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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Climb Quality - how do you rate it? 12-Sep-2012 At 8:34:24 AM Nick Clow

Message

Kieran

In response to your original post (given the thread seems to be going the usual way), I have always found the star 'system' very relevant not just to the quality, but also the grade of the climb.

The number of stars is very probably going to be indicative of the solidity or sustainedness (for want of a better word) of the route at its grade. In other words, a 3 star 22 is going to have more grade 22 climbing on it than a 1 star 22.

If you talk to someone like Bryden Allen, the stars are a very important component of the grade. You should get on a 3 star climb and expect it to be solid, 'full value', the top of its grade.

With this in mind, I get irritated when three star 'classics' get upgraded in new guidebooks, e.g.
* Black Light (upgraded to 22 in Andy Martin's Frog guidebook) has been one of the definitive 3 star 21s at the crag since the 70s and should always remain so.
* Catch the Wind (upgraded to 22 in Simon Carter's guidebook) has been one of the definitive 3 star 21s in the mountains since the 70s and should always remain so.

I am not sure when the 3 star 'system' first appeared in a guidebook, but it might have been Bede Harrington's seminal Upper Blue Mountains guidebook? This guidebook certainly introduced the symbols of a hand and skull and crossbones (analagous to R and X).