What is the softest bouldering area?

Dustin Bwrote:

From what I hear, Colorado.

Not Flagstaff - remember that V12 that only got repeated like: 30 years after it was put up? And every other problem has had most of its holds fall off - or current boulderers don't realize that the problems were originally done using only one hand by Pat Ament?

Long Rangerwrote:

Not Flagstaff - remember that V12 that only got repeated like: 30 years after it was put up? And every other problem has had most of its holds fall off - or current boulderers don't realize that the problems were originally done using only one hand by Pat Ament?

The 'classic' problems at Flagstaff feel pretty stiff for the grade, but there are some very soft 'modern' problems to be found there too.

Normal Customerwrote:

uhhh not sure if a joke but not kosher to climbing when the rock is wet for Moe's. mountainproject.com/area/10…

I was wondering about that too... Moe's is pretty breakable. Needs many days to dry out when it's been really soaked.

caesar.saladwrote:

I was wondering about that too... Moe's is pretty breakable. Needs many days to dry out when it's been really soaked.

heading to the creek for those perfect condies :D

Jack Lwrote:

heading to the creek for those perfect condies :D

Anyone want to carpool? My e-tron doesnt make it that far 8'(

Softest to least soft

Utah (by far much softer then even Wyoming)

Wyoming

Nevada

Colorado

Southeast

New Mexico

California

Arizona (Much harder then anywhere else even CA)

I have not climbed much in PNW or the NW

The general consensus here is that all the old stuff is sandbagged. Maybe the real question here is why are all the climbers now a days soft? 

Dylan Englandwrote:

The general consensus here is that all the old stuff is sandbagged. Maybe the real question here is why are all the climbers now a days soft? 

Or holds get polished and break and routes get harder over time.  In areas that do not see any traffic, older routes rarely feel sandbagged

Yosemite bouldering by Camp 4 gave me an identity crisis.

Greasy granite is good for technique 

Mark Vigilwrote:

Softest to least soft

Utah (by far much softer then even Wyoming)

Wyoming

Nevada

Colorado

Southeast

New Mexico

California

Arizona (Much harder then anywhere else even CA)

I have not climbed much in PNW or the NW

There are obviously many factors and speaking only about the SE and NM, but ain’t no way SE is softer than NM in my experience (Stone Fort, Rocktown, HP40, Obed vs. NRG, Roy, Ortegas, La Mesilla). 

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

There are obviously many factors and speaking only about the SE and NM, but ain’t no way SE is softer than NM in my experience (Stone Fort, Rocktown, HP40, Obed vs. NRG, Roy, Ortegas, La Mesilla). 

True. Generally, NM grades are as soft as a baby’s bottom. The benchmarks should be OG Hueco and Flag problems, and perhaps something like Rotary Park at Horsetooth or the Black Hole at Morrison. 

Mark Vigilwrote:

Softest to least soft

Utah (by far much softer then even Wyoming)

Wyoming

Nevada

Colorado

Southeast

New Mexico

California

Arizona (Much harder then anywhere else even CA)

I have not climbed much in PNW or the NW

This is less than helpful.   I don't think you can generalize ratings based on state by any stretch of the imagination.  In Utah alone you have Moe's verses Big Bend which seem like they use completely different scales.  Joe's is a little varied depending on the problem but overall it is pretty reasonable.  Little Cottonwood is real hard if you haven't spent much time there.  What is your basis for Wyoming?  Your tick list shows a few easy things from the Rock Shop and not much else.  Try the Giving Tree if you think the grades there are soft.  Have you climbed in Cody or Neverland or Vedauwoo?  I haven't bouldered much in Arizona except Priest Draw and Cochise  and I thought it was pretty accurate, not sandbagged at all.  New Mexico also seems to have pretty accurate grades, although again you can't generalize on Jemez vs. the box vs. Roy.  Never been to the southeast.  The grades in Yosemite and the Buttermilks also seemed accurate from my experience, but I haven't climbed too much in Cali.  My only trip to Red Rocks felt like maybe it was a bit soft, but again I haven't spent enough time there to have a real opinion.  You don't even mention Hueco in your list, the birthplace of the V scale.  Maybe give some concrete examples if you are going to make broad generalizations like this.

Can we just agree that Older Areas and Slabbier Problems = Sandbag. Granite is generally graded stiffer than limestone or sandstone. And if it is a V1 slab in Jtree it’s basically impossible.

Charlie Bwrote:

Can we just agree that Older Areas and Slabbier Problems = Sandbag. Granite is generally graded stiffer than limestone or sandstone. And if it is a V1 slab in Jtree it’s basically impossible.

As with most forms of climbing, older typically will get a  more difficult consensus grade. Slab just doesn’t typically fit a typical boulderers style so while it might feel difficult to all those muscle hamsters, I disagree that they are actually any more difficult than their steep, powerful counterparts. Put some slender, super mobile climber from Smith on a slab boulder and they’ll likely crush.

As far as granite vs. sandstone vs. limestone. I think that is entirely subjective and stylistic more than an overall difficulty thing based on rock type. For example, I do very well in Bishop due to the crimp heavy nature but struggle in sloper heavy areas like HP40. 

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

As with most forms of climbing, older typically will get a  more difficult consensus grade. Slab just doesn’t typically fit a typical boulderers style so while it might feel difficult to all those muscle hamsters, I disagree that they are actually any more difficult than their steep, powerful counterparts. Put some slender, super mobile climber from Smith on a slab boulder and they’ll likely crush.

I'd say the best slab climbers I have met usually aren't too slender, I know when I was super skinny and climbing hard, even with perfect beta, slab was impossible. I still suck at it but many of the problems that I couldn't stick too are possible now 20lbs heavier. Then you have modern climbers wearing tight sport/gym shoes on slab which doesnt help either.

Speaking of pure slab boulders, outside of the softest ratings, Jtree has the best I've been on. Any votes?

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

 all those muscle hamsters, I disagree

....

muscle hamsters. totally gonna use that. i'm a proud muscle hamster.

M Mwrote:

I'd say the best slab climbers I have met usually aren't too slender, I know when I was super skinny and climbing hard, even with perfect beta, slab was impossible. I still suck at it but many of the problems that I couldn't stick too are possible now 20lbs heavier. Then you have modern climbers wearing tight sport/gym shoes on slab which doesnt help either.

Speaking of pure slab boulders, outside of the softest ratings, Jtree has the best I've been on. Any votes?

I guess I would agree. In my head I meant to extrapolate more mobility than BMI 

caesar.saladwrote:

....

muscle hamsters. totally gonna use that. i'm a proud muscle hamster.

Way too tall for muscle hamster. Puccio is prototype muscle hamster. 

Frank Steinwrote:

Way too tall for muscle hamster. Puccio is prototype muscle hamster. 

Muscle hamsters know no bounds. I know a couple 6 footers in the 200 pound range that qualify. Jason Mamoa also qualifies!