Bouldery Starts

[Geek_the_Greek]

I meant the route Pearly Gates, but I guess it's debatable. The chimneying bit above the bolt looks harder from the ground, but it's not, 'cause you get a sweet seated rest. The crack beginning doesn't look like much but ends up having the hardest moves of the route. It still ends up being easy for the grade, though, so maybe 'bouldery' isn't a good description.

 

However, this all brings up an interesting point. I agree that a bouldery start is much easier than the same moves elsewhere in the climb. But this means that if you're climbing at your limit, you won't be able to do the route. So if an honestly graded 10d (whatever that is) is pretty much your limit, you won't be able to do a climb that starts with a V3+ boulder problem. Alternatively it could be graded at an (easy) 11+. I bet we could find examples of each. I guess it's just another example of why climbing grades are dumb and pretty meaningless.

[Geek_the_Greek]

As an afterthought, I guess these routes (really bouldery starts, way harder than the rest of the climb) are also sometimes just 1-star routes (usually rated at the higher grade, I think) - totally inconsistent, not sustained, 1-move wonders.

[chucK]

By Dru's definition the Beckey Route on Lib Bell has a bouldery crux. It's one move that's significantly harder than the rest of the climb(debatable) but no exposure.

 

You could probably surmount the crux with a running jump, a la the little kids trying to get up the slab at the UW Rock.

[Cobra_Commander]

don't forget the south side of hood in a big snow year. The climb out of the plowed parking lot is wicked.

[slaphappy]

The only route at the Pearly Gates that is truly "bouldery" at the start is Leap of Faith and the rating (10d) is for the opening moves. Celestial Groove has a difficult start but last I remember 5.9 is hard and I feel the grade reflects an accurate rating of the difficulties. If CBS feels it's "way harder" he needs to learn how to hand jam...

 

Easy Pickens is contrived IMO.

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CG starts with a layback. The jams suck and it is almost horizontal.

 

 

 

Are you serious? I'm fully aware of the subtleties of the route... You're technique sucks if you're layin it back.

[EWolfe]

Clean Break has a bouldery start too.

[Squid]

You mean the first 150'?

[pope]

What about the sit-start on the Town Crier?

[EWolfe]

You mean the first 150'?

 

Yeah.