The Best Worst Classics

Most of CT...

Nolan Huther wrote:

Is there even any route in Connecticut which cuts it as a classic?

Ha, yes most definitely. Quite a few...

Creed A wrote:

Pear Buttress in Lumpy is kinda dumb. It only has one good pitch.

Does anyone really consider PB a classic though? 

Dylan B. wrote:

I haven't climbed it yet, but apparently the Great Arch on Stone Mountain in NC fits the bill.

It's a gorgeous feature that amounts to three pitches of lower back pain from constant lie-backs up a slab. 

It is a must-do climb....once.  If that climb were steeper, it would be one of the best climbs out there. The adjacent climb that takes the edge/arete of the arch is pretty awesome too:

Ok I have climbed the Great Arch. Once. Which is one definition of non-classic: worth doing once, but not repeating.

Have to disagree about the Edge.  If you don't like short pitches, there are solutions for that, and likewise if you find it 'wanders' too much then 1) stick to Supercrack and 2) stick to the arete and tell us how it goes, aren't there some .13b-ish variations that straighten out the line?  In its favor I would argue for amazing position, loads of varied climbing, some cool ledges and of course all the classic-ness that come with fondling Layton's crimpers.

The Durrance is merely the poster child for the obvious truth of columnar basalt, which is that the easier lines are the least elegant- and the Durrance is the easiest line on its formation.  

The Nose of Looking Glass: historic, moderate, and obvious. These qualities are frequently mistaken for good climbing, which is why the Nose often ends up on those 'you gotta do it' lists. Which themselves are full of similarly non-sustained, non-direct historic recon lines surrounded by later routes that actually embody the more desirable traits. See: Sundial, Peregrine, Sinsemilla Sunset etc.

Notice that no one here is chiming in to bemoan the impostor status of the classic  Steck-Salathe. I hereby assert that this ancient, eponymous, wandering, grunty reconnaissance effort is in fact an undying classic because of-  and not despite- it's precise embodiment of qualities that are elsewhere decried.  In the immortal formulation of the Valley sage Shaggy, the Steck is somehow both 'Yosemite classic' and 'classic Yosemite', mystically embodying the best of each.  Climb it or die! 

The Trough at Tahquitz. Probably popular since it was the definition of 5.0 and the first route up. But there are way better easy routes a short jaunt away.

The Bastille Crack. Maybe because it was one of my worst outings. But there is nothing about that climb that makes me want to do it again, or even recommend it to others.

Eliot Augusto wrote:

The Bastille Crack. Maybe because it was one of my worst outings. But there is nothing about that climb that makes me want to do it again, or even recommend it to others.

And those opening 25 feet are slicker than greased owl snot. I still think it's a nice, very steep, moderate outing up an impressive formation. Nasty approach, though (start very early, by headlamp).

Eliot Augusto wrote:

The Bastille Crack. Maybe because it was one of my worst outings. But there is nothing about that climb that makes me want to do it again, or even recommend it to others.

Once you have climbed it a handful of times, you can rest assured that you never have to climb it again.

Endeavour on White's Ledge has always underwhelmed me. 

The Kind

Incredible Hand Crack was incredibly disappointing. I'm guessing it used to be better before it got toprope gangbanged in the rain for the thousandth time. 

Other Northeasters might crucify me for this...but Thin Air at Cathedral. Basically one good pitch (the 4th one) and the rest is just kind of awkward. Then you have to go up that weird 4th class thing to the base of Pine Tree Eliminate (which, for the record, is amazing). 

Also the entirety of Carderock in Maryland

has anyone said ancient art? its a spectacular formation and the position is incredible but the actual climbing can't be considered classic

Andrew Hewitt wrote:

Other Northeasters might crucify me for this...but Thin Air at Cathedral. Basically one good pitch (the 4th one) and the rest is just kind of awkward. Then you have to go up that weird 4th class thing to the base of Pine Tree Eliminate (which, for the record, is amazing). 

Also the entirety of Carderock in Maryland

I was going to post this haha but was afraid of the impending crucifiction as well

Otto's Route, The Monument

Rewritten at Eldo. While there are a few memorable sections, the vast majority of the route is nowhere near classic. 

Justin Skaare wrote:

levitation 29

Are you trolling?  I thought every pitch on levitation would have been 3 or 4 stars as a stand alone climb.

George W wrote:

Otto's Route, The Monument

Hahah I was thinking the same thing. It's mostly remarkable because all you can think is "John Otto was a crazy person to come up here in 1911 with a bunch of pipes" 

I've never liked horseman (5.5) in the gunks, it's hardly ever open but I guess that's what happens when its right on the carriage road.