Sunnyside 5.10s

[STeveA]

I have now been to Sunnyside a couple of times, and I must say that it is a great addition to the climbing areas of NB. It is nice to have a sport climbing area to crank off a lot of routes in a short time. I think we should bolt everything at Sunnyside, even the cracks. On my last trip to Rumney it was interesting to see that several of the trad climbs in the guide book are now bolted, and it certainly makes the area more consistant.

I do have a comment about the grades at Sunnyside. I did one 5.10c that felt more like a 5.9. A couple that were in the mid 5.10 range, and one 5.10c that was a solid 5.11a. I would normally put this down to getting old, however there were others at the cliff and they were of the same opinion. Is it a matter of knowing the right sequence, or are the grades still waiting for a general consensus?

On the same note, the grades in Welsford seem to be drifting away from the grades in New Hampshire. Back in the old days we used the New Hampshire grades as our milestone for grading routes in Welsford, and I think we were pretty consistant. However, lately I notice that I can climb harder in New Hampshire than I can at Welsford. Is New Hampshire getting easier, or is Welsford getting harder? How are our grades compared to other areas around the continent?

[Adam]

i'm sure you'll agree that after cleaning a route and knowing the beta it is harder to accurately grade for an onsight as the YDS dictates...

i am sure some of the grades are off at sunnyside. after fighting my way up 'VO2 Max' in kamou this weekend i'm not sure about the grade for Ra... it being a new crag i'm sure some of the grades need tweaking... which routes are you speaking of?

put forth ye grade suggestions and ye shall not be smot (maybe).

[STeveA]

I'll have to look through the New Guide to see what the routes are called.

[Rosie]

I think Black Dwarf might be easier than rated. I think it's rated 10.c or d but I found it more 5.9ish. Mind you that was on top rope. I also found Celestial Motion (10.c) quite a bit harder than I was expecting.

[Fred]

Adam, I don't think you should down play your achievement for red point of Ra. I'm sure if you spent a couple weekends working VO2 Max you'd get it with less effort than it took for Ra. I have climbed 5.12's in Eastern Canada and all over the US and managed to send them with little effort compared to the technical difficulty of Ra. In my opinion...

The only route I can think of at Sunnyside that may be overgraded is Black Dwarf (right of Solaris). But that is because everyone ventures off to the right of the bolts into the big holds when the route was originaly climbed straight up (I think). If you take that line then 5.9+ is more accurate. Otherwise, I think the grades at Sunnyside are pretty accurate compared to other crags around North America.

As far as Welsford goes, there are a number of routes with sandbag grades in my opinion. Mainly in the crimpy face climbs. All of our traditional lines seem to be pretty accurate in grade.

[Adam]

well thanks fred. maybe i was in better shape by that time last year too.

i definitely agree re: black dwarf... we didn't use those holds on the right at the top when we first climbed it and instead kept it on the face on/left of the bolts.... made for a great dyno ...but obviously they're in because you can reach them... so yah, should maybe be 9+/10a...

also not sure about grade for drizzle and thunder over on whether wall... they need some repeat ascents for confirmation.

glad to see and hear the adamsons are making good use of sunnyside.

[Fred]

Adamsons should check out Greenlaw too if they like sport climbing.

[Adam]

I think we should bolt everything at Sunnyside, even the cracks.

i can't believe i missed this my first time reading it...

Steve.... that really u?

[STeveA]

I think we should bolt everything at Sunnyside, even the cracks.

i can't believe i missed this my first time reading it...

Steve.... that really u?

Keep in mind that this statement only applies to Sunnyside. You can teach old dogs new tricks!

[martha]

I agree that Black Dwarf is only 5.9ish. If the dyno were the only option, then 10c for sure. Us shorties however have a pretty hard time with that one given that there are holds to the right within reach of the bolt.

The other 10's that I have been on seemed quite accurate, Entanglement 10c and Quantum Theory 10b, in my opinion.

To answer your question Steve, about if Rumney is easier than it used to be... I think Yes, the newer routes there definately are. The old school runout, bolted on lead kind of routes are hard (scary as crap) grades, but the newer ones are a bit softer.

[Adam]

A couple that were in the mid 5.10 range, and one 5.10c that was a solid 5.11a.

did you take a look to see which ones you thought were sandbagged?

[STeveA]

Black Dwarf was the one I thought was 5.9ish, although I did use the holds to the right. Haven't tried going straight up.

The one that I thought was hard for its grade is on the left end of the wall although I have been told that you are supposed to go off left while I stayed straight up this time. Not sure of the route name. I had a very technical start right off the ground.

[martha]

you might be talking about entanglement...that has a bit of a balancy start to it, but not 5.11 in my opinion. I think that route is a good 10c...but maybe a bit different style of climbing then what we are used to.

[motanb]

To add to the grade uncertainty at sunnyside I hopped on some route at the far left wall (2nd to last climb i think?) which I believe is 5.10. Anyhow, the crux was at the end section... to make a long story short I could not for the life of me figure out the sequence!!! I'm thinking to myself, "holy flowers Thom, you really suck.. its time to lay off the beer!" Whatever this route is, I believe it to be at least 5.11. Last time I grovelled on a climb like that was on "Bearded Cabbage" in J-Tree (and we all know how sandbagged josh is; those of us who have been there of course) and Telefunken back in 95 or some ridiculous time like that.
What is this sandbagged route that rejected my lack-lustre efforts?
Thomas

[martha]

The second last climb is a 5.11- I think... Drizzle? Adam?

[Adam]

What is this sandbagged route that rejected my lack-lustre efforts?

Tom, i think you're referring to Thunder. third from the left end... i think you and corey were on it one day i was up there. yah, i think we might have said 5.10+ originally but after repeating, i definitely feel it's 5.11/+. beauty route. you pretty much are forced onto that mono at the crux. it used to be second bolted route from the end but i've been up and finished drizzle to its left. another keeper.

[Adam]

The one that I thought was hard for its grade is on the left end of the wall although I have been told that you are supposed to go off left while I stayed straight up this time. Not sure of the route name. I had a very technical start right off the ground.

yah sounds like entanglement. at the third bolt i break left a couple feet, but straight up that slopey madness would be much harder. i would give the route 10d after repeating a few times, but again, hard to grade for the onsight when you've cleaned it and climbed it.

[Dom]

Hello where is this Sunnyside crag? I'm really interested to see it. How many bolted routes are there and in wich range are they??
Sport climbing in N-B...I like...

[martha]

Sounds like you need to buy a guidebook.... The Radical Edge will mail you one ya know.

SunnySide is in Welsford, not far from Cochrane lane. Without looking in my guidebook, I'd say about 20+ routes with more going up all the time. Pretty fun climbing too.

[Dom]

I did buy one 2 summers ago... I don't recall seeing anything about sunnyside...
It's a my dad's house in Moncton though so I guess I'll check it out at X-Mas time...

[Adam]

Hello where is this Sunnyside crag? I'm really interested to see it. How many bolted routes are there and in wich range are they??
Sport climbing in N-B...I like...

check this thread

[martha]

I did buy one 2 summers ago... I don't recall seeing anything about sunnyside...
It's a my dad's house in Moncton though so I guess I'll check it out at X-Mas time...

The NEW Guidebook... just out summer 07. Has all of the areas in NB for climbing.

Lots of sport climbing in St. Andrews too by the way.