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Minimal gear routes in the Gunks

Original Post
take TAKE · · Tempe, AZ · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 186

Taking a partner out tomorrow with just my single rack tomorrow. I wanna take him up a moderate multipitch. Are there any moderates that dont need lots of gear/gear anchors? Trees and bolts? Any suggestions appreciated. Ill run stuff out if i have to.

Connor FM · · Bowlder, CO · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 186

Limelight, 3 Doves, Arrow, and Annie-Oh are all right next to each other and work with a single rack.

christopher adams · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 0

Let's see..

As long as your comfortable with short runouts and fixed pins, you can get up disney land with maybe 4 peices of gear and 7 quickdraws.. just make sure to bring a few small cams.

I remember doing horseman in two pitches with a single rack, probably wouldn't link with a single though.

You could do fingerlocks/cedar box (takes a variety of hand to finger sized gear and you can back clean or bounce a cam as needed) and link up to the end of triple bulges.

Honestly I think i've climbed most of the classics at the gunks with a single rack.. I've only ever owned doubles of .5, .75, and number 1 cams and barely ever use both.

Good luck, have fun and stay safe!

Rob D · · Queens, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 30

Thin Slabs Direct is my favorite 5.7ish and the last pitch probably needs like, three cams because it's protected by a series of pins. First pitch is a pretty easy finger crack that will take whatever finger sized gear you throw at it.
You can even split it up into three pitches very easily if you don't want to link the 5.7 and the short 5.4

Kevin Heckeler · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 1,616

Frogshead in 2 pitches, chains for the first belay and if you go right at the GT ledge you can use the chains up there as well. Just make sure to put a piece in at the top/directional before heading right.

Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480

Betty has trees for anchors

Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270

I don't think we used more than a single rack for the Gerdies

Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781

Snooky's is basically an all-nuts route. Easy to get by with a single set of cams there.

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

Without some idea of what level you're comfortable leading, it's an exercise in futility to suggest specific routes. Realize that there are folks who climb here for years with nothing more than a "single rack". Also that what one leader calls "moderate" will have a less-capable/experienced leader soiling his pants. So my only suggestion would be to stick with G rated routes within your comfort zone. And don't run pitches together.

PS Hit the R&S Annex for a few extra pieces of your favorite gear, or to fill gaps in your current rack.

Kevin Heckeler · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 1,616

For some routes having double .5-2 C4 is good. As you had originally posted, it's usually when needing to build an anchor having leftover gear is important. It's probably less than 50% of the time on the routes I climb I'm using more than one of a piece on the rack per pitch. Knowing what the anchor situation will be before you get on the route would IMO be more valuable than what extra pieces you actually carry. If you know the anchor is gear you can just change your protection strategy on the route (using more nuts/draws, saving the cams for the anchor/vice-versa, back cleaning, etc). [I find it fun linking pitches on easier routes, so I use that as practice for doing rope length routes elsewhere and getting the most out of our modest rack, in case you were wondering where my experience comes from]

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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