Jim Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 Had the opportunity to crag at the Gunks for a couple of days while visiting back east. Though hot and humid, and dodging thunderstorms, we managed to get in a half dozen routes. Don't know of any place comparable out here with the density and number of great moderates. And no bolts means no sport climbers!!!! I found the ratings stiff and the exposure constant. Great place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 Compared to Index, how'd you rate the difficulty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 mmm. gunks. wish they weren't so freaking far away as i'd really like to see what that's all about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted July 29, 2003 Author Share Posted July 29, 2003 I thought the lower ratings (under 5.9) were much harder than those at Index. For 5.10s I'd say the Gunks were two letter grades harder than Index. Above that I can't say - didn't get there. Though I get up the occassional 5.11 out here - I can't imagine I would at the Gunks. Lots of overhanging and exposed stuff to make you think - even at 5.6 (High Exposure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fence_Sitter Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 Jim said: I thought the lower ratings (under 5.9) were much harder than those at Index. For 5.10s I'd say the Gunks were two letter grades harder than Index. Above that I can't say - didn't get there. Though I get up the occassional 5.11 out here - I can't imagine I would at the Gunks. Lots of overhanging and exposed stuff to make you think - even at 5.6 (High Exposure). Â is it just cause it is different climbing? or is it really that f-in stiff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 I believe it has always been thought that the Gunks were stiff compared to western ratings and I bet an average 5.10 Gunks climber would figure out how to climb 5.10 at Index faster than an average 5.10 Index climber would be likely to master 5.10 at the Gunks. Even so, one's level of mastery does have something to do with the style of climbing they are used to and I have heard of Gunks climbers coming out west and finding granite to be surprisingly difficult or, for a local example, I've known a solid 5.12 North Bend climber to shoot sparks on a 5.8 slab at Leaveworth. Â Jim cites "High E" as a 5.6 that will make most of us pause and think; I agree. It would probably be rated 5.8 at Leavenworth and you gotta run it out a little bit on the crux. It is a fantastic climb for its grade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted July 29, 2003 Author Share Posted July 29, 2003 I used to climb the Gunks a lot while an undergraduate. I was used to the overhangs back then, maybe less so now. But I definately think the lower grades are sandbags. At 5.10 I'm at my leading limit so the overhangs and exposure may be clouding my perception, but I would still say the Gunks are two letter grades harder at 5.10. Though I would say while the moves are harder, overhanging, and more exposed - you can usually count on a rest after a crux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 more to the point how does gunks climbing compare to another quartzite area say like back of the lake? i found b.o.t.l to climb very similarly to skaha in terms of style, of course it doesnt have skaha style soft grades, and the quartzite is lower friction/more slippery than skaha gneiss... Â i also heard the crags in revelstoke climb a LOT like the Gunks except the hard routes are mostly bolted there.reach out blindly over your head to the next rail and feel back and forth along it for the best hold...repeat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 Jim said: I thought the lower ratings (under 5.9) were much harder than those at Index. For 5.10s I'd say the Gunks were two letter grades harder than Index. Above that I can't say - didn't get there. Though I get up the occassional 5.11 out here - I can't imagine I would at the Gunks. Lots of overhanging and exposed stuff to make you think - even at 5.6 (High Exposure). Â NO freaking way is it rated harder than index...its what you're used to, that's all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 i got the impression that the gunks are horizontal cracks as opposed to vertical ones??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted July 29, 2003 Author Share Posted July 29, 2003 Well, it's just my opinion but I've climbed to 5.10b at both areas and especially at the lower to mid-grades that's my impression. I noticed it when I first came out west and climbed at Index. Â Have you climbed at the Gunks? If not you should give it a try. Go in the autumn when it's more comfortable and the leaves are changing. Very accessible and fun place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted July 29, 2003 Share Posted July 29, 2003 yep...its horizontal strata...so you get these "breaks" to place pro and grab a hold of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted July 29, 2003 Author Share Posted July 29, 2003 thelawgoddess said: i got the impression that the gunks are horizontal cracks as opposed to vertical ones??? Â There's few pure crack climbs at the Gunks. It's a sedimentary conglomorate layer laid down and tilted escarpment. Tricams come in handy for lots of horizontal placements. Also means lots of overhangs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 So RumR, you climb at the Gunks often? Â If not, shut the hell up cause you have no idea whatcha talkin' bout! You sound like a whiny kid telling his buddy, "My Daddy can beat up yo Daddy!" as if you are defending your turf (Index). I suggest you go there and climb and then give us your opinion, but not until. Â If you have climbed there, and you have a totally different opinion then Jim, then I totally respect that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 ryland_moore said: So RumR, you climb at the Gunks often? Â If not, shut the hell up cause you have no idea whatcha talkin' bout! You sound like a whiny kid telling his buddy, "My Daddy can beat up yo Daddy!" as if you are defending your turf (Index). I suggest you go there and climb and then give us your opinion, but not until. Â If you have climbed there, and you have a totally different opinion then Jim, then I totally respect that. Â HA...hokie to hokie...yah, i've climbed there...so pffffffffffttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!! Â and the new and seneca and etc...they are rated the same as index...no harder no easier...(although great falls is hella hard compared to the other areas) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWolfe Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Placing gear at the gunks is wierd becuz of the horizontal breaks - it's not the only placements, but a a lot of them. Stoppers, especially, are funky, and tricams and flex friends are de rigeur. There are many fixed pins of unknown origin on the harder (.10 was all I did) climbs, and the routes often traverse, adding excitement to the horizontal placements. The rock is granite, but it is muggy often, so it feels slippery much of the time. Â Overhanging, often traversing trad with horizontal placements is just plain scary, and the headiness add a mental element you must experience to understand. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 it aint granite mr e. its a quartzite actually....i'm told... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 MisterE said: Placing gear at the gunks is wierd becuz of the horizontal breaks - it's not the only placements, but a a lot of them. Stoppers, especially, are funky, and tricams and flex friends are de rigeur. There are many fixed pins of unknown origin on the harder (.10 was all I did) climbs, and the routes often traverse, adding excitement to the horizontal placements. The rock is granite, but it is muggy often, so it feels slippery much of the time. Â Overhanging, often traversing trad with horizontal placements is just plain scary, and the headiness add a mental element you must experience to understand. Â Â I guess i started w/ that stuff so it seems natural...I must say when i first moved west i thought granite and the grading around here was stiff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWolfe Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Dru said: it aint granite mr e. its a quartzite actually....i'm told... Â Whoops! My Bad. You're right Dru - I'm no Geologist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulB Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Dru said: more to the point how does gunks climbing compare to another quartzite area say like back of the lake? Â ....reach out blindly over your head to the next rail and feel back and forth along it for the best hold...repeat... That's a pretty good description of the Gunks...when in doubt, and things seem hopeless, just reach a little further and a nice jug will present itself. Â The best part about the Gunks is that the main cliffs are up above a valley, so once you get just one pitch off the ground, the exposure makes it feel like you are miles up. This makes even easy 5.4 climbs seem a lot more exciting. Â Compared to B.O.T.L, the rock at the Gunks is less textured. Not a lot of friction climbs to be found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pencil_Pusher Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 I'm not sure how this post wound up in Spray but... I'll be heading out east next month and was wondering if any of y'all knew of some fun routes I could do at the Gunks? I can lead 5.7 trad here, so whatever that computes to out there...?? 50 or 60m rope and are there rap points for a single rope or is it a walk off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willstrickland Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Ahh, the Gunks...where the millipedes go squish under your feet and the 5.2 routes have roofs. Â The Gunks used to called "home of the hardest 5.9s in the world"....and it was true before the updates to the guidebooks. I've personally found the climbing to be roughly on-par with the stuff out west (Index, Yos, whatever) as far as difficulty , but just a different type of climbing altogether. Â It runs toward steep juggy climbing on horizontals, with less than ideal friction. My own weakness is pitch-long endurance and I find long crack pitches tougher than shorter bouldery pitches, consequently I do ok at the Gunks. The southeastern sandstone is much the same...lots of horizontals and typically short, steep pitches. Â One thing for any would-be visitors...avoid any holiday or weekend like the plague, if you think the routes in Yos get crowded, you'll freak at how many people go to the Gunks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClimbingGirl33 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 The ratings at the Gunks are insane . . . compared to anywhere - East or West. Â Then again, climbing at the Gunks is AWESOME! Just make sure you eat your wheaties! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulB Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Pencil_Pusher said: I'm not sure how this post wound up in Spray but... I'll be heading out east next month and was wondering if any of y'all knew of some fun routes I could do at the Gunks? I can lead 5.7 trad here, so whatever that computes to out there...?? 50 or 60m rope and are there rap points for a single rope or is it a walk off? Some classic "must do" routes: - Hawk 5.4 - Gelsa 5.4 - Horseman 5.5 - High Exposure 5.6 - Shockley's Ceiling 5.7 - Ken's Crack 5.7 - Laurel 5.7 The list is endless, and on weekends so are the line ups. Â It is possible to walk off all routes from the top of the cliff, and some are equipped for rappelling, but climbers coming up from below usually make walking off the better option. Â One more thing... watch out for copperhead snakes on sunny ledges. I once manteled up to find myself within striking distance of a couple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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