UKC

Found a few miserable climbs lately and started wondering: is clipping into a quick draw at the lower off station the end of a sports route? Anchor on and thread at your leisure, Or is the threading experience part of it?

Ensuite- can you reason, and define a route you really enjoyed and a route you hated? I hate a few and can't explain why.

In reply to zimpara:

For me anything that isn't a crack is a good climb. I tend to enjoy climbs/problems that have dynamics or heel hooks.

In reply to zimpara:

"possible death for both parties" avoided.

Always nice.


I personally like the feeling that I only just got away with completing the climb. If it's well within my abilities it better be a pretty awe inspiring situation. I can feel a huge amount of satisfaction from completing a dodgy wee climb in a disused quarry that hasn't been ticked in an age if ive fought hard and tried hard (equally I can enjoy trying and falling off as long as I've pushed myself)

In reply to zimpara:

A route I really liked would be one which is spectacular, atmospheric, unlikely, on excellent rock, and unbroken - not necessarily sustained difficulty, but no gaps in the climbing. It might have cool moves (but not always). It'll climb an obvious bit of rock by the line of least resistance - it will be inescapable. The setting will be magnificent.

A route I think's crap will be on poor rock, arbitrary and broken. And located in a dump.

In reply to Jon Stewart:


Sustained. Long. Clean. Superb position. Interesting moves. (Best e.g. of these I know - White Slab, Cloggy).

In reply to zimpara:

If I can climb it, it's a good climb. If I can't, it's not. QED

In reply to Jon Stewart:


Couldn't agree more. This is why I seem to get bored of places like Stanage (not because it's a dump, far from it, but because almost everything is escapable, or a little contrived). I think I'm too picky in my choice of routes. If I was less picky I'd find more enjoyable climbs!

Climbing by the line of least resistance, and inescapable. I think that's why I prefer mountains...

In reply to zimpara:


Ummm... You've lost me. What could you possibly gain by way of satisfaction from re-threading a couple of bolts vs what you just did to get to them, it's a trivial bit of ropework best avoided if possible.

Re-threading should always be done while secure, at leisure. I'm assuming I'm reading more into the strange phrasing there than you intended.


Ensuite?

Routes I hate: Generally routes I'd class as dangerous walking, easy moves with poor gear or too many ledges to be safe despite plenty of gear.

Routes I love: Short, steep, aggressive, off balance sections where you're expecting an easier time but find yourself dancing your feet about several times per hand move just to stay with it. Can be the whole micro-route or crux sections of something bigger. That and big easy stuff with views that doesn't feel ledgy or disjointed.

jk

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Agree with all this but my favourite climbs have all had "cool moves" in unlikely situations, where the dividing line between staying on and falling is a fine one!

e.g.

1 - just as my strength was starting to fail, leading the big corner on Centurion, I spotted a half inch nubbin of rock and gratefully bridged my left toe onto it.

2 - similarly failing strength on Vulcan Wall and an amazing jam move to get to easier climbing near the top of the first pitch.

3 - trying to crimp the crux of Billy the Kid, quickly changing tack and getting in another beautiful hand jam!

and many other similar experiences (I seem to have a strange ability to remember moves many years after the event!)

Obviously, I enjoy jamming!

In reply to zimpara:

When the Climb is a fight but it flows and you feel good, that's a good climb.

In reply to coreybennett:

In the Dolomites, my choice is improbably steep or overhanging water-worn pitches, bristling with bomber threads, solid rock, big jugs & hundreds of metres of air sucking at your heels...oh, and any route without any other parties on it lobbing rocks down on you...

In reply to kean:
That does sound like a good climb! Apart from the rock throwing part!
I would love to go to the Dolomites soon!

In reply to NottsRich:


stanage routes are usually quite arbitrary, but the moves are really really cool and the rock is second only to lewisian gneiss. That doesn't beat proper routes on mountains or sea cliffs, but it does make the place wonderful.

In reply to zimpara:

A nice view while threading is always good mate if that's what you're getting at but for me its the rush of the climb, the flow of a climb. It can be personal in a way because a route may flow for one guy but not for another.

For me, how good a route is will be how it makes me feel. As you know I sport climb and it's the completion of a journey of what once was hard, almost impossible, to something that is now possible with the right technique, focus and commitment. A good climb for me is something that taxes all these in the right doses.

In reply to zimpara:

if I some point im thinking oh shit!! oh shit!! oh shit!! and complete the climb I usually really enjoy it more.

In reply to zimpara:

I don't do hard climbs, to me a good climb is a good multi pitch in good situations that doesn't stress me out. Something that makes me feel like I'm 'mountaineering' with all the weather in the uk. That's as much as I have the money and experience to do and I find that it satisfies me.

In reply to zimpara:

The flow makes a big difference to whether I feel good and confident or like a bumbling idiot who's out of my depth. I love to climb multipitch mountain routes with fairly easy climbing,I like the feel of the height because even though the climbing is easy the height adds another dimension/fear factor.but I also like shorter, harder routes too.i don't really enjoy bouldering(spit) problems can't be arsed to try something that many times