Mountain Project Logo

Worst Pitch of Climbing Anywhere?

Original Post
aiden the cam slinging slasher · · Yosemite NP (Tuolumne) · Joined Aug 2017 · Points: 40

I’ve enjoyed subscribing to the thread discussing what the best single pitch of climbing anywhere is.

This naturally raises the question: What is the most heinous single pitch of climbing anywhere? hit me with your best… 

What’s the worst pitch you’ve ever had the misfortune of experiencing?

I F · · Curled up under damp leaves… · Joined Mar 2017 · Points: 4,386

Windy Corner, Seneca rocks. Kinda shit pro and an obligatory lip pull on a rocking microwave sized block.

Doctor Choss · · Arvada, CO · Joined Sep 2018 · Points: 5

5.10 free variation first pitch Zenyatta Entrada

Rock Jock · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2023 · Points: 0

The Bastille Crack. Recreate this experience by smearing butter all over your hands and feet and climbing any other generic handcrack.

june m · · elmore, vt · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 124

Rumney has about 200 routes that were put up by Bradley White after he stopped climbing hard. They are all obscure mostly under  5.6 . They are low angle rock covered in lichen  and pine needles with little pro, usually R rated. They don’t have anchors.  Most of them don’t have trails to the bases. I’ve tried to find some of them and they’re completely unrecognizable as rock climbs . I believe most of them never got a second  ascent. However, I couldn’t tell you which one of them is the worst. 

John Wood · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 60

Worst single pitch of climbing ever? Probably that pitch I climbed that I didn’t send at the red that pissed me off. 

Desert Rock Sports · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Aug 2019 · Points: 2

The 2nd pitch of this was pretty terrible:
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105717304/colorado-northeast-ridge
Chimney isn't so secure when its actively disintegrating mud.

Yukon Cornelius · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2019 · Points: 0

I climbed this garbage route a little ways up Scheelite Canyon. Crumbly holds, loose rock perched on ledges, bad pro. I think I slung a bush at one point. 150' of 5.7 that took me like an hour to lead. 

At the anchor I nearly accidentally trundled a block that must have weighed hundreds of pounds, 4x3x2 feet or so. ended up clearing the area, trundling the block, and vowing never to climb there again lol

Jack Lange · · Boulder · Joined Jan 2017 · Points: 165

For the amount that it gets climbed, any pitch in the north chimney on longs.

Matt B · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2017 · Points: 492

I’ll nominate Dirt Shower in Boulder Canyon. Might not be the worst ever, but it’s pretty terrible!

Climbing Weasel · · Massachusetts · Joined May 2022 · Points: 0

Whichever one your rope breaks on?

ZT G · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2020 · Points: 50

Some of Alaska’s more questionable rock has made me reconsider my risk tolerance haa 

almostrad · · BLC · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 18

The easy routes on the right side of riverside quarry are pretty horrendous. Maybe his second worse drill jobs. They look terrible, and climb worse.

Simon Thompson · · New Paltz, NY · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 895

On my first Millbrook experience, we overshot the ledge we were aiming for and ended up in the band of shit rock at the base of the wall. I had to lead a horrendous pitch of 5.5 on dirty stacked blocks to get us back to the ledge. There was perhaps one decent piece of pro. This was probably the worst and scariest pitch I’ve experienced, with the exception of some of the traverse pitches on the backside of Mt Torment.

Clint Helander · · Anchorage, AK · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 617

Anything on the Seward Highway outside of Anchorage Alaska. Once voted the worst crag in America in Climbing Magazine. 

Salamanizer Ski · · Off the Grid… · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 23,819

This thread is pointless without pictures 

orange pie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 0

For you, Chad

orange pie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 0

and

Ricky Harline · · Angel's Camp, CA · Joined Nov 2016 · Points: 147

Most no star climbs at Pinnacles are probably worse than a lot of what's been mentioned here. Hell, a lot of what's described here would probably be considered classic adventure routes in Pinns. 

I fucking love Pinnacles, but there are a huge quantity of routes there that most people would think are "the worst single pitch of climbing ever" were they to do them. After several years of climbing the well traveled classics there I was convinced everyone was enormously hyperbolic in their descriptions of how chossy that place is, then I started adventuring out onto some of the less traveled more adventure-y stuff... And it's so much worse than what people say even, or at least it can be. 

Pinnacles is an amazing place that isn't nearly so bad as its reputation if you climb the same 5-10% of routes in the park that almost everyone climbs. Everyone should climb in that stunning, unique, adventurous place. But be prepared to be astounded as to what the Pinn-heads think a good time and acceptable rock quality is if you get off the beaten path on a no star climb. Those climbs are amazing adventures, but they're pretty terrible routes. 

orange pie · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 0

If you know, you know.

Curmudgeon Don · · Montrose, Co · Joined Jul 2021 · Points: 0
Salamanizer Skiwrote:

This thread is pointless without pictures 

Thread title says, “Worst Pitch of Climbing Anywhere.” Not “least photogenic pitch.” I’ll be honest though, I do read the mountain project forums for the pictures as well. All these words just don’t make sense to me.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
Post a Reply to "Worst Pitch of Climbing Anywhere?"

Log In to Reply
Welcome

Join the Community! It's FREE

Already have an account? Login to close this notice.