Best Moderate Crack Pitch?

[Bob_Clarke]

The comment about Exasperator brings to mind a question. What is the best moderate crack pitch in the PNW?

 

[Greg_W]

How moderate? I like both pitches of Princely Ambitions, but they aren't "purely" crack climbing. Any one of the upper pitches on Outer Space. Godzilla?

[Peter_Puget]

What does moderate mean?

[Bob_Clarke]

Moderate = 5.11a and under

[Cpt.Caveman]

Klahanie Crack is pretty good, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, then chains.

[Peter_Puget]

Ok I can't reduce this list to one but excluding exasperator:

 

Penny Lane Squamish 5.8/9

Arrowroot Squamish 5.9

Thin Fingers Index 5.11a

Godzilla 5.9 Index

Sometimes A Great Notion Leavenworth 5.10c

Apron Jam (Wild Traverse) Leavenworth 5.9

Blown Out Beacon Rock 5.10a

 

[texplorer]

I agree with ya Peter on Blownout but penny lane is not on my top list.

[bolt_clipper]

Make that ZebraZion at Smith. There usually isn't much traffic once you get off the ground.

[ScottP]

Is there 'one' best?

Index:

Breakfast of Champs-perfect hands (for me)

Toxic Shock (ditto)

Heart of the Country-pitch 3

Davis-Holland-2nd pitch

Battered Sandwich

Jap Gardens-1st short pitch

 

Leavenworth:

Bo Derek-wild

Outer Space-5th pitch

Givler's-2nd pitch

Deb's Crack-fingers to fist

Psychopath variation on Iconoclast

 

blahblahblah...

[chucK]

Nobody's yet mentioned

 

Sloe Children,

Rattletale p2,

 

Apron Strings,

 

and dun dun DUN...

Air Guitar

 

Edited to add:

Damnation at Castle Rock

Edited December 4, 2002 by chucK

[daler]

Duh!!! The split pillar at Squamish. or the 5th pitch of Freeway full 50meters of perfect 11a.

 

dale

[mwills]

gendarme on the n ridge of stuart - especially the 2nd crack

[Bob_Clarke]

I'd have to agree with The Split Pillar - Le Pillar de touche

 

Here are a few others to mull over

-The 3rd, 4th, or 5th pitch of Deidre

-The 5th pitch of Chianti Spire

-The 6th pitch of Dreamer

-The 3rd pitch of White Satin

-The "Pressure Chamber" pitch of Hyperspace

-Pipeline (enough said)

 

 

[mattp]

Of the pitches listed here that I have done, I agree that all of them are excellent. I think Sloe Children is particularly so because it is continuously steep and challenging but there are plenty of stances where one can shake out and place pro, and it finishes with that wild lunge for a rounded knob. But moderate? You may be a good climber, Ropegun, but I don't think 5.11a crack climbing can properly be called "moderate."

[Peter_Puget]

What's funny is the diversity. If people were to state the reasoning behind their choices it would be interesting. I agree with Mattp that most of the routes here are great but some I actually thought were mediocre. I once recomended a route to someone and when they saw me the next time they were convinced I mislead them on purpose. I didn't.

 

Here is an add:

Rutabaga 5.11a/.10d Squamish

Reasoning: Climbing makes you think. Crack changes during the route. Crux move made with pro close by but not above you. Not just a simple grab and go crack. Nice stances to ponder the moves above.

[chelle]

Wouldn't really consider Damnation to be a "crack" climb, even though it is one of my favorites.

 

My thoughts...

The 3rd pitch of Rock On and the 2nd/3rd pitches of Classic Crack in Squamish

 

The 3rd pitch of the West Buttress on Exfoliation Dome in Darrington

 

Classic Crack in Leavenworth

 

Sensimalia in Vantage

[Bob_Clarke]

Stating the reasoning behind the choices is a good idea.

 

*The 3rd, 4th, or 5th pitch of Deidre - Some of the best sustained laybacking for a 5.7

*The 5th pitch of Chianti Spire - This pitch has is all, steep solid hand jambs - off hands - finger locks - and wild fists to off width pumping jams.

*The 6th pitch of Dreamer - good variety of layback movements - bold committing movements - good footwork rewards the climber

*The 3rd pitch of White Satin - Surprising gem of a pitch at Smith, awesome hand jambs with good pro - exciting finish

*The "Pressure Chamber" pitch of Hyperspace - BODY TENSION

*Pipeline (enough said) - well, enough said

*Paper Tiger - Another Smith Rock old skool classic - solid rock - good pro - bring your "A" game or don't bother

 

 

[mattp]

I suppose I would have to agree with you, PP, that some of those listed may be less than one of "the best." Toxic Shock, for example, is good enough, but the only reason it is popular is that it is one of few truly "moderate" climbs at Index. If it were 5.11a, for example, I doubt anybody would walk all the way up there for a climb that is frequently wet at the start, is discontinuous, has that usually slimy step-accross, and really only has two fifteen foot sections of the "crack" climbing that the climb is known for.

[ScottP]

I thought about Toxic Shock a little bit before adding it to my list. The reason I did is it gives me that feeling you get when you sink a particularly comfortable jam and you get that oddly relaxed, fuzzy feeling.

[Cpt.Caveman]

RE: I thought about Toxic Shock a little bit before adding it to my list. The reason I did is it gives me that feeling you get when you sink a particularly comfortable jam and you get that oddly relaxed, fuzzy feeling.

 

 

Toxic Schock is a fine route. The jams are good and I agree with Scottp. It's not such a far walk and the rock may be wet but so are a lot of climbs when it is wet. I don't believe it removes any of the fun parts if it is dry. Plus it is popular but easier to access due to less crowding than say Zilla or other mentioned routes.

 

Some other pitches I like are -

 

Short strenuous crack on the Monument

First headwall pitch of Beckey - Davis route on Prusik

Step over crack on Flame - Apron

Wildcat Crack - too hard for me to lead but nice

Ditto to Sinsemilla

Lightning Crack at Peshastin - good training for desert climbing

 

[fern]

"the 2nd/3rd pitches of Classic Crack in Squamish"

 

where's this?

[snoboy]

Split pillar - Squamish is my fave so far...

[freeclimb9]

the Sword of Damocles is better than the pillar itself, IMO.

It's been awhile since I've been to Squamish, but I can't recall one bad route there.

[Thinker]

I like Meatgrinder at LW

[Necronomicon]

I'm surpised no one has mentioned this one yet, but IMHO, it's your Mom. Awesome hand jams...