Bolting Barbie 

Really enjoyable route. The start is hard to the second bolt but for me the crux of the route is moving up to the 6th bolt to clip.

FA Alisa Hadfield, original grade 5.11b

excellent route! not even close to 11d though?

I don't know why everyone dogs on the grade of this route. I actually think the crux moves of this are harder than Crack Attack, though Barbie is less sustained. IMHO, there is no way that more than a letter grade splits Barbie and Crack Attack. 12a max/11d min. No f'ing chance at 11b.

not trying to dog on the route grade man. just being honest. 11+/12- is a hard grade for me and i climb it frequently. when i climbed this line i was on day 5 of a trip and was completely wiped out, if anything it should have felt harder for that reason alone. it just simply had no moves on it more difficult than 11b. no surprise the original grade was just that. maybe there's some trick beta your missing?

AOSR,

Indeed there are no "hard" moves on either Crack Attack or Barbie, i.e. neither route has a 5.12 move on it. Both of these routes get their grades for the pump, and no, I don't think there is any trick beta. I came back to NM and climbed at El Rito after having moved away 5-6 years ago. I got on both routes (more or less an onsight at that point) and sent them both first go; the grades seemed about the same to me. The hard moves on Crack Attack come at the end, while the hard moves on Barbie come at the beginning. Thus I think folks have a more difficult time with Crack Attack because they are doing the hard moves with a route full of pump going. Now, I will admit that pumpy climbing is something that goes well for me (shit, maybe the only thing I do well :) ), so maybe I am bias. I'm okay with Barbie being 11d, I just think there is no freaking way that this route is 11b. I would maybe give Ms. Hadfield's original grade more credence if not for the fact that the Hadfield clan climbs so f'ing hard and are therefore prime candidates for sandbaggery (though probably not on purpose). Wow, am I a windbag or what?

My thoughts on El Rito climbs at approx. this grade:
Peach Cobbler (11c) is harder than BB in my opinion.
El Beerto (11c), Walking the Plank (11c) and a number of other 11c's seem slightly easier.
Jug-or-Naut (11b) and Booty/Longjohn (11b) seem significantly easier.
There aren't many other 11d's to compare. Procrastination (11d/12a) seems harder but is less continuous, and is painful or has a hard clip for me. Stroke Me (11d/12a) is harder, and climbs similarly (if you liked Barbie- try it).
All the other 12a's seem harder. Crack Attack (12a), in particular, seems a big step up.

El Rito in general has a reputation for soft grades, especially for people strong on steep stuff. The style is nearly unique, it's hard to compare with most other places.

I'll probably fall on it next time, now that I wrote this.

George, I know that El Rito has this 'soft' reputation....so does the Red River Gorge. Those same folks who trash on the grades at the Red also say things like "That route is easy. I just keep falling on easy moves at the top." Those same folks proclaim how much harder Rifle is than the climbing in NM. Funny, because the sandbag crew at my local crag in CA thinks that Rifle is soft batch. I guess its all about perspective and what kind of climbing you do well. IMHO, Barbie would be solid 11d anywhere that I have climbed...both coasts and the mountain west.

I'm not trying to discount everyone else's opinion, I am just saying that pump climbing usually goes well for me (I'm that a-hole who takes 40 minutes when onsighting at my limit...literally) and I simply thought that Crack Attack and Barbie were comparable.

By the way, anyone who is annoyed by the drivel that I am writing can feel free to gripe, and I will be happy to take down my posts here and/or move them to a forum...no hard feelings taken. Cheers.

Hey JAlbers, AOSR (and everyone else)

Your opinion is just as valid as anyone's. Grades are really just a suggestion and the community tries to come to a consensus as best as possible and there will always be outliers on either end of the average.

For my part, because of reasons you (JAlbers) stated, ie: no hard moves but the hardest at the top or bottom, I think Crack Attack is harder than Bolting Barbie. I will however not get into putting a number on either. Needless to say though, if I want a work out I'm more likely to be doing laps on Crack Attack since you have to do the hard moves pumped.

grades are definitely subjective - and also different from area to area. i certainly thought based on the handful of climbs i did there that this crag is pretty soft. so, considering the softer ratings, maybe 11c. i'll stick with 11b, just my opinion.

Regardless of the grade, this is an excellent route. One of the best jug haul endurance routes I've done in a while.

Super fun jugs with them disappearing for a few moves at the top.

I'd say most moves aren't more difficult than 11b, but string all of them together for a long overhanging route and you get a 11d/12a enduro climb.

Bolting Barbie Swing