Bullethead East (4p, 10c) & Rainy Day Woman (4p, 11b)

[Lurch]

Mike on the Pitch 3 10c middle fingercrack

Nina Hagen Photo

[original gorby]

Thanks so much for the unsolicited beta
you must be such a hardman!

[smallman]

Climbed this again today and found a newly cleaned pitch on the left side at the first belay station. It looks pretty cool. Anyone know what grade this pitch is?

[smallman]

Found out from Harry Young that the newly cleaned leftmost 2nd pitch variation is 10b ish. It looks pretty awesome.

[Fish Boy]

Did anyone find The Gift (first pitch of RDW) kinda hard for 11a? I did.

[Brendan]

Did anyone find The Gift (first pitch of RDW) kinda hard for 11a? I did.

Although I am not one to normally give a specific grade (given my relatively long reach and all), I would say it’s pretty close to the given grade. Think about this climb compared to other .11- finger cracks you’ve done in Squamish and I'm sure you’d agree. The crux (not sure where it was, but we’ll say the part above the piton and the part surmounting the small roof above that) has great feet, and is just a little techy. It’s all there though and more of a head game than anything.
If there were bolts all over that climb I’m sure Harry would have given it .10+

The only sh!tty part is the rope drag - it was miserable, even with long slings everywhere.

[Fish Boy]

Fair enough. The cracks were fine, just the roof bit near the arrow. Friggin spanked me, and I used the good right footer I thought, oh well.

[hafilax]

did it 2 weeks ago before i left for the rockies

excellent climbing but the grading is very soft IMO

p1 - 5.8 make sure you dont traverse too high
p2 - 5.9+ one slightly tricky move at the bulge, perfect gear, watch for drag, very similar to cider crack
p3 - 5.9 for the finger crack, one slightly tricky move
p4 - 5.10- for the finger crack, best pitch, think a more sustained/vertical p2 of skywalker with a finger lock and foot in crack with the right, and a stem/smear with the left

takes from blue TCU to #2 camalot ... extra finger sizes helpful but not needed if youre good with nuts ... #3 camalot can be placed right before the crux of p2 and somewhere on p4 finger crack var, but again not needed

I agree that the route is a bit soft for the grades but I wouldn't go that far. I climbed Arrowroot (the left 10b of Rutabaga and Arrowroot; I always get them confused) immediately after and thought it was of similar difficulty to p2 and p3. I would give them a 10-.

[hafilax]

Isn't 5.9+ sandbagger code for 10b?

[Dru]

I thought the second pitch of Bullethead East was harder than Caboose.

[Lurch]

I disagree Dru. I found Caboose much harder.. Different strokes i guess. Both excellent pitches.

Bearbreeder ya SANDBAGGER!

[hans]

My wife and I climbed Bullethead East last summer, right after a two week trip to the Gunks, and we both thought it was incredibly soft. Gunks 5.9 or 5.9+ at most.

Having climbed it again this summer, I think it's probably reasonable compared to other climbs, though probably overgraded by a letter grade or so. If I had to call it I would say 5.8, 10b, 10a, 10b.

Definitely easier for me than Caboose.