Best Gunks climbs of every grade...what's your opinion?

Obviously this is just a subjective opinion question without a definitive answer. My local crag is the Gunks and my favorite thing about it is the excellent climbs of every grade. Here is my list of some great climbs at each grade...I bet yours is different and so is the next person's. Let's compare and maybe even learn about new climbs!

* I have only led up to 5.9 at the Gunks, but based on photos, videos and friends beta I included routes (5.10-5.14) on the list.

5.1 - Silly Chimney
5.2 - Easy O
5.3 - Betty
5.4 - Belly Roll
5.5 - Horsemen
5.6 - High Exposure
5.7 - CCK
5.8 - Son of Easy O
5.9 - Bonnie's Roof
5.10 - Doubleissma
5.11 - Yellow Wall
5.12 - Bone Hard
5.13 - Ozone
5.14- Brozone

You've sampled the many 5.14s and Brozone was your favorite?

That's a fine list but high exposure is not the best 5.6!

B CS wrote: You've sampled the many 5.14s and Brozone was your favorite?

That's a fine list but high exposure is not the best 5.6!

Sounds like somebody got sketched out on The Move and feels the need to downplay High E. Like it or not, the money pitch is the best 5.6 pitch in NY

Ben Molloy wrote:

Sounds like somebody got sketched out on The Move and feels the need to downplay High E. Like it or not, the money pitch is the best 5.6 pitch in NY

The numbers don’t lie on its popularity 

I don’t know what that means, I’m reading 3.8 stars on over 1000 votes, on a 4 star scale

Forgettable first pitch and one cool move on the second pitch. High E is an amazing climb but I'd also argue that its not the best 5.6 at the Gunks. I'd argue that a climb like Madame G's for example is more fun and for a longer period of time.

Who would have guessed that picking the best 5.6 at the gunks could be so controversial?!

I personally felt like all of the climbing on the last pitch was, while straightforward, still fun and not to mention it has the best view and exposure in the gunks. Being able to watch the wall fall off over your left shoulder is always an awesome feeling.

PS can we get a vote for something interesting for the 7, ive  always loved that climb and while not as scenic or “classic” as others, the climbings awesome and unlike most easy gunks climbs, there’s actually a few “crack climbing” moves on it

high e is awesome if you do it with directissima. i agree the high e first pitch is bleh. sometimes id go up the mid wall and then traverse right into the directissima arete. directissima pitch 1 i can do without. the 9+ traverse and up to the ledge on the arete is nice. the easy arete is just amazing following the corner up. that paired with the top pitch of h/e makes an amazing climb, so even traversing in right to it starting on the bottom of high e probably still keeps it at 5.6 making an unforgettable climb.

ive done twilight zone on aid, and free climbed a lot of the moves across the roof traverse, just because.......when i was aiding i kept thinking to myself, why just hang across it with aiders when freeing it looks like so much more fun......so yay for french free.....

hats off to you if youve freed brozone and ozone.....

NYclimber085 Rad wrote: Obviously this is just a subjective opinion question without a definitive answer. My local crag is the Gunks and my favorite thing about it is the excellent climbs of every grade. Here is my list of best climbs by grade...I bet yours is different and so is the next person's. Let's compare and maybe even learn about new climbs!

5.1 - Silly Chimney
5.2 - Easy O
5.3 - Betty
5.4 - Belly Roll
5.5 - Horsemen
5.6 - High Exposure
5.7 - CCK
5.8 - Son of Easy O
5.9 - Bonnie's Roof
5.10 - Doubleissma
5.11 - Yellow Wall
5.12 - Bone Hard
5.13 - Ozone
5.14- Brozone

5.3 Betty and 5.4 Belly slant toward funny wide moves.

At 5.3 Three Pines is very nice.At 5.4 Bunny and YYYY are more to my taste.  YYYY has some lesser sections but the best of it are better than the best of Belly.
Curious if folks who have climbed at Bonticou, Millbrook or Sky Top will throw our some less climbed routes. 

My 2c...

5.4 - Gelsa
5.6 - Madame G's
5.10 - FCD for me, but take your pick really
5.12 - Supercrack

Doesn't Ozone go at 14a? How about Intruders for .13

5.6 - Madame G's
5.8 - Arrow
...
5.14 -  Laurel

Honestly why cant we pick Madam Gs AND High E?  That's my vote.  

Maybe we can answer Ward's question by acknowledging that High E is really 5.7!!!!!, but then what happens to CCK?

Alan Rubin wrote: Maybe we can answer Ward's question by acknowledging that High E is really 5.7!!!!!, but then what happens to CCK?

True, but in the gunks that route would only be 5.5.

(I know, I know ...)

Picking a best 5.10 at the gunks might be like picking your favorite kid (disclaimer i only have 1 kid but i hear it hard when you have more then one).  Doubleissima is really good, but theres fat city direct, anything on the mac wall, ridic, nurses aid, trans con and on and on.  Just goes to show you that there 5.10 is such an amazing grade at the gunks and there may be no wrong answer to what is the best 5.10.

Alan Rubin wrote: Maybe we can answer Ward's question by acknowledging that High E is really 5.7!!!!!, but then what happens to CCK?

CCK’s status won’t be threatened if we stop pretending high e is sandbagged...

Ward Smith wrote: Honestly why cant we pick Madam Gs AND High E?  That's my vote.  

Let’s split hairs. Madam G 5.6 and High E 5.6+. 

Now We need a 5.6- .  Frog’s Head? Rhododendron gets fewer stars.   Can a one pitch route be considered best in the grade in the Gunks?

Rodedenderon is rather  non descript. Its only redeeming factor being its an easy solo.  for 5.6 its got to be  High E, Shockleys or madam Gs. I remember Yellow wall ? in the nears. A Wisner 5.7 with a wide crack start and then a long traverse left to a roof finish as being a great 5.7? 

Nick Goldsmith wrote: Rodedenderon is rather  non descript. Its only redeeming factor being its an easy solo.  for 5.6 its got to be  High E, Shockleys or madam Gs. I remember Yellow wall ? in the nears. A Wisner 5.7 with a wide crack start and then a long traverse left to a roof finish as being a great 5.7? 

Think you mean yellow ridge.  Yellow wall is a tad bit harder then 5.7.  But yes Yellow Ridge is a fine 5.7.