Dear Admin, I would like to see a thread about actual climbing at the Pinnacles.

[F4?]

Did anyone go??

Wet Kiss....5.9 or 5.8+

[mynameismud]

5.5 till ya fall.

[mungeclimber]

5.9-

[F'ueco]

VB or maybe V0-...

[squiddo]

F4, you should down climb it and then you'll find out quickly!

[mudworm]

The puke factor would be dependent on whom you do it with. 

[joe]

don't know if the question is serious or some joke I don't get, but if serious:
my opinion is that it is probably unfair for those of us that climb Wet Kiss as often as we do to start downgrading it.  ratings are about on sight lead.
that said, Pinnacles ratings of course are softer than the valley or j-tree.

[squiddo]

Joe,

I think it was a joke....no one is serious on this board. Although, i am right now. BTW, I agree with you.

[F4?]

I just wanted to start a actual discussion about climbing at the Pinns.

It feels like 5.8, but it does have a little bit of a kick to it. I guess it would be on par with Coyote Ugly....so 5.9

But is it the same difficulty as Jorgie's crack......

Beats talking about biking or running.

Yah, those J-Tree ratings are stiff (Pinns isn't soft).

[mungeclimber]

there's no consensus that ratings are always meant for an onsight ascent.

i think it varies by region and author.

[Poppy]

I would call Wet Kiss 5.9.  Feels about as hard as Coyote Ugly to me.  Jorgie's on the other hand, feels harder right at the top (stepping left out of the crack to the anchors).  The presence of a bat in a key jam also added to the pep...

[squiddo]

personally, I've always had a tough time comparing the ratings on face climbs to cracks. It's not like Jorgies is a pure jam crack or anything but still. Regardless I've always thought of Wet Kiss at 5.9.

[Jake M.]

I'd always though Pinnacles was rated harder than the valley... but then again, I suck at face climbing. Something about standing on temporary face holds above sketchy pro that makes it seem harder than jams above bomber gear.

Because there is such a simple "danger" rating system in the YDS (R, X, PG), my experience has been that two "PG" climbs can provide a range of mental difficulties, and thus make the climb "feel" harder, yet still be rated the same. It is hard for me to separate the two unless I am on toprope. However, everyone (especially Mudworm) knows I suck at toproping.

Also, I always though ratings were meant for leading, not on sighting - hence people who "work" routes still get "credit" for an ascent at the climb's given rating. At least that's what's commonly accepted? Am I wrong?

[squiddo]

JAKE, is that you? I think that's a fair point. I know I'm always sketchy at the pinns.

[Jake M.]

Yup, it's Jake.

Remind me who you are? I'd like to vote for a "key" to be posted somewhere with people's real names. I can't keep the monikers straight around here.

[squiddo]

lol, Marc Siddens....F4's friend. I think thats a GREAT idea. mudworm.....someone should get on that!

[joe]

"I'd always though Pinnacles was rated harder than the valley."

Jake, has fatherhood led you to abusing drugs?
do you really believe that?

[Brad Young]

Annual Pinns trip with Harden yesterday and today. Cold like January, but we did well. Two days climbing in Bear Gulch and we saw two other climbers total for two days. I got in two new routes: Agrarian Direct and Gutter. Agrarian Direct isn't as hard as it looks (it looks harder than 10a). I onsighted it and Dave and Gavin (ranger) followed. We all agreed that 10b would be a conservative rating.

Gutter required true crack climbing skills on the traverse. And two attempts on lead - I got totally crossed up on my first try. Had to hang. It protects well until the traverse is done, but it's scary as hell above there. Really scary. Even scary the second time. Only other time I was on Gutter was in 1997 with Mr Mud, the day after I was leading Chunky Monkey and a hold broke. I held on for the redpoint then, but the next day I woke up barely able to move my back. Tried Gutter anyway, but couldn't. Mr Mud was kind enough to lower me off and clean it for me. Took three visits to the chiropractor before I could move right again. Mr Mud will be proud that I got it, but won't be happy with my opinion of the route - one of the bottom 100 routes at Pinns in quality.

Harden led Portent  Right Finish Variation, Sinbad, and Broken Arrow, all onsight. Liked them all. And followed me on Gutter, twice. Didn't like that at all.

As always with Dave, we laughed a lot.

[Jake M.]

Joe,
For some reason I never could fire anything very difficult (for me that's 5.10 and up) at Pinns, but in the Valley I'd throw myself at anything- with much more success. I'm sure it's all mental, but climbing is 100% mental. A typical day for me at Pinns used to go like this: Walk around and wuss out, then lead Swallows crack for the 30th time to "warm up". Have lunch. Walk around some more. Lead the Direct on Monolith, the TR P.O.D. five times and go home. During the same time period I 'd go to the valley and fire much more difficult routes. For me, Pinnacles was harder to get psyched up for.

Now I love Pinnacles and enjoy pushing my limits there. I used to swear off the place- Just ask Factor.

[mynameismud]

Landshark, great post.  Mudworm and I sat here in pain laughing.

Brad,  your right.  I do not agree with your opinion of Gutter.  For what ever reason it is still one of my all time favorite routes.  Perhaps it is all the rat shit, I dunno.  I just like it.  Fun, scary, loose, dirty, heinous rope drag, oh well.