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Location: ID : Castle Rocks State Park : Castle Rock : Hostess Gully aka Tasteful ... : Honeymoon in Almo (5.11a)
By: David Tvedt When: Jul 21, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Very good route with excellent rock. My 10d rating is based on my height (6'). We watched a 5'4" climber barely be able to reach the key crimp holds on this route and it was definitely harder for him. He thought it was easily 11a. To my spouse(5'10") and I, it seemed a little bit easier than Milk Toast(North Wall) given 10d(felt 11a) and to us it felt in the 10d range. The thin, crisp edges on this route gave it a more secure feeling than the sketchy holds at the start of Milk Toast.
Th... more >>
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Christian Brothers- West Si... : Holier Than Thou (5.11b)
By: David Tvedt When: May 3, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Thanks for answering Bryson. A number of other climbers see this as a classic too and I'd like to understand why. I too like the added exposure of Holier Than Thou being a second pitch, but while the starting slab was OK/enjoyable, it didn't stand out to me in any way. I also gave Overboard 3 stars, although I would say I like the start to Overboard over the start to Holier Than Thou. In contrast, I like the ending to HTT better than that of Overboard. Both routes are enjoyable, but I would... more >>
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Monkey Face : Monkey Space (5.11b)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 29, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Some climbers might want to bring along a little gear for the finishing crack on the 1st pitch. The Watts guide lists gear as: Bolts (optional gear to 2 inches). When I did the route, we approached via Astro Monkey, and I was a little tired going into this pitch. I left our gear with my belayer, forgetting the part about optional gear and I sorta wished I had a piece to plug in when I was up at the diagonal crack. I was just tired enough that I easily envisioned myself taking the big plunge ... more >>
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Christian Brothers- West Si... : Holier Than Thou (5.11b)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 28, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I'm curious about this route. While I think it's a very good route and has great finishing moves, it doesn't strike me as a classic because it only has harder moves in the last 1/3rd of the route. The route in some ways reminds me of Massive Luxury Overdose, only cleaner and harder and having pockets instead of edges and arete moves on the last 1/3rd. I seem to be in the minority on this one as besides the 2 4-star votes here, I've heard a few others have thought it 4 star also and Ryan Laws... more >>
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Rope de Dope Block : Float Like a Butterfly (5.10b)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 25, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: This route was a TR but was bolted around 98/99 and Alan Watts noted in a posting on the now defunct crag.com that the line drawn for the route in his 92 guide is incorrect and that the current bolted line for the route is different. "Float Like a Butterfly" is the second bolted route left of Rope De Dope Crack.
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Rope de Dope Block : Sting Like a Bee (5.10c)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 25, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Back in October of 1999, Alan Watts answered a question posted on the now defunct crag.com about Rope De Dope routes. Based on this posting by him, the routes and names on the block got remamed when a number of them got bolted around then. This route sounds like what is now called "Morgantown" and was given a tentative 10b by Alan. It's the center route(of 3) right of Rope De Dope Crack. I agree it's a great route and I'd possibly consider it 4 star too if it was longer. 10c sounds reasonab... more >>
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Picnic Lunch Wall : Appian Way (5.12a)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 19, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Thanks for catching that. It's corrected now.
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Cocaine Gully : Bound in Bogata (5.11b/c)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 17, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I would agree that the rock quality is fine on this route. Myself and 3 other climbers have had "disgust" responses to climbing it. Different climbers like different things and I don't think it really deserves a true "bomb" but to me it doesn't deserve an Average, OK, either. For me it was a combination of it being a short route with forgettable moves except for the memorably negative crux sequence which is WAY harder than anything else on the route. If I were to rate it based on the Watt's ... more >>
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : The Christian Brothers : Hesitation Blues (5.10b)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 11, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I led this route back around 1993 and then it had one pin and no bolts. I remember it having groundfall potential when I was a ways up and there was only one pin and marginal gear below me. I understand it originally had two pins and whoever added the two bolts apparently only replaced these original pins sites with bolts. A good route, and I haven't been on it again. I need to get back on it!
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : Lower Gorge : West Side : Wildfire Wall : Try To Be Hip (5.12a)
By: David Tvedt When: Apr 6, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I changed the rating I gave to 12a. I should have registered why I might have thought it felt hard for the grade to me. I've only been on it once, at the end of a hot day in August. With my end of day fatigue, along with the heat and resulting poorer friction, the moves felt harder and I also couldn't fully appreciate those "split by good rests" that Alan Watts referred to in his guide and was feeling a pump. I agree that there are probably no "12b moves" on it. Definitely a route to do ag... more >>
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