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Post by jrblack on Nov 12, 2017 21:56:08 GMT -7
I guess this isn't really a straightforward question, but I'd love to hear from people on how they choose a project route?! Let's limit it to short stuff (boulders and sport routes, in fact) since things like "Free climb the Salathe" is a different category from what I'm imagining right now. So taking sport routes as a canonical example, I suppose you think about things like: 1) Grade 2) Style (steepness, types of holds, balancy or not, footwork required, etc.) 3) Injury potential 4) Season 5) Convenient access I am tending toward steep routes because that's my strength. Do you ever force yourself to choose a route that emphasizes your weakness (say, a slab with highly technical feet? Or maybe an OFFWIDTH!! Ha!) Do you have routes on your list for every performance season? I'm projecting 5.11 right now, so I don't think of "season" as meaning that much. Having the right humidity isn't going to matter that much if my fingers are just too weak to pull on a 1/4" edge.  Edited to Add: Mark had a great explanation of how he chose Shadowboxing as a project. That was really helpful and insightful. But his constraints were really severe since there aren't a ton of 9a's in Colorado to begin with. I don't think I'll ever have that problem... there are plenty of 5.11's and 5.12's around here. |
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Post by aikibujin on Nov 12, 2017 23:21:57 GMT -7
Mark and I were just talking about this a couple of days ago, since I just picked out my first mega project to work on. For a mega project, something that will take many many days of work to send, the location of the route is probably the biggest consideration for a weekend warrior like me. It's best to pick a route you can get to easily (your number 5), preferably year-round (your number 4), so you can get on it as often as you can. Something you can't get to half of the year (for example: Devil's Head), or something that requires 45 minutes of uphill bushwacking to get to (the Bunker?), will be really hard to work on. Even if you have the psych, it's hard to find partners that are willing to put in the same amount of effort to get there just to hold your deadweight on the other end of the rope half of the time...
Also, I like to pick quality routes to project. It doesn't make sense to project something that's horrible to climb. The quality rating on MP is a good place to start, but take it with a grain of salt, some areas frequently visited by new climbers will have overly rated routes (Canal Zone? High Wire?). Personal preference and style is important too. I generally pick styles I like to project (so no 5.12 slabs for me!), although sometimes I will climb a slab to work on my weaknesses.
If you're looking for 5.11s to do, here are some of my favorite 11s in the Front Range:
Ddong Chim and the Opportunist in Staunton State Park
Walking with a Ghost (the only 5.11 I liked at Canal Zone), Curvaceous, Reefer Madness, Skippin' Stones, Officer Friendly, Hot Dog in Clear Creek
No Passion for Fashion, I Claudius, Number One Super Guy at Shelf Road
Fintastic, Devil Dog, the Devil's Own Stone, Chromosphere at Devil's Head
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Post by jetjackson on Nov 12, 2017 23:24:45 GMT -7
Grade - i.e. is it a project - will it be a challenge? Stars - if you're going to project a route, make it a good one. Style and bolt spacing- for me, if it's at my limit - sport, also I'll be looking at the bolt spacing, how run out is it in certain sections, does it carry a risk rating PG, R etc. if it carries a risk rating, I'll only consider it if it's below my regular onsight. Convenient access - some projects I've got my eye on because they are close to parking area and are on the approach in/out of crag so I can always through a couple of beta burns on the end of a day of taking friends/wife to areas that interest them. Other routes nearby - is there something nearby that my wife could project, or enough to keep her interested to come back multiple times. Sub wife with belay partner. I have a goal tick-list that is a kind of progression up through the grades to my longer term goal (2-3Y) to climb Eye of the Tiger, a classic 5.13b. vimeo.com/141369101 |
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Post by jrblack on Nov 13, 2017 7:48:25 GMT -7
Mark and I were just talking about this a couple of days ago, since I just picked out my first mega project to work on. Care to share what you chose? Thanks for this! Eldorado Canyon: My closest crag is Eldo (15 mins) but there aren't a lot of sport routes. Sunset Blvd (https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105756595/sunset-boulevard) is probably the only 5.11 that's almost a sport route and quite easy to get to. Your Mother (https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105752083/your-mother) is just above Sunset and definitely a sport route, but at 12d, it's never going to be possible for me. There isn't much else in Eldo that's bolts, honestly... I still have goals there, but they're trad goals and not on my radar right now. Boulder Canyon: This is pretty close for me as well, but I don't know much about the place and I've never climbed there. Country Club Crack (trad) looks pretty cool. Flatirons: The only 5.11s-12s I know of are on Der Zerkle and Dinosaur Mtn. Touch Monkey looks amazing (https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105755617/touch-monkey) and I'll probably get on this pretty soon. Dinosaur Mtn has a few 5.12- through 13a routes that are considered high-quality, including Patience Face (12a), which my buddy Bill Wright just sent. That's out of my range for now. Clear Creek Canyon:About 30 mins to the canyon from my house, so still not bad at all. I tend to avoid crowds there (the last time I was at High Wire there were over 20 people, 4 dogs, a boom box, someone was smoking, dog shit at the base that someone else failed to clean up, etc), and it's gotten to the point that many of the areas are overrun now, even on weekdays. I've never been to Canal Zone (always looks crowded). Reefer Madness looks amazing (but I've never seen it open...always parties on it). Officer Friendly looks like a ton of fun (or Hanging Judge, which is longer and 11b instead of 11c). I don't know the other 11s you name, but I'll check them out. I think my first 12a project in Clear Creek will be Power Trip (Anarchy Wall) or Balkan Dirt Diving (Sports Wall). Also, there are several areas in Clear Creek that involve a 10-15 min walk and that tends to clear out the crowds. And there are good routes! For example, Irok or New Hipster has some nice-looking 11s and 12s that no one ever visits. And there are more crags like this all over the canyon. Because I climb at weird hours, often last-minute, I usually climb alone. That means traxxing routes a lot in order to learn the moves, then I need to scrounge a belay to send them. Sometimes I skip the last step and just "tick" the route once I can TR solo it... we're all just climbing for our own reasons anyway, right? --- I'll have to check out Shelf and Devil's Head some day... they are a bit further for me. |
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Post by jrblack on Nov 13, 2017 7:49:21 GMT -7
I have a goal tick-list that is a kind of progression up through the grades to my longer term goal (2-3Y) to climb Eye of the Tiger, a classic 5.13b. vimeo.com/141369101 That Eye of the Tiger looks amazzzzzzing. So I just need to climb 2 number grades harder and then fly to Australia? |
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Post by scojo on Nov 13, 2017 9:08:46 GMT -7
Boulder Canyon: This is pretty close for me as well, but I don't know much about the place and I've never climbed there. Country Club Crack (trad) looks pretty cool. Here are some of my favorites in the 11 range (sport only): Free Willie (11a), Sleepless in Boulder (11b), Animal Magnetism (11c), Strange Science (11c) Definitely recommend Touch Monkey |
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Post by aikibujin on Nov 13, 2017 11:22:34 GMT -7
Care to share what you chose? I don't see why not. It has been climbed by 10-year-old girls, and probably a warmup for some. It's Sonic Youth in Clear Creek. It's probably right at my limit, or probably slightly above it. I've done all the individual moves on the route over three hangdogging sessions, but putting everything together will be really hard! |
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Post by scojo on Nov 13, 2017 12:15:50 GMT -7
Care to share what you chose? I don't see why not. It has been climbed by 10-year-old girls, and probably a warmup for some. It's Sonic Youth in Clear Creek. It's probably right at my limit, or probably slightly above it. I've done all the individual moves on the route over three hangdogging sessions, but putting everything together will be really hard! Hey, do you happen to need partners for Sonic Youth? I've been eyeing it for a while and was thinking it would be a good (probably long term) project for me (I haven't tried it yet). |
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Post by aikibujin on Nov 13, 2017 14:10:46 GMT -7
Hey, do you happen to need partners for Sonic Youth? I've been eyeing it for a while and was thinking it would be a good (probably long term) project for me (I haven't tried it yet). Not in the short term. I'm always complaining that I don't get out enough, but the few days I can get outside and climb I can usually drag a belayer down to the deep, dark, snowy hole that is the New River Wall. But thanks for the offer, if I ever find myself in a position in need a partner, I'll let you know! You should go check it out if you can, it's a really fun route. Maybe we will run into each other. |
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Post by jrblack on Nov 13, 2017 17:27:39 GMT -7
Well, if either of you ever wants a catch on that thing, let me know. Sonic is one of my 3 life-time goals, but I don't think I'll get it now (age 55). I'm still hoping I can get 12+ though... maybe 10-Digit Dialing. But one step at a time. GL on Sonic, man. |
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Post by aikibujin on Nov 14, 2017 7:06:51 GMT -7
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Post by jrblack on Nov 14, 2017 7:16:13 GMT -7
Sonic is one of my 3 life-time goals, but I don't think I'll get it now (age 55). Well if that's what you think it will probably be true! Obviously they are exceptional climbers, but I wonder if they can climb at those grades if they started out thinking, "I don't think I'll climb 5.13s now that I'm __". I realize that I may be sabotaging myself with self-doubt. But I think it's ok (for my psychology). For example, I'm redpointing around 5.11a right now and I'm pretty sure that I can get to 12a if I keep training and stay uninjured. And if I get to 12a, I'll probably start thinking 12c is attainable. But at some point it has to stop. For example I'm 100% sure I won't be climbing 15a in my lifetime. But I wouldn't say 100% for 13a. I'm just taking one step at a time. One of the Anderson brothers was asked by Neely Quinn to name something they were proud of doing. I think it was Mark (?) who said, "Climbing 13a. Because back when we started climbing 5.14 was the top of the grade, so we never thought we'd be able to climb that grade, or anywhere close to it." And of course they both reached 5.14+ eventually, despite neither of them believing it was possible. So I'm in the same boat: I don't really think it's attainable for me, but I'll change that assessment if I get reliably into the 12's in a few years. |
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