The Red Grades Vs The Rest?

[steep4me]

It definitely depends on the crag and what type of climbing/rock you are used to.

Going from the Red to Rifle or American Fork and you'll get spanked.

Going from the Red (or the New) to Maple Canyon or Jack's Canyon--you'll crush everything and have your best onsites!

In terms of going from steep to slab--Slabs suck totally and feel difficult after climbing at the Red on jugs. The reverse is true as well--slabby climbers have a tough time on steep if they aren't used to it.

[L K Day]

Much truth in what's said above. But, on average, the higher grade trad routes are more or less the same east to west, while the lower grades are a bit stiff in the east. Don't forget that an area's "specialty" can seem really stiff for the uninitiated. If you've never done wide cracks, you'll think 5.9 at Vedauwoo is pretty damned hard, and if you've never done slab, you might be surprised at how hard 5.9 microflake pitches are on Glacier Point Apron.

[Danny]

you might be surprised at how hard 5.9 microflake pitches are on Glacier Point Apron.

Totally, Goodrich Pinnacle 5.9, felt like 5.12 X to me. At one point where I was supposed to traverse right I kept going up about 50 feet past the bolt on seriously sketchy face climbing. Then I had to downclimb it. It was one of those "it's over" moments.

[Fartspray]

[p0bray01]

Yeah the guy I worked with climbed back when everyone was putting routes up at Seneca that were as he put it "5.9+ then 5.9++" He orignially climbed a bunch in NC but He also climbed out in Wyoming, Idaho, and Yosemite and said that from his exeperience the grades you climb in the East tend to be stiffer than the grades in the west. For instance his example was Rainy Day Women on I believe it was Stone Mountain NC is like a 9 (Now i think a 10) slab with some crack. He said comparably when you get on the same type of climb, it may feel easier.

[Shamis]

general speaking, grades in the east are stiffer for sure. I think its kind of like a short man's complex.

However, there are of course exceptions to every rule. J-tree, The needles, Idyllwild to name a few.

[kdelap]

I feel that they are all very subjective to what climb you are on and the type of climbing that you are good at. Obviously, they are subjective in the first place. I have found many routes out west at various places to feel harder than the grade, I have also found many that I thought were soft. As with the Red, I have found both as well.

My 2 cents...

[reospeed]

However, there are of course exceptions to every rule. J-tree, The needles, Idyllwild to name a few.

True True True.

[L Day]

And I thought J-tree and Idyllwild were spot-on - never climbed at the needles. It really is subjective, isn't it?

[p0bray01]

Thanks for the info and opinions....actually the guy who brought it up to me is about wee tall at 5'2.

J-tree tends to have stiffer grades than other areas ?