I don't know why but I both love and hate Stone Mountain. Everytime that I climb there, there is at least one brief moment that makes me swear that I will never go back, but then as soon as I leave, I am thinking about going back.
I climb there often, I love it, and the run-outs are part of its charm. The nice part is that the harder you climb, the better the protection (with some exceptions of course). Going there in the summer would just be silly.
Even though first hand experience tells me to never climb there in summer, I will do it anyway
I was tempted to go with "the runouts make perfect sense," but I couldn't help but laugh at climbing Stone in summer.
The runouts do make sense, though. The mind game is pretty much the point of climbing at Stone. While it's scary as hell, it's at least reasonably safe, and there are few places where you could replicate the experience.
I love it, but I'd lose my marbles if I climbed there every weekend.
I'm in the perfect situation. Living on the other side of the pond I can reminisce on the time I spent there, and pretend to plan a return trip and think of the fun routes I would do there - all without ever actually having to climb there again. Bliss!
Stone Mountain is terrific, and there are a few very-well protected gems there, to boot. Check out Fleet Feet and Fantastic for two. On all the other routes, if you just don't lose your shit, you send. I'll point out one other thing, too: the falls, though potentially loooonnnng... are safer than some people seem to think. Most result in only the most minor of injuries or none at all, a few result in major road rash, and I don't think anybody's ever died from one.
Yah, there are some runouts, but c'mon people, it's a 45 degree slab with big crystals and ridiculously good friction. The grades are soft and the climbing generally not technically difficult (just keep your weight over your feet). Is it fun? Hell yah... But the "Stone Mountain Runout" is overhyped. If you want to earn some serious hardman status (or die trying) you'll have better luck elsewhere.
I don't understand the hype either: Stone has slab routes that were put up on lead. You can't drill a bolt if you don't have a stance. If you've done any slab climbs anywhere else, the protection at Stone Mountain doesn't seem unreasonable.
The climbing and the protection at Stone is in line with slab at Whitehorse, Suicide, and Joshua Tree.
The nice part is that the harder you climb, the better the protection (with some exceptions of course).
And, much like other places, the cleaner and safer the falls (with some exceptions of course).
I've climbed a bit at stone. Did some hard routes and I don't remember more bolts on them. Bolted like Glacier Point in Yosemite.
Generally there aren't more bolts on the harder climbs, but they are usually placed closer to the crux sections, so it feels less run-out to me. And I agree, Stone is not really different than climbing in Tuolumne/Suicide/Glacier Point...
I don't understand the hype either: Stone has slab routes that were put up on lead. You can't drill a bolt if you don't have a stance. If you've done any slab climbs anywhere else, the protection at Stone Mountain doesn't seem unreasonable.
The climbing and the protection at Stone is in line with slab at Whitehorse, Suicide, and Joshua Tree.
Shhh! Don't tell everyone. Climbers that are much better than I am are totally impressed that I lead moderate routes at Stone. It is now one of my favorite places to climb, and the runouts do make perfect sense. If it wasn't a 2 hour drive for me, I'd climb there more often.
The climbing and the protection at Stone is in line with slab at Whitehorse, Suicide, and Joshua Tree.
Though I haven't climbed at Whitehorse, I would generally disagree. The climbing at Stone is generally less technical than at JTree and especially Suicide, and there is a notable lack of harder routes that you find at both of those other places. The shiny, new stainless bolts at Stone now are also far better than most of the bolts you'll find at the other locales.
Now, I had a great time climbing at Stone Mountain. I just thought the original post seemed like a bit of chest puffing without much to back it up.
2 /
7%
It is now one of my favorite places to climb, and the runouts do make perfect sense. If it wasn't a 2 hour drive for me, I'd climb there more often. 
