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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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Apr 29, 2017 - 11:40pm PT
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I would say that the ultimate slab route has yet to be done and lies on the East Face of Mt. Watkins to the west of "Escape from Freedom" Not much hope that ground up will survive there - everything will now be dropped into/ equipped on rappel I suspect.
Vitaliy M. has added some legit lines recently, but those are still not addressing the main wall farther West (which Bruce was probably referring to) and I still wouldn't call it a slab per-se. I'd call it a face I guess.
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Apr 30, 2017 - 06:08am PT
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For a single pitch slab climb? less than 90 degrees, preferably with the fewest features possible, so knob climbs may be out
The hardest single pitch slab climb is most probably Territorio Comanche (proposed rating is 8c+) in La Pedriza (which already has established slab climbs at 8b+). The climber who sent the route, Ignacio Mulero describes the difficulties this way: the first three bolts consists of a V6 or V7 boulder of pure slab, almost without hands, followed by a 30 meter long, very continuous section with sustained movement like the hardest moves on the existing 8b+ slabs.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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drF
Trad climber
usa
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Apr 30, 2017 - 06:18am PT
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Didn't see Dome Rock mentioned.....here are some jems
Saucer full-o-secrets
Skid Row
Carson-oma
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 30, 2017 - 07:05am PT
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By today's definition the Dawn Wall is the ultimate slab route.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 11:53am PT
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I was up there, on the Dawn Wall, last October, and saw Adam Ondra free a 5.14c pitch from about thirty feet away from him.
It was not exactly slab climbing. But, it was not exactly crack climbing, either. The crux was a corner with a knifeblade seam, with the ubiquitous scars that would not quite take a pinky finger. He performed a series of varied moves to get past an otherwise A3 section. He did quite a bit of oppositional friction face maneuvers on the vertical corner.
What he did was magic.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2017 - 12:47pm PT
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I think its preposterous to consider the Dawn Wall a slab climb in that only the bottom pitches can be seen as less than vertical.
Slab has historically, and has no logical reason otherwise to change, been where the majority of the climb is under or just under vertical aka 90 degrees.
To take an overhang and call it slabby is to remove all coherent meaning of the word when talking about the majority of the climb's style. Whether you want to define a 'vertical' climb as tending to slabby because 49 percent of it is less than vertical is arguable, but not the majority.
The 'ultimate' aspect of an ultimate slab climb is one where the aesthetic of the style is necessary to make progress in the most continuous series of moves without resort to alternative style of movements that are not in the slab category.
While difficulty is possibly a factor in pushing a climb toward ultimate status since it removes other styles from helping upward progress, a moderate line with more continuity of the exemplary type of moves of a slab would be more deserving in a stack ranked list.
Now which line do you think is the ultimate slab?
Runout, gear vs. bolt, should not be dispositive.
Glacier Point climbs?
Darrington?
Stone Mountain!
Joshua Tree climbs?
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 01:18pm PT
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Another criteria: it's not really a slab route unless there are so few holds that you're just trying to step on colors and shadows. And hands are just extra weight
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Apr 30, 2017 - 01:51pm PT
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There is no such thing as "the" ultimate slab route, IMO. And I'm reasonably serious, although I'm not going to try and convince anybody to buy into that line of reasoning.
Perhaps the definition of ultimate allows many routes to qualify as long as they meet some listed criteria (as seems to be the case)? Ultimate seems to imply singularity, and there is simply to much rock out there with too many superb lines to single anything out as an ultimate.
Personal taste also further muddies the waters.
I agree that deciding which routes are of the highest quality involves, or should involve, more than rating.
From what I've seen over the years just on ST alone, we'll never agree on the definitions of slab vs face, much less on what constitutes an ultimate.
In the past few years my main partner and I have done slab routes (anything < vertical, the traditional definition mentioned by Munge) that we felt were the best routes we had done at their respective grades - ever. But that doesn't make them our own, much less anyone else's, "ultimate".
Trying to find and climb an ultimate does/could make for a fun quest though.
Edit: Hey Munge, aren't you supposed to be doing slab routes somewhere today instead of posting here?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2017 - 02:46pm PT
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I *should* be.
I would be doing the ultimate slab route for sure. :)
Work has jammed me up lately.
Spring is here. Time to charge, sharpen, and stance!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Apr 30, 2017 - 05:09pm PT
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The guidebooks of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, which was founded in 1906, offer the following: "The angle of a glacis is such that it can be walked up; a slab is steeper; whilst a wall is nearly vertical and may overhang. The slopes are approximately: below 30 degrees, between 30 and 75 degrees, above 75 degrees."
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines wall as "a vertical rock face, such as one that lies exposed on the steep side of a mountain" and glacis as "a gently sloping bank".
Enough of the nonsense about a "slab" being anything even slightly less than vertical.
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Nanobody
Trad climber
Fresno, CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 05:54pm PT
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This forum is so California-centric. There are plenty of granite slabs in places other than Yosemite. Places that are not crowded.
How about Nomash Slab on Greyback Peak--Vancouver island? 14 pitches - sport bolted, 5.10b. Amazing climbing in a isolated wilderness, temperate rainforest.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2017 - 06:21pm PT
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Nice one Nano!
MightyHiker, seems legit. 1906, is cool!
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Apr 30, 2017 - 06:58pm PT
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...is a slab at dead vertical to slightly overhanging.
I can't define slab, but I know it when I see it. Vert to slightly overhanging ain't it.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Apr 30, 2017 - 07:04pm PT
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The Oxford English Dictionary, online, provides the following subsidiary definition of the noun "slab". It is the definitive and a current source as to the origin and use of words in English.
Mountaineering. A large, smooth body of rock lying at a (usu. sharp) angle to the horizontal.
You'll note that it doesn't say "nearly vertical", or any such thing - the reference is to the horizontal. And yes, they quote a variety of sources for the usage, some quite modern.
Using "slab" to describe something that's vertical is typical climber-jargon, and so quite sloppy.
(I was pleased to discover that the public library provides free online access to the OED.)
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Apr 30, 2017 - 08:28pm PT
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Bull honkey! Vertical is thin face climbing, not slab.
Common knowledge.
Just about any courtright route is a contender
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Apr 30, 2017 - 09:20pm PT
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Haha. slab vs. face, endless fun.
Munge, we're hoping maybe we'll get a tour of the "west" from you this year. It would be fun to do some of those slab, face, wall, or whatever the heck they are routes.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Apr 30, 2017 - 09:28pm PT
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Don't shoot the messenger
I was paraphrasing Justice Potter Stewart.
"Holding that the Constitution protected all obscenity except "hard-core pornography." Stewart wrote, "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that."
Just having a little fun. As, I think, are some climbers who refer to "vert and slightly overhanging" as slab. It has always been stylish to make light of difficulties.
You mention friction slab. That stuff has to be relatively low angle, although it's very impressive what can be done without holds. And so slab with holds can be a lot steeper. But despite the statements of a very few, slab is by definition less than vert.
edit: At least Henny has a sense of humor here... :-)
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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Courtright, Esto Power
Ho Man! I remember "trying" to lead that second pitch and cursing Eve's name! Pissed my pants....
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Great thread.
Finally did "Balls" at Tollhouse this year. Four stout pitches of 5.9 run-outish slab. My calves hurt for a week afterwards. Really great route. Tollhouse is "In Season" right now yall!
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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^^^^^
That's not slab micro, that's friction slab. Slab is a vertical to slightly overhanging face with small holds. But steep face is not face climbing, it's slab climbing. Haven't you been paying attention?
But Tollhouse is top notch friction slab
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