It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
(This post was edited by Arrogant_Bastard on Oct 16, 2008, 5:16 PM)
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
Gunks 5.3 equates to 5.11c everywhere else - or at least that is the standard on this site...
3 Pines is a classic no matter how you look at it. Put up when grading was close ended. 5.8 was as hard as it got, so grading was stiff to keep it in bounds. Climbing a 5.3 and leading a 5.3 are 2 different things, especially where routes wander as so many Gunks lower grade climbs do. Rope drag is a demon, whether the grade be easy or hard. Whether you like the climb or not, the reward in the doing is moving to the next grade and doing it in style and confidence. 3 Pines is one of those climbs at an area that allows climbers new to the climbing world to achieve that goal. Also it is a great way to warm up for The Dangler, 5.8 in the old books. Wonder why it's 5.8? Was there the day of the accident just a short distance away on the carriage road. Been there for other accidents years ago. Always feel bad about it and start triple cking things. The Gunks is one of those places that take the accidents in stride and tries to deal with them rationally. My sympathy to the gentleman's family. I am exactly his age and friends thought it was me. The climb is good and not to be missed if your a Gunks climber.
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
It's 5.3...
Sometimes, visitors from other areas get psyched out a bit by a 5.3-5.5 route involving sustained steep face climbing or even (gasp!) an overhang!
I once heard (on this site) a climber maintain that a vertical extension ladder would be 5.5ish...No Way! 4th class. Maybe 5.0 if it was like 1000 feet high.
The gunks, to me, are not really sandbagged. The ratings are different, because the climbing is different.
There is a full-body length overhang on Drunkard's Delight (5.8) which is not the crux. The 6 footish roof goes at about 5.6. I have not seen a parallel route at any other climbing area.
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
It's 5.3...
Sometimes, visitors from other areas get psyched out a bit by a 5.3-5.5 route involving sustained steep face climbing or even (gasp!) an overhang!
I once heard (on this site) a climber maintain that a vertical extension ladder would be 5.5ish...No Way! 4th class. Maybe 5.0 if it was like 1000 feet high.
The gunks, to me, are not really sandbagged. The ratings are different, because the climbing is different.
There is a full-body length overhang on Drunkard's Delight (5.8) which is not the crux. The 6 footish roof goes at about 5.6. I have not seen a parallel route at any other climbing area.
Not to mention that just about everything is exposed, so people get psyched out. Where else can you find a climb like Yum Yum Yab Yum, the most exciting 5.3 traversing roof around! Very exciting!
Was there the day of the accident just a short distance away on the carriage road....My sympathy to the gentleman's family. I am exactly his age and friends thought it was me.
Oh - what a terrible stretch of time it must have been for your friends.
Sometimes, visitors from other areas get psyched out a bit by a 5.3-5.5 route involving sustained steep face climbing or even (gasp!) an overhang!
Bingo. I think the Gunks used to be a little sandbagged, merely because the locals got so good at that type of climbing that the grades wound up a little lower than they should have been. But I think that's all been fixed.
It's no wonder that they got so good at this type of climbing. The Gunks is really the only place I know where you can seriously, no joke, work your way through the grades from total beginner leader through expert hardman, all on roofs.
You can start on small 5.3 roofs (like Yum Yum), work your way up through the 5.5s (like Jackie), and right on up through 5.11 and beyond.
Where else but the Gunks are you going to find a full-on required cut-your-feet-loose-and-heelhook 5.8! Modern Times, baby!
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
Gelsa has a slightly overhanging last pitch, at 5.4... Hard? not really, different? hell yeah, that's why the gunks is so great, so much variety, and where else can you get pit of your stomach exposure on routes under 5.8 while pulling a 5.5 roofs?
(This post was edited by coolcat83 on Sep 27, 2009, 1:42 AM)
I also found Shockley's to be very nice, but maybe not a 5.6. Still, I do think Shockley's was considerably more enjoyable than High E.
I recently did Shockley's and thought it was great. Very awkward move, though! I can't believe anyone can do it gracefully, never mind naked.
I suspect being naked would force you to do it gracefully. Otherwise you'd have some nasty rock abraisions in interesting places if you do the inelegant hip and butt smear that I do.
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
Gelsa has a slightly overhanging last pitch, at 5.4... Hard? not really, different? hell yeah, that's why the gunks is so great, so much variety, and where else can you get pit of your stomach exposure on routes under 5.8 while pulling a 5.5 roofs?
Arapiles. And you don't have to deal with New Yorkers.
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
Gelsa has a slightly overhanging last pitch, at 5.4... Hard? not really, different? hell yeah, that's why the gunks is so great, so much variety, and where else can you get pit of your stomach exposure on routes under 5.8 while pulling a 5.5 roofs?
Arapiles. And you don't have to deal with New Yorkers.
Which is kind of funny, because the last time I pulled into the Trapps lot, I saw at least 2 out-of-state plates for every NY plate.
Just sayin' is all...
And If I get to throw in a fun easy gunks climb, I go with Betty. Why? Because nobody knows where the route actually goes. But, no matter how it is climbed it is varied, fun, and well-protected.
I have to tell you about my first climb at the Gunks. It was 1953...spring and the leader was a 6'-7" guy with20 inches of further reach than I. The climb went fine. I had climbed in upstate NY when I was younger....mainly scrambling solo. The very next climb was Shockley's . There were no guidebooks yet....just word of mouth. Pitons. No harnes...just 3 wraps around the waist with a bowline. Shockley's was OK except for the o'hang, which really scared the p__p out of me. The last time I climbed Three Pines was 2007. No one was around so I soloed it. I remember soloing Gelsa in 1956. Again no one was around. That P2 traverse made me think also. Gunks back then on a weekday might not have anybody around! I'm still climbing (real easy routes) at 75.
It also serves as an illustration, to those who think there is no difference between 5.3 and 5.4. Climb 3 pines, then go climb Gelsa 5.4 in the Nears, maybe the best 5.4 pitch in the Gunks, and it actually requires a bit of thought.
I always forget the conversion scale. Is 5.3 Gunks equivalent to 5.9+ or 5.10 West Coast?
Gelsa has a slightly overhanging last pitch, at 5.4... Hard? not really, different? hell yeah, that's why the gunks is so great, so much variety, and where else can you get pit of your stomach exposure on routes under 5.8 while pulling a 5.5 roofs?
Arapiles. And you don't have to deal with New Yorkers.
Table Mountain in South Africa. The difference is you get a sea view and the routes can be up to 10 pitches or so long.