To me the Ground up FA even if it involves aid climbing to get bolts in, trundle loose blocks and clean etc is at least 100 times more exciteing and scary than any onsite free ascent of an existing climb that you know goes.

Even going back and and getting the FFA of something that I have aided is not as cool to me as getting up that thing the first time with all my tricks.

Okay, here's a chance for more spray:

What's the easiest grade trad climb you've backed off of.

I have a few. Most follow the same pattern - a poorly protected insecure move a short distance off the belay. I'm having a bad head day, can't figure out the sequence, and don't have the cajones to commit.

First one was a 5.7 in J-Tree called Mental Physics. Actually, in that case, my partner asked me to come back to the belay, because he was freaked about the prospect of me factor 2-ing onto him from 15 feet up, before clipping the first bolt on the second pitch. But it still counts. And I've done the same thing of my own choice several times.

GO

I backed off of a 5.7 called Octo-pussy in the 'dacks at the Creature Wall. Climbs up something like 15-20 feet into a pod. I tried every awkward stance possible to exit that damn thing and ended up down climbing. I have never tried it again, but I suspect I was trying to exit the pod on the wrong side. Or I was/am just weak. Probably both, which is a rough combination.

So all 6 or 7 of my hardest onsights have been of the rating. Some have been fully bolted and were obviously sport climbs, however, 2 have some grey area.

One route was 110 feet, I placed about 5 pieces in the first 40 feet, and then it turns into a bolted route with about 6 bolts in the last 70 feet, does this count as trad climbing? By the way, the bolts went in ground up.

The second route was about 100 feet with only 2 bolts, and about 10 gear placements. This route was originally an aid route, but the bolts for free climbing were put in top down, does this count as trad climbing?

I have my own thoughts about these routes, but I would like to know what others think.

Easiest route I have ever back off of was the second pitch of Andrew (5.4) in the Gunks....middle of winter, soaking wet, in hiking boots. Yep....we went and did something harder, but less scary.

Hardest.... after 37ys at it I don't keep track.

While an onsight may be special, I really like going up a trad climb and getting totally shut down.Total humiliation. Not a clue. Second time up you see possibilities and you start to think that just maybe. And then, after a while you know it will go and then the it does go.

I backed off of a 5.7 called Octo-pussy in the 'dacks at the Creature Wall. Climbs up something like 15-20 feet into a pod. I tried every awkward stance possible to exit that damn thing and ended up down climbing. I have never tried it again, but I suspect I was trying to exit the pod on the wrong side. Or I was/am just weak. Probably both, which is a rough combination.

Would enjoy seeing photos, naming climb and place . Prefer a recent onsight done in the last year. All welcome, including pro climbers, as well as all foreign lands. Details welcome.

Thanks for sharing your accomplishments and beta for others.

Imagine trying to onsight that route when the green Mellor book was the latest; it was rated 5.6 !!

Back on topic - backed off 5.5 back in the 70's. Have since OS'ed 10b trad.

Which 10d did you onsight?

Hardest Onsight: Ten Years After .10d,
Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite
[image]http://www.rockclimbing.com/images/photos/assets/1/268251-largest_6042.jpg[/image]

I've onsighted three 12a's. The first was Ananuaki in Indian Creek. Ananuaki was fun but pretty darn easy for a 12a. Probably more like an 11b.

The second was something like "Farewell to Arms" in Boulder Canyon. Nice route but again probably soft for a 12a.

The third was a flash of the Bell at Seneca Rocks. Again, easy for a 12a but scary so probably the most challenging thing I've done.

Biggest sandbag I've done is Drop Zone at Seneca rocks. Rated an 11b but I almost crapped my pants.

The hardest sport climb I've onsighted is 12c.

Done some trad this year, SCARY.

Followed a few routes then on sighted something as my first lead. It was very easy, maybe 5.8 in US.. but the mental game was really hitting me hard.

Just found the concept of not knowing where my next piece was going to be very scary. At one point i was around 12 foot past my last piece, and i was shaking allot because i could not see where my next piece would go (i was just below a mini roof). Been a long long time since anything has scared me so much. Im sure the fact that i had to place gear and so so made me think allot more about falling.. and then i started looking around at things i would hit on the way down etc.. and it was really freaking me out.

Sounds really cheesy.. but then the though entered my head that i had done so much ''indoor'' free solo.. and that i just need to chill out and remember how easy the climb is, and that its well within my limits. After a few min of just chilling and hanging around i began focusing again and noticed i had missed a completely obvious crack that was running left side of the roof. Got some gear in and then the rest of the route was history.

Was a good feeling at the top, was rather proud that i gained control again after losing it so badly, regardless of how easy the climb was.

Not sure, probably a 5.8 in the 'Gunks somewhere. If I had to choose a route it would be Arrow maybe, but I swear I did one before that (maybe Snooky's Return?).

[image]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3496/3969555071_c7b725b699.jpg[/image]

^^ not me of course, but a friend near what I endearingly call the "blowjob hold."

[image]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lTPD3tX3Vfw/SMHMqTDB3uI/AAAAAAAAAoI/MR1tHTkMkMc/s1600/010%2B(2).JPG[/image]

^^ the unfortunately rarely climbed third pitch (also not me)

edit: clarify that the first pic is P2 of Arrow and the second pic is P3 of Snooky's