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steep4me wrote:

lena_chita wrote:I haven't sent BMT yet, just tried it one day last year with one hang. But I didn't think it was any harder than 12a. I actually felt that I have been on multiple 5.12a's here at the Red that felt harder to me than BMT.

I used to have this opinion about BMT as well. People who had sent it would then reply, "have you sent it?" I would say, "No, but it doesn't seem that hard with one hang." I didn't understand their irritation until now. No...the moves are all 11a to 11b, but the pump makes the climb really difficult--12a++

I realize that my statement can be interpreted this way. There are many climbs where everyone and their grandmother have one-hung it, yet sending it is a completely different story. But in my mind I am comparing BMT to other 5.12s of similar nature that I have worked on, but have not sent, as well as to other 5.12s that I had "one-hung" for a while, and then eventually did send.

Examples would be Chainsaw and Gung Ho-- both of those I got to one-hang in couple tries, and then it took several more tries, each of them with one hang, before I sent them. So I am well aware of a big difference between how hard it is to one-hang something, vs send it. Yet, compared to how those climbs felt to me when I was working on them, Chainsaw seemed harder than BMT. And Gung Ho seemed easier than both Chainsaw and BMT.

Techulious and Mama Benson, on the other hand... yeah, Gung Ho is only about 11c compared to Mama Benson.

And I don't think it is fair to bring out the pump and endurance factors when comparing BMT to other 12a's at the Red. There are a lot of 5.12s around here where no individual move is hard, but cumulative pump makes for a harder overall grade. BMT is not unique in this respect. And anyone who climbs at the red regularly has a pretty good sense of how the pump factor would make the moves feel.

BMT is hard.....Mama Benson is easy. That should sum it up!

I did BMT in two tries, would have flashed but I tried Andrew's crazy beta. I've never been to the anchors on Mama Benson (in 5 or so tries). That should sum it up!

I hope I send BMT in the next couple of weeks so I can tell everyone how easy it us.

steep4me wrote:I hope I send BMT in the next couple of weeks so I can tell everyone how easy it us.

Yeah, in retrospect that climb was easier than Ro. But we all suck really. I will be sucking on Steelworker this week end.

For those who have climbed both, does Mama Benson have a harder move than Freakin Deacon? You are pretty fresh for Freakin Deacon, but it sounds like you might have some pump factor on Mama Benson. Aside from the pump factor, which move is harder for you?

I don't know... I don't find that move that hard on Freakin Deacon. But long dynamic throws to good holds is my bread and butter.

Haven't been on FD, but Mama Benson is not pumpy. Climb the ramp. Sit down and rest. Climb huge incut holds...do a 5.11b move to the last bolt...then two long moves off small crimps to jugs at the anchor. As JR describes it, "sucky ramp, scrappy crux."

I think the grade excludes the sit down rest, fyi.

BMT=5.11D
BMG=5.12A
SW=5.12B
RX=5.12C