Share the story of when you got sandbagged.

I went to Castle Rock to project Eco Terrorist V10 and I thought I'd warm up on a classic I'd never tried before:  Bates Arete V4.  So, I flashed half of the boulder (lengthy traverse into the meat of the climb).  Then... I got absolutely shut the down.  This god damn boulder thwarted me for the next hour as I proceeded to flail wildly on this uncomfortable corner/lip encounter.  I couldn't figure out the beta for the life of me, every foot seemed wrong, every hand was awkward.  Nothing made sense.  I believe at one point in time I can be quoted as saying "I would blow up this boulder if I could".  I then proceeded to flail some more.  After another 30-45 minutes had passed, I was finally able to figure it out and get the send.  Then, I did the first move of Eco Terrorist and went home in utter despair.

Since that day, I've always joked that "V4 is the hardest grade at Castle Rock".  Except, it isn't a joke and I stand by that statement.  Every V4 there is sandbagged.  I've come back to the problem again (after... months) and now, it's actually one of my favorite boulders in the park.  Well worthy of the status of classic.

Michael Rush wrote:

Sounds like you sandbagged yourself, since you told him you’ve climbed some 10s on bolts and really wanna crack climb.

If you told him what you’re telling us, that you ‘sometimes’ send 10- on bolts + the ‘maybe a couple’ 5.8 trad climbs, he may have had a different plan with you that day. 

Great insight mike

Michael Rush.  

At the time I thought it was kind of my fault and I somehow talked myself up. Not sure if you have been to Index before, but most climbers would consider the grades there pretty stiff. Watching me struggle up a 5.9 was a sign that I had no shot on 10d

The first time i climbed at Smith Rock.

Konnor Kenneweg wrote:

When I first was getting into trad (I had 5 leads under my belt, all in the 5.6-5.7 range) I went to the NRG, with the intent to get on easily flakey (5.7, quite well protected with exception to the traverse which is quite easy and still not what I would call "dangerous". Anyway, I get there and there's a guy there by himself with a top rope set up on the 5.11 that shares part of the route. He basically says that he's waiting for his buddy to get here, that he doesn't feel comfy with us doing easily flakey while he waits, and insinuates that there is a really great climb just behind him that would be a good one to do in the meantime. Me and my very clearly quite shiny rack take him at his word and head over to do this dihedral flaring crack. At this point, should mention that I felt crack was kinda overrated, by which I mean I had zero clue how to climb crack, and so I proceed to try and layback/stem/poorly jam this crack while placing gear. The entire time I'm absolutely gripped out of my mind and struggling so so so much. I end up taking a whipper and then after some time finishing the route, at which point I come down and basically curl up, completely and totally exhausted. I am mentally decimated. Guy comes around the corner, still partnerless hits me with "whewwee, those old school 5.9+ will get ya, huh?" Me internally "dawg I was trying to get on a 5.7 and you put me on a 5.9. smdh"

Tl:dr meant to get on 5.7, got on notorious 5.9+ "Jaws". Actually a really cool route that I'll def get back on one day, but boy was I not ready. Maybe for the best, who knows?

Haha, I did the same thing my first time at the New, I onsighted Easily Flakey, then Zig Zag, and Layback. Feeling good about myself, I attempted Jaws, it was the hardest 5.9 I have ever done, super pumpy and technical for that section in the middle. Maybe one day I'll try it again, but that thing still gives me nightmares.

I sandbag myself in the gym every single time, when I get an insane idea that, just because I flashed an “11+”, I’ll be able to make all moves on “10+”. I should know better, but I can’t help it. Years and years of experience, and I fall for it still, every time. 

Chris Hatzai wrote:

The first time i climbed at Smith Rock.

Oh you lead Revelations as a first lead too?  

i can't climb anything over v2 in morrison

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105745708/the-dark-side

Two routes come to mind.  Both self-inflicted run-out sand bags by a team who has hardly ever led above well-protected 5.9 (i.e., my reg partner and I).

Magical Mystery Tour, Fairview Dome, 5.8R with a full rack up to 4” (!). Inadvertently printed double sided from MP without page numbers. Had comments on the back of the route description  saying great beginner lead and save the #4 for the crack in the bulge … comments for some other route.

Us and Them, Saddle Rocks (a.k.a. Negro Girls) P2 kind of (5.9R?).   Was expecting the 5.6 P2 of Walk on the Wild Side but ended P1 of WWS too far to the right.  Stalled on P2, escaped right, not learning of our error until after many hours of self doubt and when back at camp reviewing the guide book we had forgotten. 

Survived unscathed both times except some mental scarring smoothed over with some wine and laughs at ourselves.

I feel like I get sandbagged a lot on 5.8 and 5.9 crack routes here in New Mexico. Up at White Rock where jams can be kind of rattly and the gear as well, big runouts and rope stretcher pitches on small gear at Tres Piedras, and most recently on Second Coming in the Sandias, which I thought was pretty full-on at 5.8. Particularly the second pitch "chimney variation" and third pitch corner. The final moves of P3 are pretty wild. But it was both alpine  (9,000 feet?) and old school (1976 FA), so maybe that's just how it is here. Or maybe I'm just old and weak, lol.

LL2 wrote:

…. and most recently on Second Coming in the Sandias, which I thought was pretty full-on at 5.8. Particularly the second pitch "chimney variation" and …

It tends to grow on us.

I avoided the SC P2 chimney var for many years.  But after doing some harder chimneys at Red Rock, I tried that SC var and have never gone the other way since. Granted, I’m not always speedy at it.

Cheers!

Jay Crew wrote:

first time in Tuolumne, seeing crowds both on, and heading to, West Crack from the pull-outs... "First time here? 5.9? Go down the road, there's a 5.9 dike running up the dome on the left side. Just follow the dike, you'll love it"

There's a fine line between sandbagging and attempted murder. 

Fail Falling wrote:

There's a fine line between sandbagging and attempted murder. 

Agree. Some of these stories are normal sandbagging (still a dick move IMO, but accepted within climbing culture), while others are downright sociopathic.

The accidental self-sandbag stories are funny though (and very relatable).

5.9+ Back in the day.

The plus was rather large at times.

mountainhick wrote:

5.9+ Back in the day.

The plus was rather large at times.

Was just thinking, almost everytime you see a + (usually an 8 or 9, sometimes a 10) and an FA in the 80s or before you know it's going to be a sandbag.  Then everytime you see that with Layton Kor as the FA you know it's going to be a massive sandbag.

Keep in mind, "The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there"(L. P. Hartley). Think August, mid 1960s amongst the granite spires of the Needles of the Black Hills, an annual outing for several climbers from diverse origins. My first wife enjoyed very modest rock climbing, and so, around the campfire, I ask my old friend Bob Kamps about a route on Paydirt Pinnacle. He replies, It's around 5.2 to 5.4, quite suitable for us. So the next morning, as Bob and Mark Powell drive off to play a round of golf somewhere, Lora and I walk into Paydirt, me carrying a short Goldline rope and a few slings for descending. 

The appearance of the climb doesn't quite fit what I had imagined, a bit steep, but OK, let's go up. Off the ground a short bit I find myself searching for nice handholds where I expected them to be. Then back to the ground to contemplate. Up again on the prickly granite looking for the magic key. No luck. I look at Lora and say, This doesn't seem like 5.4, There must be some holds I don't see!

Finally I give up trying to reform this route into what my mind tells me it should be, and get on with the action, which seems damned hard, reaching the top and giving Lora the top rope she appreciates.

That evening I approach Kamps and tell him, That was the hardest 5.4 I've ever done! He looks at me, a paragon of innocence, and says, Oh no, that route is 5.8 or 5.9. I say, No, you told me it was maybe 5.4. He gives me that look of patient indulgence and says, You must not have heard me correctly. 

Loved that guy, but he got me good.  Or my hearing betrayed me. It may have been 5.8, but it seemed a lot harder!

Sometime in the late 90's, fresh with a rack- and-a-half of cams and a full set of cowbells, I met a true Valley dirtbag.  He quickly surmised that my rack and Honda accord would gain him access to some climbs he had been wanting to do at the cookie cliff.

My trad experience was slim at best, consisting of odd placements on otherwise bolted routes at Castle Rock state park.

He brought me to 'the Cookie', probably the only 5.9 on the cliff.  Loaded up with my complete rack of nuts, cams, and cowbells, I proceed to start chimneying my way to greatness.  What I didn't know was that most of the route consists of chimney climbing while generally unprotected.  A few rattly pins and poor cam placements were found at perhaps 30 foot intervals.  My large rack provided no assistance, but was constantly in the way.  

A short section of splitter hand crack was the reward for all the grunting, sweating, and swearing that had just occurred.  

The grade wasn't so much of a sandbag, but the experience and lack of protection was.

Fond memories...

Christopher Smith wrote:

Was just thinking, almost everytime you see a + (usually an 8 or 9, sometimes a 10) and an FA in the 80s or before you know it's going to be a sandbag.  Then everytime you see that with Layton Kor as the FA you know it's going to be a massive sandbag.

Try doing a 5.9+ in MN or WI with a FA in the 70’s. Those routes can have some range. ;)

John Gill wrote:

Keep in mind, "The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there"(L. P. Hartley). Think August, mid 1960s amongst the granite spires of the Needles of the Black Hills, an annual outing for several climbers from diverse origins. My first wife enjoyed very modest rock climbing, and so, around the campfire, I ask my old friend Bob Kamps about a route on Paydirt Pinnacle. He replies, It's around 5.2 to 5.4, quite suitable for us. So the next morning, as Bob and Mark Powell drive off to play a round of golf somewhere, Lora and I walk into Paydirt, me carrying a short Goldline rope and a few slings for descending. 

The appearance of the climb doesn't quite fit what I had imagined, a bit steep, but OK, let's go up. Off the ground a short bit I find myself searching for nice handholds where I expected them to be. Then back to the ground to contemplate. Up again on the prickly granite looking for the magic key. No luck. I look at Lora and say, This doesn't seem like 5.4, There must be some holds I don't see!

Finally I give up trying to reform this route into what my mind tells me it should be, and get on with the action, which seems damned hard, reaching the top and giving Lora the top rope she appreciates.

That evening I approach Kamps and tell him, That was the hardest 5.4 I've ever done! He looks at me, a paragon of innocence, and says, Oh no, that route is 5.8 or 5.9. I say, No, you told me it was maybe 5.4. He gives me that look of patient indulgence and says, You must not have heard me correctly. 

Loved that guy, but he got me good.  Or my hearing betrayed me. It may have been 5.8, but it seemed a lot harder!

I miss the needles! The Black Hills are so magical. It's been since the 80's for me. And sandbags? The epitome of bolted 5.10 that is NOT sport 5.10! And 1/4" bolts back then.

Always admired you for what you accomplished there Mr Gill.

mountainhick wrote:

Always admired you for what you accomplished there Mr Gill.

+1