LCC ratings compared to Yosemite?

The start of the first pitch of Serenity is relatively low angle. That’s a big difference psychically and mentally than vertical IMO. Just fire it.

Knowing grades and how soft or hard isn’t about chasing numbers for a lot of people. It’s about Knowing which climb is just the right challenge. One that you can just barely do. That’s the most satisfying send IMO.

As mentioned the biggest thing isn’t how hard or soft the ratings are it’s getting used to the type of rock/climbing in a new place. I think it’s smart to do a few climbs below your limit to get a feel for the place. Then go for a flash on your primary objective. 

Low angle or not I don’t find it the most secure unless a significant portion of your feet easily fit in the scars.  If you’re getting half a big toe in or something it starts to get old at the 30’ mark.

If all you climb is granite trad then it’s probably trivial but still a pitch to be careful on.

Marc801 C wrote:

You can get two decent tri-cams in before the cam pod - and this is all below the original (now gone) bolt that was at 30'.

Tricams make me happy. Are we talking tiny white tricams or black or what? Mostly I'm just worried about protecting that initial runout. In my experience, it's probably not runout, you just didn't have the right fiddlywidgets. Maybe I'll just bring black totems, tricams, ballnuts and brassies and see what fits haha 

Devin Rogers wrote:

Tricams make me happy. Are we talking tiny white tricams or black or what? 

Um, the ones that fit? I really don't remember, other than they go in kinda wierdly. It's been over 25 years since I've climbed the route.

For what it's worth as a single data point:
My personal experience was that the grades were fairly similar. I have onsighted some 11as in LCC and on my first trip to Yosemite I climbed Serenity/Sons. Slipped once at the very beginning on P1 and hung once at the 10d crux. Then again, I also hung once on my single attempt at Bongeater here in LCC. YMMV. For reference, I climb a fair bit in LCC but have only climbed about 15 pitches in YNP.

Heya Devin, I cut my teeth on LCC granite before heading to the valley also.  I think you'll be fine on Serenity Sons, it's awesome.  On pitch one be ready for big crowds and a long runout on slick 5.8 pin scars.  Don't be surprised if you don't find those magical tricam placements, my guess is that they're not all that great for non-oldschoolers.  I found a snug 0.75 at around 30 feet but the sides of that scar were pretty slick so I didn't love it.  A bit further up you'll start getting standard cam placements.

Second pitch is fun 10b, fairly similar to Green A, and the third pitch is a few cranker incut finger locks where the wall steepens briefly.  You get good stances below the crux for your blue and yellow metolius cams, maybe a purple too.  10d is pretty accurate to soft, and it's far easier than bongeater.  After Serenity, Sons feels like a cruise with awesome pro and fun jams.    

Ryan Arnold wrote:Second pitch is fun 10b, fairly similar to Green A, and the third pitch is a few cranker incut finger locks where the wall steepens briefly.  You get good stances below the crux for your blue and yellow metolius cams, maybe a purple too.  10d is pretty accurate to soft, and it's far easier than bongeater.  After Serenity, Sons feels like a cruise with awesome pro and fun jams.    

I agree with this. IIRC it's 2 or 3 moves of thin fingers with pro at your nose when you start the sequence. I thought it was easier than Lunatic Fringe (10c).

Sorry to spam you guys with my spray but I thought I'd just leave a quick return and report from the Valley for anyone interested.

Thanks everyone for the beta/info/encouragement! Serenity and Sons went great. It was definitely tough but we fought hard and sent every pitch with no falls. The p3 fingers crux is not tips like some people claim for some reason. My fingers are pretty chunky and it was locker fingers in pin scars. Both feet blew at one point in the heart of the crux and I caught myself no problem on the finger locks. I'd put the grade at LCC 5.10c, which is what it sounds like people say it truly is for the valley as well, calling it a soft 5.10d for yosemite. Anyways I'm excited to get back to LCC so I can continue to flail on Bongeater

Grats on your send!

its relatively similar. I always camp in LCC on my way to the valley from Montana.  always really good to get an early prep day on slick granite. You will crush SS.