What are the best sandbagged routes you can think of? Sport, Trad, and Bouldering

Not quite as bad, but that made me think of the 4th class chimney on The Black Dagger in Red Rocks. That was the hardest bit of 4th class climbing i've ever encountered.

Madame G's Wulst at the Gunks. It's sandbagged at 5.6+, and it is the best route ever. With 60m doubles you can do the entire 62m pitch with minimal and safe simulclimbing for what is, in my opinion, the best 'moderate' pitch in the Gunks.

Of all the sandbagged routes that come to mind, I think "Entrance Crack" at Stone Mountain, NC might be the worst. It's only "5.4" but has probably seen more epics per capita than any other beginner route that I know of. It's essentially unprotectable without large cams or big bros, two things which most beginners generally do not possess.

I can think of a lot of hard routes that are sandbagged, but that's a different story.

nbrown wrote:Of all the sandbagged routes that come to mind, I think "Entrance Crack" at Stone Mountain, NC might be the worst. It's only "5.4" but has probably seen more epics per capita than any other beginner route that I know of. It's essentially unprotectable without large cams or big bros, two things which most beginners generally do not possess. I can think of a lot of hard routes that are sandbagged, but that's a different story.

Good lord did that route scare me the first time. Had never climbed friction and tried to do it as an offwidth. 40 feet run out, gastoning the crack, with elvis leg, my buddy took a 30 ft cheese-grater fall on Dirty Crack next door and let out this agonizing scream. Pretty sweet intro to Stone.

Super Direct at Moore's is definitely a 5.8 with a 5.10 finger crack start. Zoo View, Air Show, and I would also add Head Jam, are all supposedly beginner routes that routinely shit on beginning leaders. Nutsweat was also a really intense first 5.9 lead for me.

And how can we forget Zombie Woof? I don't know if its really harder than 10b, but I don't think anyone has ever gotten on that route fully prepared for the task at hand.

Cussin Crack, 5.7, Boulder Canyon

Osiris, 5.6, Lumpy

Cosmosis, 5.9+, Boulder canyon

I'll second Jesus and Tequila...took me more tries than Black Rider which is 13a.

I'll also second The Racist, my draws are still on that route. Hopefully redemption happens this weekend...looks good!

Any Henry Barber routes in the Northeast also get the big ole' sandbag.

Rapscallions seems way more stout.

When i did that i forgot the guidebook in the car and thought i was on Four Sheets to the Wind. Didn't realize there were two corners down there, so i thought it was the single most sandbagged .9 ever. Was pretty relieved when i found out i was wrong.

Jon H wrote:Wait.... people care about boulder problems? I think the most famous one in the Gunks is Modern Times. Listed at 5.8+ in the grey Dick Williams guide, but 5.10b in the (very silly) Orenczak/Lynn guide.

MT is absolutely a 5.8+, there's no sandbag on that at all.

Horseman feels kind of hard for the grade, and I'm not talking about the corner. The face move after pulling the arete seemed stiff to me.

I did feel that Birdcage, Criss Cross Direct, Broken Sling, and Yellow Belly (not Yellow Ridge) were stiff, too.

Athlete's Feat, 11a, Boulder Canyon

Birdie Party, 10a, Gunks, and for that matter most routes there rated 5.10 and under...

Der Letzte Zug, 12c, Boulder Canyon (!!!)

"All the sport climbs on Dome Rock out by the Needles in CA."

No Sport Climbing at Dome Rock.

Just cause its all bolts, dosen't make it sport.

All of the climbs there were done before the concept of "Sport Climbing" came along.

"Red Mushroom" is the closest thing there.... 10c... yeah about right.

Blake Cash wrote:I'll second Jesus and Tequila...took me more tries than Black Rider which is 13a. I'll also second The Racist, my draws are still on that route. Hopefully redemption happens this weekend...looks good! Any Henry Barber routes in the Northeast also get the big ole' sandbag.

Good luck on The Racist, Blake! And what is this Black Rider of which you speak? I looked in the guidebook and could not find it; must be at a secret crag or something.

Speaking of Barber, Cornflake Crack (11a) at Looking Glass is hard; definitely harder for me in every way than Safari Jive (11c) next door. But since it's NC, I hesitate to call it a true sandbag.

camhead wrote:Oh, and one other boulder problem (yes, boulder problems can be sandbags)-- Soap on a Rope at Rocktown. As the new guidebook says, "The hardest v5 at Rocktown. Oh, wait, it's v4."

I used to try Soap every time I went to Rocktown. They day I sent it, I also climbed a couple of 8s and a couple of 7s. It felt just as hard as those.

Oh Pooh, and Pooh's Corner. Both 5.1, at Seneca.

Thought these would be walk ups to do first trad leads on.

I've been on easier 5.6's

Dont know if anyone has mentioned these yet, but Hemp Liberation at Smith Rock is suuuuuper stout for the grade (5.10d), and from what I hear, Last Waltz, also at Smith is just about the hardest ".12c" ever!

The Corkscrew at Redstone seemed quite hard for V5. But then again, V5 seems to be a classic sandbag grade at a lot of areas. Par for the course maybe.

camhead wrote: Good luck on The Racist, Blake! And what is this Black Rider of which you speak? I looked in the guidebook and could not find it; must be at a secret crag or something. Speaking of Barber, Cornflake Crack (11a) at Looking Glass is hard; definitely harder for me in every way than Safari Jive (11c) next door. But since it's NC, I hesitate to call it a true sandbag.

Sorry...Pocket Route, Black Rider is the original name Reed gave it. Somehow it evolved into "that route with the pocket" into "the pocket route" to just "pocket route". Black Rider is WAY cooler of a name. I hope it goes alright this weekend. I had such a good last burn all the way back in October when you were belaying me! It's been that long too!

Go try some of his "5.9's" at the Spiders Web in the 'Daks....you WILL either fall or scream or something along those lines.

JohnWesely wrote: I used to try Soap every time I went to Rocktown. They day I sent it, I also climbed a couple of 8s and a couple of 7s. It felt just as hard as those.

Soap on a Rope was my "warm up" project for the Orb. I did the orb first.

The Diagonal 5.9+ Cathedral Ledge NH
Shockleys Ceiling 5.6 Gunks NY
Dare by the Sea 5.10 Acadia ME
Titties and Beer 5.9+ Looking Glass NC
Werks up 5.8 Eldorado Canyon CO
Black Dagger Chimney 5.10 Longs Peak CO
The Diagonal 5.8 Wallface NY
Fastest Gun 5.9+ Pokomoonshine NY
Crack of Doom 5.10 Lumpy CO
West Face 5.11- Castelton Tower UT
Hypercrack on the anchor chain 5.11 Merrimac Butte UT
Puttin in time 5.11 The Captian NH

P1 and the ow on p2 of The North Chimney, Castleton Tower5.8. P3 on Kor-Ingalls, Castleton Tower5.9.

[Leading] Walk on the wild side, jtree nat. park 5.7 (if you don't like slab leading). A 5.7 leader better have all the confidence in the world or serious friction talent/trust to pull that route off without shitting their pants- I think. Just an opinion.

burlap submariner wrote:The Diagonal 5.9+ Cathedral Ledge NH Shockleys Ceiling 5.6 Gunks NY Dare by the Sea 5.10 Acadia ME Titties and Beer 5.9+ Looking Glass NC Werks up 5.8 Eldorado Canyon CO Black Dagger Chimney 5.10 Longs Peak CO The Diagonal 5.8 Wallface NY Fastest Gun 5.9+ Pokomoonshine NY Crack of Doom 5.10 Lumpy CO West Face 5.11- Castelton Tower UT Hypercrack on the anchor chain 5.11 Merrimac Butte UT Puttin in time 5.11 The Captian NH

Diagonal on Wallface felt more like 5.7 to me, and just for two of the 7 pitches...the rest of it is BALLS easy. Very fun though do not get me wrong!