Wide stuff in the Northeast?

Hey folks:

The current "Wide technique" and "10 routes for 2009" threads got me thinking about my own climbing goals, and I realized that I'd like to continue along a path I started when in the Valley a few years ago - namely, to school myself on the wide stuff. Since I'm going to stay in Boston, I'm looking for recommendations of good routes or problems in the Northeast in the fists-to-squeeze range. If there are routes particularly good for practice (e.g., easily top-ropeable - "Peanut Gallery Flake" at Cathedral comes to mind), that'd be good to know about too. Although any grade range would work, I'm primarily interested in routes in the 5.9-5.11 range (by all means, though, list the harder stuff to give me something to work towards...).

Thanks!

(As an aside, I tried to search the route database for this sort of info, but couldn't figure out how to combine route-specific search criteria with a search phrase - i.e., "wide". Anyone know if it's possible to do this? Care to fill me in?)

Maybe my mind has blanked out a few of these but- Piss Easy 10-ish is direct finish to Diedre that NEVER gets done but is actually ok. The 5.11 finish to the Beast is a good struggle. Crack between Worlds 5.11 HA !!! Kurt Winkler testpiece SQUUZZEY.Windjammer at Painted Walls is nice flare with good pro 11-ish and my fave
The Flare/ Fear Of Ejection 10++ at Bartlett Haystack off Bear Notch rd. About a 30 minute walk but worth it.Fingers to fist with good gear.

I,m sure that i'll think up some others or get in touch with George Hurley, he knows them all.
Almost forgot the Black Crack on Cathedral 5.9+++++

john

a good hit in CT would be East Peak/ amphitheater area

Thors hammer
Cat crack
Rat crack

Thanks for the thoughts, folks!

Has anyone here climbed that heinous-looking off-width on the second tier at Farley? Is it as hard as it looks?

Coz Teplitz wrote:Thanks for the thoughts, folks! Has anyone here climbed that heinous-looking off-width on the second tier at Farley? Is it as hard as it looks?

i think this was done 3 ? years ago or so and 12+

I haven't done it in a really long time, but I think "They died laughing" is a 5.9 fist crack on cathedral's north end. (I think)

Theres nothing as big or as rad the the half moon crack, p4 /5 of vertigo on cannon. its wide, exposed, and squeaky-clean. not really a quick pitch to get to, but worth the trip.

Half Moon crack will not teach you anything about wide crack climbing since it is a low angle, easy affair, maybe 5.7.They Died is fingers ans thin hands (maybe 1 full hand)

I've already done Half-Moon, and while fun, I agree with John that it's not terribly challenging. I'm not sure I'd downgrade it 5.7, but hey, I haven't put up any routes around here like he has... I also agree that it's not really great for a wide education since there's not really that much actual wide climbing on it - it is relatively easy to layback large chunks of it.

John - I looked at The Flare at Barlett Haystack in the guidebook. Looks promising! Good on y'all for getting out and exploring.

I would also consider coming up to the Adirondacks if you are interested in some schooling of the old school, off-width variety. At the Spider's Web in Keene Valley there is a great testpiece called "Eternity". It goes at roughly 10d, and it takes nothing smaller that a #3 Camalot. Also on Moss Cliff in Wilmington Notch, there is the ultra classic "Creation of the World". At 11a, this route will swallow you whole for 5 solid pitches of thrutching, chicken-wingin', and knee scummin'. On Poke-O-Moonshine, there's "Phase III, The first pitch to Fastest Gun", and the challenging "Great Dihedral". Those three routes clock in from 9++ to 10b, and all pack solid blows to the body. Hope that helps, and look me up if you need any more beta.

The first pitch of Gamesmanship at Poke-O has a lot of hands plus size climbing too.

Hey Coz and John

john strand wrote: i think this was done 3 ? years ago or so and 12+

The offwidth at Farley has been done. Jon Lavalley did the FA maybe 5 years back and called it 13b which I think is accurate for this. But a grade for a route like this is hard to really pinpoint. Since Jon did it, it has been toproped once and lead once.

It is a really rad route and totally worth the effort. Its actually easier to work the bottom by aiding up a bit placing a high cam and working it like this rather than top roping it. When it comes time to lead the route it is perfectly safe and that cam can be placed on lead with some creativity.

Jay

Chris Duca wrote:I would also consider coming up to the Adirondacks if you are interested in some schooling of the old school, off-width variety. At the Spider's Web in Keene Valley there is a great testpiece called "Eternity". It goes at roughly 10d, and it takes nothing smaller that a #3 Camalot. Also on Moss Cliff in Wilmington Notch, there is the ultra classic "Creation of the World". At 11a, this route will swallow you whole for 5 solid pitches of thrutching, chicken-wingin', and knee scummin'. On Poke-O-Moonshine, there's "Phase III, The first pitch to Fastest Gun", and the challenging "Great Dihedral". Those three routes clock in from 9++ to 10b, and all pack solid blows to the body. Hope that helps, and look me up if you need any more beta.

I've been thinking about doing a warm-weather trip to the Daks for a while; I've heard only stellar things about the rock y'all got up there. At 4 hrs+ from Boston, though, with plenty of good climbing w/i 2.5 hours, and a girlfriend in Hanover, it's hard to get up the gumption.

Wasn't Creation of the World in Uncommon Ground? If so, before hopping in the car I'll just have to watch that a few times to get psyched.

jason conway wrote:Hey Coz and John The offwidth at Farley has been done. Jon Lavalley did the FA maybe 5 years back and called it 13b which I think is accurate for this. But a grade for a route like this is hard to really pinpoint. Since Jon did it, it has been toproped once and lead once. It is a really rad route and totally worth the effort. Its actually easier to work the bottom by aiding up a bit placing a high cam and working it like this rather than top roping it. When it comes time to lead the route it is perfectly safe and that cam can be placed on lead with some creativity. Jay

My man Bob Scarpeli says no wide crack is harder than 5.12. 'course he is fucked and all his "11's" are at least 12B . Bob told me in '83 that the SQUAT was no more than 11- !!!! THE MAN

there's some wide bouldering on the north shore. up 128 near redrocks . and the wide on the upper tier in farly is pretty stout, but there's closer wide than farly.

host2 wrote:... but there's closer wide than farly.

By that, do you mean the brick crack at an undisclosed urban location that's featured in your personal photo? (Where in the Square is that thing, anyway?)

host2 wrote:there's some wide bouldering on the north shore. up 128 near redrocks .

got any more details for this? Always looking for hard cracks, especially of the wide variety.

jason conway wrote:Hey Coz and John The offwidth at Farley has been done. Jon Lavalley did the FA maybe 5 years back and called it 13b which I think is accurate for this. But a grade for a route like this is hard to really pinpoint. Since Jon did it, it has been toproped once and lead once. It is a really rad route and totally worth the effort. Its actually easier to work the bottom by aiding up a bit placing a high cam and working it like this rather than top roping it. When it comes time to lead the route it is perfectly safe and that cam can be placed on lead with some creativity. Jay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1g9USJQ8g

Walking the Devil at rumney is pretty much a boulder problem leading to an easy chimney, but its a full on up side down #6 cam adventure...
mountainproject.com/v/new_h…

oooooohhhhhhhh, I want to play!

NH you know where the wide is !