Ascent Notes for: Welcome to the Gunks - 5.10b Average Rating : 3.89/5

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If this had some more good pitches on top of it, it would be the best 10 in the Gunks. A route with 4 or 5 cruxes, but with good rest before them. The 5.9 section is scary but I am not convinced it is R. I wasn't about to test it, though ;)

It starts off with HARD slab moves (I am short and had a tough time reaching the big holds at the top of the opening slab). We did not do the opening slab as outlined in the gray dick, we moved directly under the roof and worked our way up the slab from there. It was crazy hard. First roof was fine, R section of the orange face was fine until the last moves under the roof. Up to slopers, oops off hanging into space, up to slopers again and pushed hard to get to the horizontal below the roof. Roof was fine, next roof was fine. I thought this route just keeps coming at you. Much harder for me than Feast of Fools and any other 10 at the gunks.

Whoa! Slipped out of a layback at the second roof once, lowered to a stance and got it second try. A perfectly named quintessential Gunks climb: short hard crux moves, good rests, generally solid gear with a little short bit of sketch, and lots of horizintals!

but the hardest move is getting up to the second one, a sort of scrappy move onto slopers.

Five challenging roofs

yes it can be done with a 70m, but look out for rope stretch, directional maybe too

really nice route, hopefully will have the guns to lead it soon:)

Followed previously.

An awesome climb. Would recommend to everyone. I should actually give it 5.10b MA rating to it.

I would like to go back and try it again sometime.