Seneca 7s?

I've been working my way up through the classics at Seneca since my first time there last year.  Currently wrapping up the 5.6s and looking to move into the good stuff: the Seneca 7s.

Some of the 5.6s seem rated reasonably compared to other locations (ex: Candy Corner, Front C)
Others seem to be true "Seneca 6s" that feel more intense (ex: Critter Crack, Thais)

Any advice on how the classic 7s stack up?

Not looking for super detailed comparisons, but more of like "these ones are soft", "these ones are reasonable", "these ones are sandbags" type of thing.  Maybe extra "start with this" advice would be helpful.

Routes I'm most interested in:
Green Wall, Pleasant Overhangs, West Pole, Prune, Crispy Critter, Neck Press, Ecstasy, Simple J Malarky, Beesting Corner, Soler

Ecstasy and Green Wall are soft. Start with Ecstasy - its a great climb and probably the easiest 7.  I think Neck Press is on the tougher end of 7 (do it early before people rap on top of you). PO can feel tough to people because it is more sustained than other 7s and has exposure (PO is awesome).

I haven't done SJM, but I think that the rest of the climbs you mention feel right at 5.7.

Another climb that is not on your list but is fun is Dufty's Popoff - I would say it's on the harder end of 5.7  and trickier to protect.

I highly recommend Ecstasy, PO, West Pole, and the second pitch of Solar. 

From recent experience (climbed them back to back). if you got up Thais, you'll have no problem on Ecstasy.  +1 on the highly entertaining quality of Ecstasy.

The crux for me on ecstasy and SJM was route finding. In retrospect I was a bit too literal with the route descriptions. Both were fun for the second and third pitches, the initial pitch for both was blocky and easy to the point that I mostly solo’d.

I agree about green wall being soft, prune and neck press earned the “Seneca 7” for a few moves.

Tomato is a soft 8 when you’re ready.

The others are still on my to do list.

Ecstacy is a great 7 to start on at Seneca. On a related note, I found Thais -- specifically the 3rd pitch -- to be mega sandbagged at 5.6. Possible I was off route, but also wondering if some choice holds may have fallen off in recent times. Anyone else have this experience?

Yes, pitch 3 of Thais is mega sandbagged at 5.6 (if you take the traverse into Thais Direct instead of doing the Escape option)- both the leader (thankfully not me) and myself, following, thought it was harder than anything on Ecstasy, which we had climbed the previous day.

P.O. is pretty casual. 

Thanks all!  Looks like Ecstasy is the place to start.  Convenient since its location lets it be the start of a linkup to something else.  PO is the route I've wanted since first going to Seneca, so looks like it might not be too far off either!

@Andrew S: Didn't put Dufty's on the list due to the PG13 gear rating.  I'll get there someday, but I'll hold off on that until I'm leading a grade higher.

Do Traffic Jam

Andrew S wrote: Ecstasy and Green Wall are soft. Start with Ecstasy - its a great climb and probably the easiest 7.  I think Neck Press is on the tougher end of 7 (do it early before people rap on top of you). PO can feel tough to people because it is more sustained than other 7s and has exposure (PO is awesome).

I haven't done SJM, but I think that the rest of the climbs you mention feel right at 5.7.

Another climb that is not on your list but is fun is Dufty's Popoff - I would say it's on the harder end of 5.7  and trickier to protect.

I highly recommend Ecstasy, PO, West Pole, and the second pitch of Solar. 

Greenwall used to be 5.6 I believe. Great route! Maybe more straightforward than most 5.7 at Seneca. Distinct corner.

The single pitch routes will have harder parts. I would save PO and Solar for after others.

Tomato is a fun route.  I think it’s 5.7 or 5.8

Ham Burgaler wrote: Thanks all!  Looks like Ecstasy is the place to start.  Convenient since its location lets it be the start of a linkup to something else.  PO is the route I've wanted since first going to Seneca, so looks like it might not be too far off either!

@Andrew S: Didn't put Dufty's on the list due to the PG13 gear rating.  I'll get there someday, but I'll hold off on that until I'm leading a grade higher.

My first time at Seneca I did Candy Corner to Dufty's. Its a bit run-out at the end and it felt harder than the grade. It was really fun...but I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have a solid head.

Excsatsy is easy and fun..steep traversing route with plebty off great holds and gear. Screw the mid pitch belay halfway through the traverse, go from P1 belay to the top, causal if y'all have a little exp.and  Go over rope commands ...

Neck press is easy to climb and protect if u like finger jams.  Wow so nice ...it eats nuts easily

Green wall is one pitch wonder .easyish 7...I'd say harder than previous two climbs tho..but wow that's a great corner crack with great moves and amazing position. You don't even realize how awsm it is until your in the parking lot easily pointing and looking at the route

Sjm is so much fun and never has a line. P2 is extremely interesting and a weired traverse ramp thing that's alota fun but a no fall zone as you'll tumble of the side of the face overtop the cave lol... Crux is exciting moves off P2 belay...
Id say this is alot of easier climbing with a couple tough moves and just areas where you don't want to fall

West pole may be one of the best climbs at Seneca. .. definitely 7+ maybe 8 .amazing crack... there is good rests in-between the two roofs. A very intimidating route but the holds are indeed there and bomber...

Po is easy but sketchy, once again the position on this climb is un-matched. Amazing. Altho I thought the gear and hollow rock on the lower part of the traverse was very sketchy .. it did look like you could stay higher up closer to the roof to traverse but looked HARD... Also above hanging belay on p3 there is microwave sized very loose block 30 feet abovehanging belay wanting to be a nice hold or wanting to come down on belayer.  . Be careful

Let's see, Thais is awesome climb.. i still gotta do Thais direct.  But yes around middle of Thais it's easy to get off route on slightly harder terrain. But who cares ? Worth it !!

Duftys popoff is an amazing climb with super commiting roof n that one move is def more like 5.8 but well stick with Seneca 5.7 :)

Enjoy
When your ready ....
Climbing punishment is also one of the best moderate climbs at Seneca and super easy to get to on south pillar ! :)

Oh yes prunes a walk...I easily combined P1 and P2 which is actually really nice how straight it goes, Crux is maybe one 5.8 hand jam move right before ledge atop p2...
P3 is a little wonky and hard to tell where to go exactly but it's a fun easy adventure...

I still haven't lead Soler but I've followed .. that's also a commiting route... The moves arnt super hard but it's very steep and all the hard moves I thought were kinda weird positions .... O thought it was a sketchy lead following .... Definitely 7+ which means you really wanna do all the regular 7s first then maybe lead an 8, then hop on this

Couldn't resist, gosh I love Seneca

I really liked the second pitch of Solar. You have to deal with some runout 5.5 climbing on the pitch 1 though.  I had a blast doing Le Gourmet Direct, then the "critters" starting with that super short "9" (that in my mind felt like a 6) and then Critter Crack (that felt like a 7) and the other 7+ to the right (forget what its called) that is also critter something.

Crispy critter .. good short climb ...solid crack slightly harder than critter crack 

I'm in Co lol
Represent .
Origins resiginate from Seneca tho 

S2k 4life: Thanks for all the info!

JRZane: Any issues on Crusher Critter (the short 5.9) with that big loose death block?  I eyed it up one day on the way to Critter Crack.  It didn't look too bad, but that block seemed sketchy.

Timothy Fisher wrote: Greenwall used to be 5.6 I believe. Great route! Maybe more straightforward than most 5.7 at Seneca. Distinct corner.

The single pitch routes will have harder parts. I would save PO and Solar for after others.

SMJ used to be a 6 also.

Ham Burgaler wrote: 

JRZane: Any issues on Crusher Critter (the short 5.9) with that big loose death block?  I eyed it up one day on the way to Critter Crack.  It didn't look too bad, but that block seemed sketchy.

Not at all. its quite easy to climb around. and its not as loose as it looks. its the shape of the block that makes it look like its hanging out, but its not teetering. I do think I put a #1 at the VERY bottom of the block but more because I wasn't sure what the climbing above it was like. The block gives the climb some character, I was conscious not to yank on it, but never really had to.

Blue Totem off the deck feels reeeeeal good.

JRZane wrote:

Not at all. its quite easy to climb around. and its not as loose as it looks. its the shape of the block that makes it look like its hanging out, but its not teetering. I do think I put a #1 at the VERY bottom of the block but more because I wasn't sure what the climbing above it was like. The block gives the climb some character, I was conscious not to yank on it, but never really had to.

Blue Totem off the deck feels reeeeeal good.

That wobbly block has been spooking Seneca climbers for decades. It was like that 15 years ago when I was climbing there.