climbing of such 'holdless' cracks unfamiliar and intimidating. Australian Nic Taylor is seen here flawlessly managing the 5.10c with a gentle care bred from his long-standing Valley residence.

IMO, leading Twilight Zone with anything less than a #6 Camalot is way gnar. Also note that grade of 5.10c!

Steven Amter

climber

Washington, DC

Apr 28, 2015 - 01:02pm PT

Heading back east, I recall that the Gunks' Coexistence on the Mac Wall had a consensus rating of 5.10d, and in the late 70s and early '80s was generally regarded as entry-level "hardman" territory. It was a good sandbag, given how the way to safely protect it was to place multiple rather small wires and pieces in a strenuous section of climbing. Classic.

I understand that currently the crux protection system is good - a replaced pin and cams where you need them, but the first 30 feet is considered 5.8 R/X runout. I don't remember a scary bottom - was it protected by long-gone pins?

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Apr 28, 2015 - 03:35pm PT

"Peter Principle at Snowshed, Donner. Got my number."

It is burly! I find a lot of climbs out there fairly burly.

Manana is the one with green camalots over a roof right? That one is hard as hell compared to most 10+ cracks in Yosemite. Barely got it somehow, last time I tried. Thought it is way harder than Catchy, Five and Dime, Twilight Zone, Finger Lickin, Waverly, 10d LB on the rostrum, the 10d pitch on Serenity etc. WOuld be interesting to check out CPoF "10d" pitch sometime. That sounds HARDD.

ruppell

climber

Apr 28, 2015 - 05:53pm PT

Steven

The start of Co-Ex isn't that bad. If you can't handle the start your in way over your head when you get to the crux. I'd be curious to here Rgold's take on the FA and find out exactly how many pins where in place then. I consider Co-Ex a test piece and was really stoked to onsight it. However, there are some 10+'s in the Gunks that are harder. Stannards Roof and 10,000 Restless Virgins come to mind. Put any of those climbs out west and they'd be mid 5.11's.