Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Discounting alpine and big wall routes, where frightful rock and general terror are de riguer, what's the shittiest route you've ever plowed through? For whatever reason; crappy rock, horrible clip stances/bad bolt placement, unpleasant climbing, tasteless chip-job, ridiculous rope drag, whatever. Let's hear the worst of the worst. DFA would have to nominate "That .10d Route" at Smith on the grounds of flagrangly bad cleaning/lousy rock, and a total sandbag at .12a. "Cool Ranch Flavor" would also have to be in the running for its greasy, unfun, one-move crux, which is totally out of character with the 5.8 hueco hiking on the previous four fifths of the route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Pine Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fern Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 have you climbed a route that at the time you thought was awful and swore never to recommend or repeat, and yet with the distance of time you find your memory has mellowed and you consider repeating the adventure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Mirkwood Forest although it appears to have been cleaned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Chain Reaction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Pine Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 fern said: have you climbed a route that at the time you thought was awful and swore never to recommend or repeat, and yet with the distance of time you find your memory has mellowed and you consider repeating the adventure? Much more interesting question!! Yes, the one I did last weekend. I already am plotting an eventual return. Don't know if I'm ready to recommend it yet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 Had a similar experience with Bolt From the Blue, which was thin and insecure near the top, kind of like it is now, but on totally jingus holds that seemed to be waiting for just the right moment to all bust off at once, probably when you had a big mouthful of slack as you went to clip. A recent return to the route, figuring it couldn't have been that bad, revealed that things had cleaned up wonderfully and left a really enjoyable route. Alternately, a return to Flight of the Patriot Scud Blaster after many years revealed a horrible one-move crux, this awful no-footholds chest-scraping dyno to awkward slopy sharp-toothed mini-jug move. Made the Doc wonder why he had climbed the thing in the first place. Monkey Space is probably next on the list of memory-dulled experiences to have another crack at. DFA is convinced that the only reason he didn't complete the route so many years ago was the jingus bolts at the crux. Or was it the pants-wetting exposure? One of these days ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 cracked said: Chain Reaction! Ah, yes, an unparalleled sufferfest there. Between the runouts, the horrid rock, and the coma-inducing boredom of the actual climbing, it's a world class suck-a-thon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Dr_Flash_Amazing said: Discounting alpine and big wall routes, where frightful rock and general terror are de riguer, what's the shittiest route you've ever plowed through? For whatever reason; crappy rock, horrible clip stances/bad bolt placement, unpleasant climbing, tasteless chip-job, ridiculous rope drag, whatever. Let's hear the worst of the worst. DFA would have to nominate "That .10d Route" at Smith on the grounds of flagrangly bad cleaning/lousy rock, and a total sandbag at .12a. "Cool Ranch Flavor" would also have to be in the running for its greasy, unfun, one-move crux, which is totally out of character with the 5.8 hueco hiking on the previous four fifths of the route. ummm...the entire exit 38 cliff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distel32 Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Walking while intoxicated: broke a hold and it almost hit timmay, that was lame. There are so many bad problems, goldenboy in squampton, rib direct in the buttermilks, (they call it v6, took me 4 tries and it was before I climbed a v5), and From the East in joe's valley because it is all around lame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 wy'east on mt. hood in june. 5.something climbing in crampons/ski boots on stacked graham crackers through waterfalls and rocks hissing by ears. mashed potato top out. slog approach, hot, no sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Dr_Flash_Amazing said: Had a similar experience with Bolt From the Blue, which was thin and insecure near the top, kind of like it is now, but on totally jingus holds that seemed to be waiting for just the right moment to all bust off at once, probably when you had a big mouthful of slack as you went to clip. A recent return to the route, figuring it couldn't have been that bad, revealed that things had cleaned up wonderfully and left a really enjoyable route. Alternately, a return to Flight of the Patriot Scud Blaster after many years revealed a horrible one-move crux, this awful no-footholds chest-scraping dyno to awkward slopy sharp-toothed mini-jug move. Made the Doc wonder why he had climbed the thing in the first place. Monkey Space is probably next on the list of memory-dulled experiences to have another crack at. DFA is convinced that the only reason he didn't complete the route so many years ago was the jingus bolts at the crux. Or was it the pants-wetting exposure? One of these days ... Which bolts were bad on Monkey Space? That would definitely suck - but it seems like trying to reverse moves and get back to the ledge (never done 'em, just watched) would be almost as bad. Anyhow - definitely not a place for bad bolts. Speaking of exposure - how often does that 12c that ascends the arete to the right of the base of the pioneer route get done? Made me nauseous just looking at it. As far as the original question is concerned - I can't remember the names but there were a couple of routes at Shelf that combined inadequate cleaning, horrible bolt-position(contrived+ground/ledge fall potential) with those *$@#ing homemade bedframe hangers drilled with holes that have about 1mm of clearance available for inserting the nose of the carabiner. Nothing terribly horrifying there, but the routes would have been much more pleasant if the folks that bolted them had taken a bit more time and done a better job of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted October 30, 2003 Author Share Posted October 30, 2003 JayB said: Which bolts were bad on Monkey Space? That would definitely suck - but it seems like trying to reverse moves and get back to the ledge (never done 'em, just watched) would be almost as bad. Anyhow - definitely not a place for bad bolts. Speaking of exposure - how often does that 12c that ascends the arete to the right of the base of the pioneer route get done? Made me nauseous just looking at it. The offending bolts were protecting the crux. There was what was clearly the "old" bolt, which was easily pulled out and then hastily pushed back into its hole; this sat a bit higher than the "new" bolt, and had a sling on it for easy equalizing of the two. The "new" bolt featured its own special brand of swizzle stick action, and even with both bolts clipped, it wasn't too reassuring. As for the retreat, it wasn't too bad, and certainly no worse than paddling around above the bolts in question. Yeek! As for the arete in question, that'd be Close Shave, and DFA only knows of one person who has climbed it, although there have surely been more ascents than A___'s and Alan Watts'. Per the Smith Bible: "Close Shave 5.12c R *** Bolts An unmatched arete ascends the underside of the Monkey's neck and chin. Close Shave frightens away almost everyone, since only four boults protect 65 feet of climbing, but you'll have a bolt at your face on the crux. The hardest moves tackle severe slaps up hte arete, with nothing but air below your feet. At the mouth cave, join Panic Point for the final section to the rappel anchor at the nose boulder." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 The Peanut, in Yosemite on the Yosemite Falls trail. Insecure run out 5.10 face climbing on dodgy brown rock with every bolt a 1/4" spinner with messed up protuding bolts. I don't remember the specifics about the anchors, just recall that they inspired sphincter clenching. This was a long time ago, it may have changed for the better, or completely fallen off the map. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 I believe Ms. Britney G. has done the line... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 some French guy and some Japanse guy ticked on tour thru the States Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Gov. Lister Cliff!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Rimming the Berries at vantage also some scarry choss route in the tilted pilers area. Why my partner wanted to do those climbs I'll never know. THEY SUCK!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 agree with Dave, worst cragging routes I have ever done were at Vantage. what a pile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miloshk_Antonopov Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 tHIS IS TRUE HOWEVER i AM HAVING CLIMBED ONE SPORT rOUTE IN lEAVENWORTH NEAR CALLED mADSENS BUTRES AND IT WAS TRULY WORST EVER. aLL ROCK WAS SANDY AND EXTREMELY NOT STRONG. aLSO BOLTS OFFERED LITTLE pROTECTION FROM HITTING THE GROUND! tHERE WAS HAVING GEAR TO PLACE IN uNDERCLING FLAKES BUT THESE WERE SO FLEXIBLE. tHIS IS BEING ONE OF WORST ROUTES i AM HAVING CLIMBED ON SOCALLED GRANITE AND VERY DISAPOINT IN ALL REASONS. aS SMART CLIMBER iMA NOT REPEATING EXEPIRINCE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 how can strongest russian climber have coin to live in furry creek? maybe I crash at, how do you say, your crib like a foodstamper this summer, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_harpell Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Het Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Dru said: agree with Dave, worst cragging routes I have ever done were at Vantage. what a pile. Have you checked out Exit 38 yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 chucK said: Dru said: agree with Dave, worst cragging routes I have ever done were at Vantage. what a pile. Have you checked out Exit 38 yet? no, nor have I cragged in Bellingham! ( altho I went bouldering at Larrabee once) so my personal worst is qualified I did climb on Weetbix rock in New Zealand but it was just choss, not dangerously tottering like Vantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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