Fat Stick Direct 5.10b 

This is a very nice route, and the best pitch is the last one, do it! With double ropes you can do all 3 in one. 3rd pitch gets R rating in the guide book but is actually safe and overhanging. You wont be disappointed, except maybe by the amount of liken on the assume steep jugs!

I don't understand this route description... I find the crux of the second pitch to be pretty R... Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I remember the gear being somewhat iffy in the roof (shallow/flared large cam?). Even if it was bomber, the crux is pulling into the corner, and if you miss, you are either landing on the low angle slab below or on your belayer.

I also remember the second pitch crux as being committing and nonobvious.

Did anyone else find this pretty spooky?

The gear is fine under the roof (bomber) and you can place a piece above you if you want. this is PG, worst case scenario. Good climb.

What happened? This used to be such a good 9. As 10b, this is probably the hardest Gunks route I self-belayed, unless some other route I've done was upgraded more. I remember having trouble hanging out on the last pitch roofs getting gear in and dealing with the rope.

As for self-belaying, I'm been doing it since year 1 (or 2?), that is, for 38 or 39 years now. I remember self belaying 5.1s and 5.2s at Seneca with prusiks in 71 or 72. (I did Fat Stick Direct using Jumars.) I self belayed some good routes just yesterday in Poudre Canyon near Fort Collins (I motorcycled there). In many ways it's simpler, not dealing with partners, and it's very rewarding. Some of my best, and worst, climbing has been self belaying. It keeps you focused! No major incidents so far except dropping the rope messing with the prussiks while doing the FA of P2 of Organic Iron. That certainly counts as an "incident".