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Mei
Trad climber
I'm back!
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 6, 2016 - 10:53pm PT
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Warning: If you feel snarky about cracks in climbing gyms, this thread is not for you.
I'm posting to share the information I gathered about the wonderful cracks that Planet Granite Bay Area gyms have to offer. How wonderful? I did 52 crack climbs on Saturday in all three gyms without a repeat, from low angle to overhanging and from tight finger to full body chimney. There are a couple extra that I didn't touch. There have been some discussions on these cracks/gyms before, and hope these photos will provide some context when referenced. For people outside of the area, I just want to show off what we have for rainy days despite the insanely high cost of living here.
I heard good things about cracks in Planet Granite Portland gym too, and I'm sure there are interesting ones out there everywhere. Care to share a photo or two to show off your home gym? I even heard that some gym offered prize money for the first onsight of their hardest crack.
The description of the cracks can be found in a spreadsheet embedded on my blog post: http://www.mxi2000.net/mudworm/2016/03/a-climbers-guide-to-planet-granite-cracks . Search by Grigri number.
To avoid photobombing the thread, I'm posting only thumbnails. Again, for clickable thumbnails, please visit the above link.
01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18.
19. 20.
P.S. Added a few new photos above.
P.P.S. If you do them all, that gives you 54 non-repeat pitches at avg 35' each. About 1700' total.
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Mei
Trad climber
I'm back!
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2016 - 10:58pm PT
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le_bruce, to answer your earlier question, I'm not a Touchstone member and have no idea what the cracks look like at Ironworks incl. the the rattly-fingers/tight-hands one. But I have no doubt that if you keep at it, you'll get it... this year!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Indoor cracks....one of the downsides of city life.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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one could probably swab enough DNA from those cracks to study if there is a genetic predisposition for crack climbing, and in particular, if there is a genetic trait that selects for O.W. behavior...
PSA: don't forget to wash your hands after working those cracks!
I tweaked my back after a very feeble attempts at "Gary's Crack" (93 on the SV crack wall image) and later the chimney (107 on the SV icebox wall image)... so my O.W. woes continue... on the other hand got lots of "lappage" in on the hand cracks, which is great training when you can't get outside...
we use "Bela's Rules" for IC training, you've got to do two consecutive laps on any hand crack you start... did that for a few hours on Saturday... saw Mei and Alexy on the Bay Area tour on the way out...
Mei's assertion that I was "indestructible" seems like a wish now... oh were it true.
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Mei
Trad climber
I'm back!
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 7, 2016 - 08:26am PT
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First thing I saw on my feed this morning.
These gyms allow me to meet other positive and fun adventurers during my much appreciated play time outside a day of intellectual work at the desk. They also allow me to walk up (or down) to beautiful rocks like this and send routes in good style without having to give up my job and life. What's not to love?
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unknown
climber
San Francisco
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Mar 23, 2016 - 12:52am PT
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Mei is amazing! Training works. Onsight on Twilight Zone for Mei, wohoo!
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Mar 24, 2016 - 08:55pm PT
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What's that? Like a hundred feet? Pssh! PE's and PG Belmont's cracks got me up After Seven this last weekend, which is like SIX HUNDRED feet. So I'm not saying I'm six times the badass, but I'm also not not saying I'm six times the badass...
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Mar 24, 2016 - 09:01pm PT
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The one time I walked through the one up here it was stacked to the gills with people but nary a one on any of the cracks. That and I noticed all the chalk stopped about twelve feet up.
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Mar 24, 2016 - 09:07pm PT
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Yep, never have to wait for a rope if you're there for the cracks. :D
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chill
climber
between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing
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Mar 24, 2016 - 09:31pm PT
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Mei - as long as you're cataloguing Bay area gym cracks, there is a finger crack at City Beach that is pretty solid 5.11 and can be lead (yes, a bolted crack! cue the outrage!)
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Aya K
Trad climber
Boulder, CO!
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Mar 24, 2016 - 10:26pm PT
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Aw man... I worked at PG Sunnyvale back in 1999-2000 when the cracks there were first put up... practiced them a bunch, never got the offwidthy one. Credit that training for my ability to totes flash the cracks at the local gym here in Boulder after not climbing for over two years (and indoors for over ten) and impressing everyone when I moved here.
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Mei
Trad climber
I'm back!
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 24, 2016 - 10:47pm PT
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Sheesh, suddenly, I'm feeling some pressure.... and competition too???
Hmmm... never been to City Beach. Somehow, life seldom takes me there. [edit: thought it was in Santa Cruz, guess it's in Fremont.] Some day...
Look easy from there, so what are you saying exactly? ;) In almost all the gyms, the ropes for cracks usually serve face routes too and most of them are moderate. So, if you go at the busy time, you might still need to wait for ropes to get on cracks. I avoid busy times.
Aya, I believe you, but I'm still surprised to hear. I thought Boulder is where serious climbers live! (Lynn Hill lives there, doesn't she?)
Since this thread is revived, I'll link my trip report (in response to unknown's shoutout): Splashless Leap into Twilight Zone
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Mar 24, 2016 - 11:06pm PT
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I'm just sayin' I'm a pretty big deal. ;)
And true about shared ropes-last time I was at Pacific Edge I spent the whole evening climbing face climbs like a goof with my hands all taped up waiting for the rope for hand crack to open. Somehow it always coincided with while I was belaying.
On the subject of Pacific Edge, off the top of my head:
-5.9 chimney
-5.12 fingers
-5.10 hands
-5.10 ow
-5.10(?) lieback
-adjustable angle crack gizmo in weight room with cracks from 1/2" to 3 1/2"
-some heinous, leaning, tips thing in the back boulder room
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jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
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Mar 25, 2016 - 07:40am PT
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Gyms are filled with Human Dander and Human Feces and Piss, no thanks. From the Toilet to the holds, all gyms smell like funk.
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Mei
Trad climber
I'm back!
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 25, 2016 - 09:18am PT
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Jeff, I don't know what to say other than feeling sorry that you've been traumatized. I wonder if the same phobia would hinder you taking on multipitch/multi-day climbing where faucets and facilities are not available.
I do think it's a bad idea to get on the gym cracks without tape and have your hands all scratched up. I've heard of cases of infection even though gyms frequently spraying disinfectant to the cracks. I guess once you get a cut, you can pick up germs anywhere.
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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Mar 25, 2016 - 09:40am PT
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Poopy cracks, how nice.
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jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
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Mar 25, 2016 - 10:19am PT
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The sun kills everything outside, no problem. Indoors it just builds up in the Carpet Foam, that can never be cleaned, embedded into the flooring perma. All gyms stink, unless new, but a few months down the road, Smells like funk. Sorry I don't climb indoors ever, I have crags 10min from my place. No need for that scene indoors.
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Mar 25, 2016 - 10:19am PT
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Fortunately rats, squirrels, birds and bats are all much more considerate than humans about distancing their waste from our recreation, right?
Hands down the most disgusting climb I've ever done, indoors or out. The entire upper half of the face was glazed with rodent pee, every little ledge and crimp held crystallized pools of it. Unfortunately I didn't realize it until I was two pieces up. In hindsight I don't know why I even bothered to set the TR; should have rapped it and cleaned it myself, to save my friends the grossness.
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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Mar 25, 2016 - 06:26pm PT
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I'll pass on the poopy cracks and
Toilet holds!
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