RRC Archives

So I just checked on a route that is new at the Solar Collector. "Green Tea" is rated 10a in the online guide. I was the first ascentionist and after it went up online, I rated it 10a. There are currently only 2 votes recorded for the route grade and the concensus is........5.9-

Now Im no mathlete, but I would say that who ever voted must have given this thing an 8 or less. I think people should use the site with some sense. Someone might get on this thing and think its soft and it isn't and the crux is above small gear.

Just a thought.

i think you gave my chocolate waterfall a 5.9 grade too, but it's definitely harder. it's all subjective!!!!

I know ratings are subjective and I agree,but sometimes I think a 12.d climber gets on a 10 and the first thing he does is downrate it. Well sure its easy for him.
I think someone who climbs 10's alot can tell if its a 10.

Dude, I know the feeling. The same thing happens to us constantly (indoors and outdoors). Oh well... comes with the territory I suppose. I have noticed that it is much worse in the gym (or as they say in Kentucky "worser"). One minute I'm accused of inflating the grades and the next minute I'm told that I am a sandbagger. Rick has specifically instructed me not to sandbag so I must follow the owner's orders. Grades are definitely subjective...

J-Rock... that John Muir quote is my favorite quote of all time! When people ask me to sum myself up, that's what i say to em. Nice!!

I did this route and thought that it was graded fairly at about 5.9+/5.10a . Its just climbs more sporty than a lot of trad routes. I don't climb all that many trad routes so I may be off.

Where did you think the crux was, if your saying over small gear you must mean the top.

I plan on adding code to reject a rating if it is more or less than two letter grades from the original. This will prevent things like this from happening. For example, somebody gave Table of Colors 5.11. The new code will reject that. I just need some time.

I thought the route was hard at the start and at the finish. I think that the finishing moves on the arete above the last Blue alien that is placed are probably the crux. Its just the type of route that could get a 5.9 trad leader in trouble if they think its a soft 9, rather than a soft 10.

Thanks Ray, I know your doing as much as you can and I do appreciate all the work. I hope this doesn't cause you to much more work on the site.

I'm really not trying to be difficult, but i can think of one route off the top of my head where consensus is quite a bit below the original rating.
(pogue ethics was originally 10b wasn't it? now 9+ which seems more accurate to me.) I know it's all subjective, but isn't that the point of a consensus rating.
I guess my point is, there really should be a cut-off, but two letter grades is a really small difference. I don't have a great solution, i'm just throwing in my 2 cents.

also, any opinion of mine on route difficulty is my own opinion, and not meant as criticism of the fa/equipper.

I think Ray's idea of 2 letter grades is a good one-- if someone feels that strongly about a route being excessively over or under-rated, they can post a comment about it.