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Swim - Upper Wall ???


Wallstein

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What is up with that first 5.11+ pitch? I know Andrew Philbman has done it but he has steel fingers and he climbs 5.14. Anyone else ever actually redpoint that thing?

 

Darryl what sort of performance enhancing drugs were you on when you put that thing up?

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Philbin's a shorty, and i'm pretty sure Ben's done it...I kinda want to unleash Drew on it and see what he does...

 

Can't say I've done it or tried it. Though, years ago after climbing the traditional swim and rapping to the base, Drew gave it a spirited onsight and came off near the end. It was an impressive show. It seemed to me like there was potential for a free variation just before the bolt ladder to the right. Not sure though; something in my memory of a small right facing corner to roof. Actually, I think it has been done on aid. Get er' done Mike. Venga.

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Definitely a reach issue on that one. Not that the climbing getting up to the crux isn't hard enough, but without the reachy part at the end it might be feasible at .11+ (AKA Little Si .12c). The issue is having to do an extra move or two on a blunt feature if you can't reach a juggy hold above from a decent stance. Oh wait. Actually there's a pretty thin move getting over that first little roof too, but I never fell there. Hmm...

 

I would bet that Darryl, Greg et al were/are really, really good at that ultra technical edgy stuff. I still think overhanging 5.13 is easier than some of those hair-under-vertical Index sport routes of lesser grades. Much less mentally taxing, at least and often less physically taxing as well.

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The first time I went to index I was a relatively new climber, and didn't trad climb very well so I was excited when I saw a multi-pitch "sport" climb that was within the realm of feasibility in terms of the grade (Swim). Boy, did I ever get shut down. I'm not sure if I even got the third bolt clipped. I didn't go back to Index for about 4 years.

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Definitely a reach issue on that one. Not that the climbing getting up to the crux isn't hard enough, but without the reachy part at the end it might be feasible at .11+ (AKA Little Si .12c).

 

Interesting to note that although climbing at Index vs. Si is like apples and oranges, a certain peripatetic rock crusher recently noted that Progaganda 12c at Si felt more like 13a to him. If only he could compare it to 'blue in the face' 12c at blues cliff. To me it seems more like a familiarity issue. When I was climbing lots at Index the grades didn't seem so sandbagged...well, if the conditions were good, and I happened to be on a non-reachy route...and the stars were aligned; and of course, if I had wired it on top rope. Ha ha ha.

 

 

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I also remember reading mountain magazine (93?) with the article about all the new multi pitch sport routes at index upper town at "modest grades". I promptly headed up and ate some humble pie to say the least and scurried home with my tail between my legs.

 

 

I love index and not that rock climbing is about numbers, but I would have to say index has the stoutest ratings of the 35 US states I've climbed in. Many of the easier routes at areas like the Gunks, etc. are super sandbagged but the higher grades are actually soft compared to out west.

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I also remember reading mountain magazine (93?) with the article about all the new multi pitch sport routes at index upper town at "modest grades". I promptly headed up and ate some humble pie to say the least and scurried home with my tail between my legs.

 

 

I love index and not that rock climbing is about numbers, but I would have to say index has the stoutest ratings of the 35 US states I've climbed in. Many of the easier routes at areas like the Gunks, etc. are super sandbagged but the higher grades are actually soft compared to out west.

:tup:

 

 

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I basically learned to climb at Index and have done very little sport. I actually find face climbing to be harder for the grade sometimes than some of the climbs at Index. It's definitely stiffer than the ratings at the Smoke Bluffs, but for some reason, moderate face climbing often shuts me down. Just what you're used to I guess. I've also heard that it gets stiffer as the grades increase, and I'm not good enough to have seen that firsthand.

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