[Hide Comment] When I first climbed at Rocks in 1974, Breakaway was also known as Cohen's Corner, after a Philadelphia climber who'd done it some time before. It was considered 5.8. (Strawberry Jam was called "strenuous 5.7+"). After a few months of climbing, I was happy to top rope Breakaway by the skin of my teeth on a hot day wearing Vibram sole boots with no chalk. I thought at the time, "If that's 5.8, I'll never see 5.10."
Over the next few years, local climbers Mike Endicott, Joe McManus, Todd Eastman and Rick Harward pushed the Rocks standards well into the 5.10-5.11 range, with ascents of Exhibition (5.10 before a key hold broke), Piney, Biceps-tennial, Stripes and Smoke and Ash, as well as difficult top rope problems like Creaking Eyelid, Superbulge and Thumbs. Most of these we called 5.9+ at the time, thinking that we were incapable of climbing the then elite grade of 5.10. Apr 29, 2023

[Hide Comment] Milt, thanks for sharing! Gotta love that 5.9+ Apr 30, 2023

[Hide Comment] Robin, yes........... good old 5.9+. A frequent experience for my friends and I in those days was to top out on a difficult route, shaking and out of breath, mumbling,"Wow. That must be 5.9+."
The main reason for that grade confusion/inconsistency was John Stannard's extreme sandbag ratings at the Gunks, where nothing was regarded as harder than 5.10. Hence only the most difficult routes merited that rating. This changed slowly and by the late 70s many routes in the Gunks and Seneca had been upgraded. We realized that Exhibition and Stripes were solid 5.10, though we considered Piney and Biceps-tennial as 5.9+.
These days when 11 year olds do 5.10 on their third time at the gym, remember that this was an aspirational grade for many of us and only accomplished after months or years of scary leads at the Gunks with primitive shoes and hardware. May 2, 2023

[Hide Comment] Hey Milt, the fun never ends! Got climbing for the first time all year at Morman Hollow in MA. Jeepers the holds sure seem smaller these days! Hope yer well! May 12, 2023