Quality 5.8 Crack Climbs at Frenchman Coulee

[catbirdseat]

There just aren't a lot of them at Vantage. Can anyone give me the names of some crack climbs at 5.8 that you have done that you thought were good enough you'd be willing to do them again, besides Crossing the Threshold and Party In Your Pants? In particular, I'm looking for single cracks, as opposed to double cracks such as the two mentioned.

Edited February 25, 2004 by catbirdseat

[lummox]

why 5.8?

[Greg_W]

Classic Crack

Twin Crack

Dogleg Crack

 

(all in L-worth)

 

Pitch 1 & 2 of Lizard (Index) - not sure if both are .8

 

Oh, yeah...why 5.8? Roger's Corner & Princely Ambition are nice at Index; they're 5.9.

[catbirdseat]

I am aware of those Index and Leavenworth climbs, but I was referring to Vantage. There was a thread in the Rock Climbing Forum asking about crack climbs at Vantage in the 5.6 to 5.8 range.

 

Why 5.8? That's where I'm comfortable leading trad at the moment.

[scot'teryx]

What is the 1st pitch of Rogers Corner?

Isn't that supposed ot be 5.7, and the 2nd pitch 5.9?

 

I think the best 5.8 crack climbs I have been on are at Octopus' Garden at Smoke Bluffs in Squamish, and April Mayhem at Trundle Dome in 11worth (perfect hand crack)

[catbirdseat]

We've had this discussion before. Yes, I can't wait to get to Squamish this summer. Tell me about 5.8's at Vantage.

[eric8]

Pearly gates has some nice 5.8 cracks

[Greg_W]

Scotty, I think pitch 1 of Roger's is 5.8 in the book; p2 is 5.9. It's a fun outing, IMO.

 

I can't speak to Vantage, never climb there. Smoke Bluffs has tons of great shit.

[Sabertooth]

Middle East Wall has a left facing offwidth to hand crack called 272. It is rated 2 stars, and is a pretty fun lead. You can do the wide start with a #4 friend. It is 2 climbs to the right of that awesome handcrack Sex Party.

 

Disastor Factor is an 5.8 chimney climb at Middle East Wall. Getting past the chockstone is the crux. It's between Sex Party and Jihad.

 

Under Duress near PIYP is a 5.8 offwidth. Haven't climbed it, I belive it is only 1 star in the book. Looks a bit dirty, but okay.

 

That's all I can think of.

[lummox]

just to splinter this thread: i reckon 5.8 is a weird grade. rarely straightforward. low angle enough so falls would be bad. the only stranger grade (and covering a wider range of difficulty) is 5.9. imho.

[chucK]

I second recommendations for Disaster Factor and 272. I just toproped Disaster Factor, and it seemed like it'd be tough to protect the start (giant cam?). 272 is really nice, though short, and you can toprope 2 really nice 5.9's (or are they 10a) from the same anchors. The furthest right one is a pretty straightforward lead while the middle one would be hard to protect at the start, but is really nice above.

 

Mideast Wall is a good place to go when it's warmer.

[catbirdseat]

Thanks, guys for the tips.

 

Lummox, I'd hazard to say that the 5.8's at Vantage are steep enough in most cases that you don't worry about hitting stuff when you fall. The bigger worry is getting good pro in that won't pull out.

[Greg_W]

Screw that choss-pile. I hear that South-facing Leavenworth climbs are drying out.

[Rev_D._Wayne_Love]

Steel Grill!!!!

Actually it's 5.9, but climb it anyway and tell yourself it was 5.8. Best crack climb there for the grade (imo)

[catbirdseat]

I top roped Steel Grille and agree that it is a quality route. It's definitely 5.9, but with all the rests it has, it probably is something I can do on lead.

[Gary_Yngve]

Steel Grill is an awesome climb. It's a little spookier on lead because there may be one or two offwidth bulges where your last piece is five or six feet below. (Or at least when I did it I didn't have a rack of large cams, so my pro consisted of hexes slotted at the bottlenecks.)

[jrb]

Crossing the Threshold (5.8) is good for the grade (and for the Coulee). Steel Grill is an awesome route, but I’d say that Tangled Up in Blue is a better crack climb. In my book it has some great jamming (big hands). It would get my vote for best 5.9 crack on the Sunshine all. All three of these climbs take wide gear (though you can get around it on Steel Grill). Last time I did Tangled I believe I used three 3s, two 4s a 3.5 (along with some other stuff) and could have used more. You have to make an achor at top, but I believe I was able to do it with a #2 and some small stuff. Numbers refer to BD cams.

 

Should be noted that the Middle East Wall a great place to climb. The rock is really solid when compared to the rest of the Coulee.

[chucK]

Isn't Tangled Up in Blue 10c according to Smoot ?

 

That's a lotta gear for a 30 foot climb there JRB.

 

(It is a sweet climb, crazy wide stemming then perfect handcrack)

[Sabertooth]

In my book it has some great jamming (big hands). Last time I did Tangled I believe I used three 3s, two 4s a 3.5 (along with some other stuff) and could have used more. Numbers refer to BD cams.

 

If I had hands that big, my girlfriend would love me.

 

In all seriousness, that sounds more like the pro for Steel Grille than TUIB, which is mostly 2 to 2.5" stuff.

 

I remember Catbirdseat said he lead it recently. What did you use CBS?

[catbirdseat]

Tangled up in blue can't be 10c, else I never would have been able to lead it. It doesn't take huge gear at all. I remember cams in the ca. 2 inch range. It takes gear really well. It's not a bad choice for a first 5.9 lead. It might seem a lot harder if you have short legs, because stemming makes it so much easier. I like to think of TUIB as Party In Your Pants without the crack on the right. Your left foot bears your weight on a series of horizontal joints, and your right foot is stemmed out the whole time on face of the right side. My right butt cheek was sore the day after I led it.

 

Yesterday I led another 5.9, but this time a single crack route called Whale of the Wanapum (two stars) at Tomato Wall. It seemed pretty easy for a 5.9, but perhaps that is because it is a bit shorter than TUIB. It is definitely a quality route. I'd recommend it. Takes a standard rack, ie. a set of cams and some nuts or aliens for the lower part.

[Retrosaurus]

Best 5.8 at Frenchman Coulee: George and Martha.

Yeah, I know that the book says it's 5.10, but lots of us have climbed 5.8s at Leavenworth that are lots harder.

[catbirdseat]

I watched a couple of people climb G&M. They remarked that they thought it was harder than Air Guitar, which I have top roped and found to be easy for a 5.10a. How the ratings compare to Index is irrelevant, because the question was about 5.8 at Vantage.

[chucK]

Air Guitar is easy, but it's a DEATH climb.

 

Try Pony Keg. That one's pretty damn easy. Just don't clip those controversial bolts out right, even though you can reach 'em, `cause that's cheating.

[catbirdseat]

Air Guitar seems to be easier than Pony Keg once you get past the thin part at the bottom. It also seems very easy to protect. Pony Keg is all face moves whereas you have to jam a bit on Air Guitar.

[willstrickland]

you have to jam a bit on Air Guitar.

 

I jam on real guitars thank you very much, air guitar is for no-talent mullet farmers.