Best 10's in the Red

Post by **captain static** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 5:31 pm

Sounds like we're racking up (ha, ha) quite a list for Muao here! I would put Good Times into the classic 5.8 category and Blister in the Sun & Sultans of Stem in the classic 5.9 category. I have never climbed Dicey at Best but knew the first ascencionist, Dante Leonardi, quite well. We were schooled in the Seneca rating system so an upgrade would not be suprising. Muao, I would want to know if there are any particular types of routes you are interested in (i.e. dihedrals, face cracks, etc.) so we might help you sort through the possibilities.

Post by **TRAD-SEEKER** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 5:58 pm

How about,
Andromeda Strain 10a
The newer 10b at Solar Collector just before that 12a slab
The Quest 10c
Double Trouble 10d
Hair of the Dog 10c
Surreal Crack 10d (closed for now)
????

Post by **512OW** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 9:26 pm

I disagree with all the talk that the offwidth 8's in the Red are underrated.......look at it this way.....

On most of them, including Muscle Shoals, Dicey at Best, and Rocket Man, you can stop at nearly any time for a no hands rest. Its just a matter of knowing the technique. Look at golf.......par is hardly a score that the common man could reach.......but only because we don't have the shots in our bag of tricks to do it. With offwidth, using the correct foot stacks, hand stacks, arm levers, and even facing the right way can make the difference between 5.10 and 5.8.

In my experience, most of the OW ratings in the red reflect the ratings of OW's out west.....so they can't all be wrong can they???? And knowing the techniques.....they don't feel any harder than the 5.8ish sport climbs in the Red.

Post by **SCIN** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 9:34 pm

Ummm....dude, you haven't done Rocket Man or Muscle Shoals yet.

Post by **Danny** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 9:54 pm

Some others:

Perforator 10a
Jaws 8+
Cruise Control 9+
Crack Attack 9+
Runnin' down a dream 10a

Post by **Winterstorm** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 10:11 pm

The following quote is from a well known poster to this board, during a discussion on 5.8's in the Red.

"If the FA was (Larry) Day or (Tom) Souders...add a grade(or two)"

Post by **Legion** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 11:00 pm

Using the last pitch of the Quest as a reference I think it is pretty reasonable to call Rocket Man 5.10a/b.

Carniverous is roughly equivalent to the first pitch of The Lorax Tree, so I can see a 5.8 or 5.8+ rating there.

Are there any routes in the gorge that are good benchmarks for 5.10 OW?

Post by **512OW** » Fri Oct 25, 2002 3:18 am

I did them this summer. Well, I did Muscle Shoals years ago.
Rocket Man this summer.

Post by **512OW** » Fri Oct 25, 2002 4:10 am

Hell....I was with you when I did Muscle Shoals....I led it for Chris Hawks and Gary Springer.

I can't think of a single 10 OW in the Red.....I haven't done Last Day, though.

The closest I can come up with is Burden of Dreams at 11a.

I haven't done Yuk either......bad hornet experience.

Butterbean (I think that was the name) at the New is a good 10 offwidth.

The last pitch of the Quest is way easier than 5.10, I think. Compared to 10's in Vedauwoo......it's probably 5.8ish.

Post by **Danny** » Fri Oct 25, 2002 5:29 am

I agree the last pitch of the Quest isn't that bad -- definitely easier than Muscle Shoals. I remember Carnivourous being harder than the first pitch of Lorax Tree though.