SEF Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 After a recent attic trip, I ended up browsing the “Rock Climbing Leavenworth and Index a guide” by Rich Carlstad and Don Brooks, copyright 1976. Forgot I had it. It makes for interesting reading, especially ratings compared to the latest guides. Some climbs are still rated the same, but many are not. Those that are not are most always rated easier then than now. For your entertainment, here are some selected routes from the Leavenworth section: Castle Rock Damnation Crack 5.8 Dan’s Dreadful 5.10+ Crack of Doom 5.8+ Midnight Rock Easter Overhang 5.9 Nightengale 5.10 A0 South Ramp 5.9 Wasp 5.10 Snow Creek Wall Outer Space 5.8+ Remorse 5.8 Peshastin Bomb Shelter 5.10+ Butter Brickle 5.8+ Lightning Crack 5.8+ Vertigo 5.7+ Nothing in the book is rated higher than 5.10+. Only Snow Creek Wall is listed up the Icicle although today's most popular roadside TR's were popular even then. As you probably knew, the trend does seem to be toward rating the same climbs harder over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_page Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Here's how some of the same routes were rated in the "Guide To Leavenworth Rock Climbing Areas" by Beckey and Bjornstad, copyright 1965. Castle Dan's Dreadful 5.7-A3 Nose 5.3-A2 Canary 5.7 Saber 5.3 Midnight Nightengale 5.7-A3 Easter Overhang 5.8-A3 South Ramp 5.7-A3 Wasp 5.5-A2 Snow Creek Outer Space 5.9 Remorse 5.7-A2 Orbit 5.8-A3 Peshastin Bomb Shelter 5.6-A3 Lightning Crack 5.8-A1 Vertigo 5.7 Nirvana Ridge 5.9 This guide states in the introduction, "with 5.10 being the ultimate difficulty possible." There are 4 climbs with 5.9 ratings and zero rated at 5.10. This guide demonstrates the era it was written in well for me with the description for South Ramp on Midnight Rock which was my first 5.10 lead on granite in 1984. It recommends 29 pitons, suggests a time of 7 hours and was rated 5.7-A3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I bet Beckey would rate Crack of Doom 5.6 if he could Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Its kool Nirvana Ridge has stayed 5.9 the whole time. That must be why Kurt named his band after it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Hey Dru what about Jimi? As in What if 6 were 9? PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Jimi's message is dont worry about sandbags. "If a 6...turned out to be a 9...I won't mind". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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