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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Nov 23, 2011 - 08:29pm PT
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.but a pure, steep, slab is a Sphinx.
or a chess match with an invisible master.
(better be thinking a few moves ahead)
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Thomas
Trad climber
The Tilted World
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Nov 23, 2011 - 08:30pm PT
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"Donini's analysis is correct as far as it goes, up to about 5.11 or so depending on the individual.
Really hard slab climbing (Ron Carson and Tony Yaniro's routes on Dome Rock at The Needles come to mind, and a few things up at Courtright,) require an entirely different technique.
No longer can you improve your footwork or science out your shoes. Crimping the thinnest of edges will, by itself get you nowhere either.
Essentially your entire body becomes like a hand. You develope an ability to attain contact strength through a tension between hands and feet so that your body as a whole grips the stone. When you go to move one point of contact, the others maintain that grip or you fall.
Similarly to the way you adapt your grip to different handhholds, jams, etc., on the hardest power slabs you must adapt the way in which your body holds onto the rock.
True masters of this technique are able to climb this way while using their full range of motion, in other words having the power and flexibility at once."
That is some of the best climbing technique advice that I have seen in quite some time. Useful, poetic, inspiring...tomorrow I will go and throw myself at some steep slabs just to stay in the loop.
Thank you!
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perswig
climber
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Nov 23, 2011 - 08:31pm PT
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My slab mentality is usually "Keep moving".
Dale
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Salamanizer
Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
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Nov 23, 2011 - 09:20pm PT
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I really like Branscombs list but would like to expand on it a little.
In addition to his suggested routes I'd also suggest;
Sugarloaf,
Pan Dulce = More smedging than true smearing but is well protected. After the second pitch you can continue up two more pitches to the top at 5.10b/c (5.8r).
Gooney Dunes .10, Turning Point .10+, Fossilmax .9 and Sound of Perseverance .11a. Information for these routes and others at sugarloaf can be found here...http://hwy50climbing.com/sugarloaf.aspx
Also, one of the best venues for slab climbing anywhere near Tahoe is found at Calaveras Domes. Dozens of great slab routes to choose from. However, most are in the medium to difficult range and go from a little spicy to full blown nightmare.
There is another area near Tahoe that boasts the highest number of well protected slab routes north of Yosemite. Ranging from 5.6 to 5.12 on immaculate granite up to 5 pitches long. It's not a secret place by any means but it does duck below the radar a bit.
Looks like this,
Some of the routes can be a bit runnout though. Like, really run.
Edited to add; Hey bob, where is Sugar Plum??? The topo discription is pretty vague and I've never been sure which route it is.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Nov 23, 2011 - 09:39pm PT
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Back on GPA, The Smile (aka The Mouth) offers some classic glass. Never any harder than 5.9, the last pitch of this otherwise moderate 900 foot slab offers only one bolt. (actually, the topo shows 2, and I finally found the 2nd, a FP, further left and out of view around the corner while on rappel. Seems like 6 of one and a half dozen of the other to simply step it up and go directly up to the ledge from the 1st bolt)
The second bolt on the last pitch was missing for many years, and disappeared from the topo as well. But the location was given in the green Roper guide. Melissa found the hole where the bolt had been, and I found it again when I was on a rebolting mission with Roger. Roger replaced it and all the other bolts in 2009.
The second pitch has a 5.9 move with pro down below your feet, and if you fell, you might injure your ankle where you contact lower angle rock.
This may prevent it from being a route for working your way up the grades.
I aided it by throwing a hook to catch the flake just above it.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Nov 23, 2011 - 09:54pm PT
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Keep your heels low.
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tenesmus
Trad climber
slc
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Nov 23, 2011 - 10:27pm PT
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I got a lot out of trying hard slab boulder problems. Once my fingers couldn't handle the steeper stuff I would try the slabs over and over. Its amazing the confidence that the repetition of trying the hard moves can give you. You get to know the limits of your shoes, how to mantle and how to pulse through moves.
Cool stuff.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Nov 23, 2011 - 10:33pm PT
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try to get a pair of Acopa Legends, if you fit them to your street shoe size they will be painful but amazing edging machines, a 3/4 length last gives you excellent control.
if you use them for all day, you need to go up a size from your street shoe, they will still edge great, but they become fantastic in cracks of all sizes (sizes limited only by your technique, not the shoe).
My favorite shoe right now for Yosemite.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Nov 24, 2011 - 12:05am PT
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Slabs are a mind game. Balance is crutial and weighting your feet is important. The runout routes at Suicide or Quartz teach you quick. It is finesse over brawn.
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dogtown
Trad climber
Cheyenne, Wyoming and Marshall Islands atoll.
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Nov 24, 2011 - 01:04am PT
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"Slide and glide and save your hide." Or just run east or west! Someone help me on this one, was it Hall of Mirrors the term and technique Foo-ching was first coined?
Middle Cathedral Apron is some of the best of this stuff anywhere.
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Sioux Juan
Big Wall climber
Costa mesa
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Nov 24, 2011 - 05:17am PT
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slab is all I can do anymore
; like sidwalks and the shower pan ( yuh ! know what I mean )....P. B.
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Rattlesnake Arch
Social climber
Home is where we park it
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Nov 24, 2011 - 06:09am PT
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Toproping slabs is so much different than leading them. Mileage gained by TR on slabs seems to have limited value, say compared to cracks.
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gonamok
climber
dont make me come over there
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Nov 24, 2011 - 06:51am PT
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Mark critical footholds with a dab of chalk before you start into a desperate slab sequence, so you can see them from above and hit em without fishing around. One skill that needs to be honed is edging technique, or the art of putting your shoe on the hold with great precision every time.
A really good slab climber uses his feet surgically. You cant do the heinous if youre skating around or placing and replacing your feet. Hit it right the first time, crank off it and keep moving.
And no stinkbugging - straighten those legs and stand on the holds
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 24, 2011 - 11:54am PT
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WOW thank you guys, I have advice for years to come! Happy Thanksgiving to all as well.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Nov 24, 2011 - 12:25pm PT
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The sandstone at Castle Rock is pretty good slab practice. Get on some of the .10's or higher for practice to attain .9's in the Valley or Meadows.
Castle Rock is NOT runout at all, but is good practice for footwork and 'palming' with yor hands.
Aquarian Valley has some real slab gems as well. Prolly the best in the Bay in my opinion.
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Branscomb
Trad climber
Lander, WY
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Nov 24, 2011 - 01:06pm PT
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Salamanizer:
Sugar Plum is a bit hard to find between Sugar Bun and where the hill starts up to the main rock. The route faces east on a smooth slab. I think it was a bit SE of Mid Way Rock. Sorry I can't remember more specifically.
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yosemite 5.9
climber
santa cruz
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Nov 24, 2011 - 01:28pm PT
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To me, the key is having super sticky rubber. I use the Stealth C4 from the Rubber Room and my feet stick like glue. It gives me super high confidence. I love Sportiva shoes, but I replace their rubber with Stealth C4. The Rubber Room does a fantastic job of resoling climbing shoes. All three pairs of my climbing shoes have been resoled by them, including a brand new pair and a very old pair of Sportivas several times.
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Matt M
Trad climber
Alamo City
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Nov 24, 2011 - 02:37pm PT
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C4 can be amazing in cooler temps but god help you if the rock gets remotely warm. Especially if you have to do any serious edging. I've found that soft C4 rolls right off warm edges/rock.
In cold weather the C4 seems to stick to ANYTHING you want to smear on.
Recently, I've been REALLY impressed with the Vibram XS Edge. Really seems to like slabs.
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John Butler
Social climber
SLC, Utah
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Nov 24, 2011 - 03:03pm PT
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yeah... gotta have C4 in the cool and XS Edge when it warms up... that's the ticket
:-)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 24, 2011 - 03:51pm PT
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I love slab climbing and have for four decades!
My advice is to spend time on the Apron working through the grades. The normal rules of climbing don't apply there...
I was doing Flakey Foont a very long time ago and slipped on a bit of grit stepping up into the drilling stance for the first bolt 50' off the deck. I geek skiied on down for about forty five of that when my EBs began to squeak and I slowed to a halt five feet off the ground!
The full-body, four point of contact awareness and mental poise will serve you very well venturing onto steeper edge and dish climbing on Middle Rock or TM.
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