What US grade would you give Grond?

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 poeter210 20 Jan 2020

I've seen all the threads giving UK classics American Grades and vice versa but don't remember seeing this one making it into the discussions despite being pretty splitter for the UK. Anyone care to venture an opinion? I reckon it's 5.10 something but don't have enough experience in that range to say, maybe it's 5.9+.

 Pedro50 20 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

I did Grond in 1980 as Pre-Yosemite training. No giant cams etc. I would compare to the two 5.9 pitches of The Good Book which I led. But it was a long time ago.

Post edited at 15:41
In reply to poeter210:

My guess is that even with cams for pro (we did it with threaded chockstones) it would be 5.10b.

 chris687 21 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

5.10+ in comparison to the 30 or so routes I've done in Indian Creek at a similar grade

 Robert Durran 21 Jan 2020
In reply to chris687:

> 5.10+ in comparison to the 30 or so routes I've done in Indian Creek at a similar grade

5.10a in compoarison with numerous routes I've done in a variety of venues in the US (including Indian Creek).

 Misha 22 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

5.10b, may be c. 

 dan gibson 22 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

5.9+, it's easier than so many classic 5.10s I can think of in places like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Indian Creek. These are the benchmark venues.

1
OP poeter210 22 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

Haha I was being slightly tongue in cheek when I said 5.9+ but yeah my one experience of 5.10b felt like the living end to me, (it was a good thing I'd practiced my aid climbing beforehand) so to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if it was this in the grand scheme of things. Speaking of which can you recommend any classic 5.10 hand cracks in the valley, something like boot flake but on the ground? We've done Reeds Pinnacle Direct but aside from that don't know of many more hands splitters in that range.

OP poeter210 22 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Interesting to see opinions vary from 5.9+ to 5.10+. It's probably best to just assume 5.9+ given how stout the cracks seem in the valley and get practising!

 Andy Moles 22 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

The range of answers from 5.9+ to 5.10+ is a pretty fair reflection of the variability of grades in the US. I've climbed 5.9 in the Valley that felt harder than Grond, and 10+ elsewhere that felt about the same.

 dan gibson 22 Jan 2020
In reply to Andy Moles:

Yosemite is the benchmark, the US grading system is named after it. YDS.

 dan gibson 22 Jan 2020
In reply to poeter210:

Sacherer Cracker, Moby Dick both El Cap base routes.

Midterm at Arch Rock

Lots of good 5.9 to 5.10 at Cookie Cliff

 Robert Durran 22 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

> Yosemite is the benchmark, the US grading system is named after it. YDS.

So everywhere else in the US is undergraded?

 Misha 22 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

But 5.10b in the Creek is a fairly straightforward hand crack, though quite possibly with a bulge or two. I seem to recall Grond is pretty steep at the start before easing off significantly. Clearly a much shorter route but I’d have thought 5.10b is fair compared to the Creek. 

 dan gibson 22 Jan 2020
In reply to Robert Durran:

No I don't think everywhere else is undergraded, just Yosemite is the benchmark.

I certainly think vedauwoo grades are pretty stout. Lots of 5.9 and 5.10a harder than Grond there.

 dan gibson 22 Jan 2020
In reply to Misha:

Yes I agree the Indian Creek hand cracks can feel pretty steady around the 5.10 mark. I guess the Creek isn't the best comparison as it's so unique.

When I said 5.9+ I had Yosemite routes in mind.

 Robert Durran 22 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

> No I don't think everywhere else is undergraded, just Yosemite is the benchmark.

Just most other places then!

 Robert Durran 22 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

> Yes I agree the Indian Creek hand cracks can feel pretty steady around the 5.10 mark. I guess the Creek isn't the best comparison as it's so unique.

True. So unique that any 5.10 can feel desperate until you get used to tyhe style, but then, once you do, they mostly feel pretty straightforward!

 ashtond6 22 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

> Yosemite is the benchmark, the US grading system is named after it. YDS. 

so old school. 

yes YDS was invented there but harder than almost everywhere and you know it  

 dan gibson 23 Jan 2020
In reply to ashtond6:

Doesn't seem fair to tell him it would get 5.10d in Red rocks when it's an old school crack climb we're talking about, and he later asked for Yosemite recommendations.

Tell it like it is...

OP poeter210 23 Jan 2020
In reply to dan gibson:

Haha yeah just to be clear I'm fairly used to the valley ass-kicking and yeah I'm not about to throw myself at some 5.10d then get upset because it's hard, actually the last time we were there me and my partner found 5.7 desperate and then left! I suppose it doesn't help that we knacker ourselves out doing other things beforehand. 

I was actually just interested because I'd like to do more 5.10 cracks but don't really get the chance, I've done one in Orco and a couple when we've been out there but its hardly enough to really get an idea so I was looking to see if there was anything in the UK to benchmark my progress against or even see what a 5.10 hands splitter is like. I've not done Sons of Yesterday as I think I'd probably dog Serenity Crack at the mo. On things like Moby Dick I think the 5.10 is for the finger move at the bottom and the top is 5.9 and the middle pitch of Reeds Pinnacle I think used to get 5.9 but got upgraded for sustainedness so not sure I've really done a proper crack climb at the grade. 

Anyway I'd really like to get out to Indian Creek or Red Rocks sometime so I'm somewhat reassured that I may be able to progress past 5.9 if I go from what people have said.


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