My wife Caolan MacMahon took this photo of me on t...
Description
One of [Flagstaff's] classic hard problems, very height [dependent]. Start left hand in the notorious sloping dish that is the right handhold for the [Eric Varney] route. (I use the crimp on the bottom of this dish) right hand in a little pocket. Smear your right foot in a slippery pod and make a large reach for a shitty crystal, then bump again for a good obvious pod, a classic problem that should make even seasoned boulderers think twice.
This is normally given V4, but is very height-dependent for someone at 52", this problem could be as hard as V7 for a six footer, it's probably pretty tame.
No offense, but V6 and V7 for shorter people? Are you kidding? I've seen shorter people walk this line and heard no talk of it being as hard as just right. I know problems are different grades for different people but V7, or even V6, seems a bit much. This is a tricky, technical V4, it shouldn't feel easy no matter what your height.
Huh. I actually did not submit the comment you are responding to--maybe Myke or someone can change that to Anonymous Coward. I have no idea whether the person used my named on purpose or not. Oh well. Heck, maybe it was my brother as he makes a similar comment in his description.
FWIW, I've done this problem and it didn't seem particularly height dependent to me, but then again, I'm 5'11".
I didn't submit the first comment, but this problem is harder for shorter people.I think it is easier to use the crimp just below the dish, this is the first way I ever did it, whatever the case may be it is a hard problem because it requires technique as well as strength.
To do the "proper" Right Side of Red Wall, must you bump to the good pocket with your right (after pinching the crappy crystal/"edge")? That's the popular beta, but the one and only time I managed to get my ass up this problem is when I crossed with my left to the good pocket (from the dish). I had tried this problem for years...and of course, as the years go by, the holds get slicker & slicker, and the ground continues to erode! Of course, my ego tells me I did the problem, but maybe someone (Pat Ament, Bob Williams, Jim Holloway, et al.!) has a strict notion of the proper sequence...
Just for the record, I did not think that it was easy because I was tall (6'3"). I couldn't use any of the normal feet without coming up and off the dish. I had to use some very odd foot movements, and it took me about 40 more tries than a V4 usually does.
Yesterday I did an interesting sit start to this problem. You start down and right on two obvious small crimps, just about where the little retaining wall is by the tree. LH to the 2-finger pocket, RH to a very thin sidepull, LH to the edge under the soap dish, RH to the 2-finger, LH to the soap dish and finish as for the regular problem. V8 at least maybe 9.
In the photo, I am standing on one of the starting crimps with my right foot.
Red Wall
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