Granite or Sandstone - Which Rocks??

Assume for purpose of purposes, the definitions are broad igneous types to sedimentary types. The best of the best of each -- which is best of natural lines?

S. Platte Granite Rocks, Man!!! Moving from lock to lock with bomber gear and wild friction with crimps; that's my flavor.

1000 feet of sandstone feels like 2000 feet of granite - BLOW ME!

Let me have some friggin love you tower pussies.

What's your soup de jour? (metamorphics can play too)

Sandstone has the best natural lines for me; I love all the hot colors, and if I fall due to poor climbing technique, I can lie, and say a hold broke, and people will believe me.

I seem to remember another quote quite to the contrary. It was in an article in R&I in perhaps the winter of 1996 called Castles Made Of Sand that focused on the towers of the Colorado Plateau.
"If you can't make it good, make it big, and if you can't make it big, make it red."
Can't recall who it was attributed to, but it may have been Scott Baxter, who as I recall it was profiled by the mag as well.
Personally I like both and enjoy their salient qualities. Regardless, I snickered a little. Some people used to granite freak out about their gear on sandstone. And some sandstone users have a hard time climbing granite becuase they can't even "see" the tiny edges and smears, ignoring them for fear of just breaking them off anyway. Such was my first experience at J-tree.

Sandstone all the way, though only on towers - Indian Creek doesn't really do it for me. I don't care as much about the movement of climbing as I do about getting to the top of pointy towers. I'm willing to put up with the sand, the wide cracks, the loose blocks, the 50 year old star dryvins, and the other unpleasantries to get to the top of things.

you can't ever take sandstone for granite

well, big is grand, sandstone or granite....

but my personal favorite for the purely asethetic feel and solid smoothness is the basalt of paradise forks (AZ). with only 80 or so fee, it obviously can't compare to the summit experience of an obscure multi, but those straight up vert cracks, solid and smooth gray rock - it's something to experience. chalk and tape aren't very needed, and seems like there's endless starred 10 routes in those two little canyons.

i spent a coulpe days once, one at the creek and the next down at the forks, and it was quite obvious what the better crack climbing was (IMO, of course).

i know, i know, all the peak baggers and magic carpet summit searchers won't agree, but it's quite a trad climbers paradise that all you crack masters should check out.

What Andrew said!

Brad

Right On, All!

"and if I fall due to poor climbing technique, I can lie, and say a hold broke, and people will believe me." AH! the 1/2 truth of it all; of course, the secret to the other 0.5:

If I pump out on the granite, I can just slam a cam and keep walking it up, no-one would know the difference.

You know what has some really great featured but smooth vertical granite rock? Fremont Canyon in WY.

I agree with all the sandstone lovers, though I do not like the steep sport climbing in sandstone due to bolts pulling out if the rock. Quick story I was at the trophy wall sunday belaying my friend on the trophy when he fell onto the first bolt. Once he was on it I heard the bolt slide. I lowered him to the ground and then yanked on the rope still attached to the bolt and it fell to the ground.

Allen Hill wrote: you can't ever take sandstone for granite

yeah Mark, agreed. Freemont definitely has some good cracks there. Wine and roses is so nice, it might even make a subgrade PF climb!

hahaha.

j/k - that is one great pitch (W&R).

But the sandstone edges at Red Rocks go on forever. And there are lots of cracks too...

rotten grantite sucks almost as much as rotten sandstone. Friction climbing on granite is pretty amazing.

BVB swears the funky rock in the Henry's is the best ever.

That's like asking, Zeppelin or AC/DC.........Gotta say granite for me though, unless we're talkin Eldo, then it's sandstone....crap! Allright, Granite.

Hank Caylor wrote:Gotta say granite for me though, unless we're talkin Eldo

Being formerly a SE sandstone climber I always described Edlo to people there as "T-Wall, stacked 5 high."
Remarkably, having spent 5 years at Purdue, I went north 5h to Devil's lake every summer weekend, and South 5h every fall and winter weekend. Occasional trips were made to Seneca, Twall, New River, etc...
And after coming here and climbing Eldo for years, what Eldo reminded me most of was the New and T-wall. Save for that, it is next closest to Devil's lake. Small square edges, devious cruxes, tiny holds, runouts between placements.

Hmmm.. Springtime in Eldo! Or Devil's Lake, for that matter. It has a place close to my heart. I climbed there last time I was in the area and still enjoyed it.

My hands need to be dabbed periodically as I write. . . blood is gumming up my keyboard - coarse S. St Vrain granite. But I happily dab 'em!
Jamming coarse granite will lead to bleed but jamming sweet sandstone will lead to need. . . . Need to climb more sandstone!
Eldo, Ibex quartzite (sorry Dave S) or desert sand in general (of course I haven't been to Red Rocks - yes, I know I'm a loser). . . sweet, sweet sandstuff.

But then I'm going back to the SSV tomorrow when I could just as easily head to Eldo. Either I'm confused or delirious from all the warm SUNSHINE! Hell, I'd be happy climbing a tree! "Doug-fir or ponderosa - which rocks?"

Yer right Bob, I forgot about the New. That really might be the most perfect crag ever. And both sides seperated by a great BASE jump to boot.

You Trad Bunnies are so silly! Those of us with muscles and a penchant for exotic movement choose LIMESTONE, then Welded Tuft, then Ryolite. Soon later, your silly granite and sandstone. I keep forgetting this site is where evolution has passed by.
Peace Out! :0

Thats nice. Those of us with beer guts and a penchant for exotic views are happy enough the rad boys are elsewhere.

I-Sheet ---- I'm still rolling!! - that's good stuff.

but you forgot a couple of sporto's favorites: plastic and spandex

How bout Barry Manilow vs Wayne Newton?

Wayne, baby!

Face climbing quartzite is like kissin yer sister.