Whipstocking at Drive By. Is it 5.11a?

[SCIN]

I thought it was pretty damn soft for 5.11a and I've heard numerous people say the same. So...what do you think?

[Jeff]

I'd say .10d if only for the pump factor by the time you get near the top. I had beta about resting near the last bolt or so that helped. I'll get those 11's this year

[SikMonkey]

Good question. I have never really given it any thought, but when you compare it to Breakfast Burrito, it makes you wonder. I would say 11a if you don't stop off at the McDonald's near the top for coffee and a doughnut, but 10d if you do. I have seen hard climbs downrated just because of a no-hands rest somewhere on it.

Mj

[Artsay]

I think it's an 11a because it's a bit tougher than Breakfast Burrito.

[Andrew]

First of all it is harder than breakfast burrito, and second I think breakfast burrito is a soft 10d. So I think both should be down rated.

[Jeff]

I think B Burrito should stay at 10d just for the finishing moves. Going back onto the face then the final push to the anchors is stellar.

[Horatio Felacio]

compared to goodstone it's .12 c

[Johnny]

SCIN, if you want the routes to have consistency in ratings, you need to select the ONE route that will be THE 11a that is the easiest in the Red, but is still an 11a and THE hardest 11a that is still an 11a (or the easiest 11b). After that arbitrary selection is done, all other routes are going to fit inside or outside that frame. At that point, you will (and should) have climbers say, "that route is the EASIEST 11a in the Red, dude. I think it's probably closer to 10d" or something like that.

Of course, you will need to decide whether the rating is an onsight rating or a redpoint rating. I always thought cryptic sequences upped the rating, but if you have beta, it nullifies reading the route as a factor.

It's still a matter of ordering all the routes in the Red by difficulty and drawing a bright line somewhere for convenience sake, not because you can really justify that a neighboring route is actually a letter grade easier or harder. That's why I finally gave up nitpicking and let the FA grade stand unless the consensus was two letter grades off, then I would change it one letter grade. I defy anyone to scientifically or kinetically describe a consistent difference in difficulty between a route that is rated 10b and a 10c.

Even so, it's still fun to debate ratings...

[SikMonkey]

I vote Vandalism at Oil Crag as the easiest 11a.

Mj

[Johnny]

Ooh, I hope so. It would be fun to keep that one an 11a.