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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 13, 2007 - 03:50pm PT
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I was wondering what some other climbers might say are the best hand sized cracks around?
My votes:
3rd pitch of Hotline- a superb 5.10b thin hands gem in a plumb vertical wall The 4th pitch is also superb 5.9 hands too!
3rd pitch of the Gripper - a nice but slightly grainy 5.9, not quite vertical but has a good tilt to it.
Five & Dime - 5.10d - not a pure hand crack but a nice outing nonetheless.
I''l try to think of others but what so others think?
Levy
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Aug 13, 2007 - 03:53pm PT
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Best anywhere...or just Yosemite? It's hard to beat the desert for hand cracks.
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Matt
Trad climber
always on the lookout for ed's 5.10 OW van
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Aug 13, 2007 - 03:53pm PT
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sons of yesterday ain't half bad
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 13, 2007 - 04:37pm PT
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Anywhere they are Melissa but Yosemite seems to have more that I can think of. The desert seems to have more thin and thin-hand cracks. I can only think of a couple of pure hand cracks in the desert & I would not classify them as stellar(Ultimate Hand Crack- aka Sedimentary Journey, Chocolate Corner). I do recall the 1st pitch of North Face route on Castleton Tower is good too but had fists & thin hands as well so I hesitate to quality it as a pure hand crack.
Fancy Free in the Needles is good too, mostly hands I seem to recall.
I can't think of any in Joshua Tree that would qualify, but perhaps I'm forgetting something obvious.
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Maysho
climber
Truckee, CA
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Aug 13, 2007 - 04:46pm PT
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For position, sinker jam factor, and overall classic points, I think it is hard to beat the first half of the Stovelegs, especially if you traverse in low.
I sometimes forget who is who handle wise around here. I think you are Bill yes? If so, dude, how did Jolly Roger go? It was great seeing you, Eric and Mo at the base in june.
Peter
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Aug 13, 2007 - 04:54pm PT
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I've never thought of thin hands as not being hands...and I couldn't even try to pic a favorite of those at Indian Creek. Soooo much so good. Probably we draw the line in different places for what makes a hand thin...or a fist.
The most continuous hand crack that I recall in Yosemite was about 240 feet of #2 camalots IIRC on Silent Line.
Two of my favorites in the yellow/blue size (very similar to each other) are Sacherer Cracker and p1 of Vendetta but like nearly all climbs in Yosemite they make you do more than that one special thing. I climb them with as many fists as hands...Probably true for 5 and dime too.
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handsome B
Gym climber
SL,UT
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Aug 13, 2007 - 04:55pm PT
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I'm kinda partial to this one . . .
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Aug 13, 2007 - 04:55pm PT
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High Plains Drifter in the North GUlly in Squamish
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Aug 13, 2007 - 04:59pm PT
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Just to mix it up, and to offset the ST YNP bent,-- Isaiah at the oak creek overlook. Great hands with a great view.
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snyd
Sport climber
Lexington, KY
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Aug 13, 2007 - 05:05pm PT
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I agree with Levy, third pitch Hotline.
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caughtinside
Social climber
Davis, CA
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Aug 13, 2007 - 05:11pm PT
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Some fun ones I've done
reed's direct, although the crack is so funky in there it doesn't feel like 'pure' hands. Whatever that means.
3rd pitch of the Gripper. Wowzer! and bring an extra large cam. Double Wowzer if you didn't (like me.)
I did Super Chicken on Medlicott the other day and that one was really fun. Plenty of knobs for feet to work with on the face though.
And the first really fun handcrack i did way back when is that 5.8 hands single pitch in the Falls amplitheater. Not in the guide anymore but I think it's called Superhands?
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Aug 13, 2007 - 05:16pm PT
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I've heard the first (or second?) pitch of the West Butt. of El Cap is all time super extra classic. Can anyone corroborate? It's a long walk for one good pitch!
Jo Jo is excellent splitterdom too.
How can we pick which is best? The thought of each of them is making me 'homesick' for Yosemite!
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Aug 13, 2007 - 05:19pm PT
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Here in the east Reppy's Crack is hard to beat.About 120 feet of pure hands on purrrrrrfect white granite and only 5.8 !!!
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Aug 13, 2007 - 05:22pm PT
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This one is ok...hands to fists
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Mark
climber
bend, oregon
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Aug 13, 2007 - 06:23pm PT
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love jo jo!
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Aug 13, 2007 - 06:33pm PT
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sometime crack at devil's lake-- only 40 feet but an old gill problem so if done authentically, it's more than tall enough. 110 degrees, glassy smooth, parallel, big jugs at the top. wish it went on forever.
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Anastasia
Trad climber
California
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Aug 13, 2007 - 07:01pm PT
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The ones that have a nice face climb on the side so you can skip that whole hand jam silliness.
Remember, I did learn most of my climbing at Stoney which is more friction climbing than anything else.
AF
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Matt
Trad climber
always on the lookout for ed's 5.10 OW van
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Aug 13, 2007 - 07:10pm PT
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no hand cracks in the desert?
uhhhhhhhhhhh, huhh, did he jsut say that?
really?
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WBraun
climber
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Aug 13, 2007 - 07:24pm PT
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No No No
you got it all wrong
The "Crimson Cringe"
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 13, 2007 - 08:10pm PT
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Werner is right, how could I have forgotten the Cringe, one of the best cracks I've done anywhere, super, splitter& proud!
Matt - like what, let's hear some names of the better ones.
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