Most Sandbagged Route You’ve Seen

Lots of spots within the San Diego city limits are harder than their rating. I've heard it said from the old school guys that SD was a backwater of the climbing world and that the ratings were developed without much reference to ratings elsewhere. The local crag, Mission Gorge, is almost entirely composed of ultra-polished granite, and everyone says "if you can climb 5.x here, you can climb 5.x anywhere." I've seen out-of-towners at the Santee Boulders suggesting V-ratings 2 or 3 grades higher than published. I just choose to believe the ratings and continue thinking that everything else in the world is soft.

A view from the bridge in index is probably the hardest 5.10 anywhere

The Vampire at Tahquitz or Acid Crack. Wayyyyyyy harder than Equinox and Asteroid Crack

Jake Weeks wrote: Lots of spots within the San Diego city limits are harder than their rating. I've heard it said from the old school guys that SD was a backwater of the climbing world and that the ratings were developed without much reference to ratings elsewhere. The local crag, Mission Gorge, is almost entirely composed of ultra-polished granite, and everyone says "if you can climb 5.x here, you can climb 5.x anywhere." I've seen out-of-towners at the Santee Boulders suggesting V-ratings 2 or 3 grades higher than published. I just choose to believe the ratings and continue thinking that everything else in the world is soft.

So true. The polished v1s at santee felt like cruxes on old-school 5-11 routes. Slabs and mantles and slopers, pure balance and momentum and focus. Your hangboard strength and sick dyno skills won't get you up those when there's no holds to just pull hard on! :)

Im gonna have to go with Helecoptor for boulder problems I have tried

Perry Norris wrote: Pinched Rib in JT when it was rated 5.7.

I thought the 5.0 walk off was almost as hard!

Walk offs at j tree are usually 5.13b - 5.14a

revans90 wrote: 5.4 in Jtree is a funny grade like the 4th class in the sierra. 

Seriously though! Why is some 4th class in the sierra so scary and hard!! I think 4th class should be easily climbed in my trail runners while needing both hands and a fall would kill me. There is a ridge off Mt. Morgan I believe that is rated as 4th class and it is some spicy moves, no harder than 5.3 I suppose but more technical that I would call 4th class. Or maybe I am just a baby.

PNW Choss wrote:

Uh Gandalfs is 9+ which is no sandbag. Just 9+... but whoever got you on it as a first trad lead is an asshole and not your friend.

Classic crack is 9 no matter how bad your ego wants it to be harder.

As for GLA is a 10d by other Broughtons climb standards.

Sounds like your getting the smackdown from that basalt! Keep climbing there you will come around on the grading. 

I mean, yeah, we all know 9+ is always a sandbag.  My friend can definitely be an asshole, but I appreciate his confidence in me.  I didn't fall until the second bolt.  I still hate that sequence.  

Basalt is good for smack downs, especially Broughton.  I'm glad I climbed there before Ozone, Dropzone or Madrone, though, or it probably would have been a way worse experience.  
I stand by my opinions of Classic (I do have fat mitts, so there's that) and GLA.  Sheer Stress, too, now that I think about it.... wtf with the first 20'.