Bas van Fraassen

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(Colorado June 2014)

A new pursuit ... trapeze.

I have not gotten very far with it, but it's exciting ...

Some of My Favorite Climbs

"Favorite" is a bit ambiguous ... I am thinking here of trad and sport leads that I found initially terrifying -- but remember now with pleasure. I'm not listing all of them: after all there are some that everybody loves anyway.

                  For a while I did not climb so much; I've added some routes now with the year when I got to them.

(The grades, all moderate, are American; thus "5.10a" is equivalent for example to French "6a".

But most are trad: no bolts!))

Yosemite

    [in order of the book, starting on the El Capitan end]
  • Moby Dick Center 5.10a
  • Dynamic Doubles 5.9
  • Jamcrack Route 5.7, 5.9
  • Church Bowl Tree 5.10a, 5.10b
  • Bishop's Terrace 5.8
  • Peruvian Flake 5.10a
  • Arete Butler 5.10a
  • Crest Jewel 5.10a -- the whole thing!
  • I loved some on the Glacier Apron,
    like Grack Marginal 5.9
    but for quite a while they were not accessible, due to rock fall
  • Middle Cathedral, East Buttress 5.9
  • Central Pillar of Frenzy, 5.9
          (Not pitch 1! but pitches 2-5)
  • Makayla's Climb 5.9 (2011)

Tuolumne

  • Hermaphrodite Flake 5.4
  • The Boltway 5.8 (2017)
  • Eunuch 5.7
  • Dike Route 5.9
  • Golfers Route 5.7 (2016)
  • Cathedral Peak SE Buttress 5.6
  • Fairview Dome Regular Route 5.9
    (followed in 1992 on my second day ever climbing;
    led odd numbered pitches in 2002)
  • Great Circle 5.10a
  • Matthes Crest ... hmmmm ....
  • Cheeseburger & Beer 5.8 (2010)
  • Hobbit Book 5.7 (great 3rd p.!) (2010)

Joshua Tree

  • White Lightning 5.7
  • Dog Leg 5.8
  • Double Cross 5.7
  • Headstone Rock SW Corner 5.6
  • Headstone Rock Cryptic 5.8
  • Walk on the Wild Side 5.7+
  • Driving Limitations 5.8
  • Only Outlaws Have Guns 5.9
  • Exfoliation Confrontation 5.9

Pinnacles

  • Portent 5.6
  • Ordeal 5.8
  • Wet Kiss 5.9
  • Stupendous Man 5.10a
  • Jorge's Crack 5.10a
  • Thrill Hammer 5.8
  • Sound Chaser 5.10a
    West: The Flume
  • Bits 'n Pieces 5.9 (2011)
  • Rebecca's Sailing 5.9 (2011)

Gunks

    [Trapps, in order of book, starting Ueberfall end;
    Near Trapps afterward;
    with Dick Wiliams rating]
  • Red Cabbage 5.9-
  • Laurel 5.7
  • Classic 5.7
  • Son of Easy O 5.8
  • City Lights 5.7
  • Drunkard's Delight 5.8-
  • Strictly From Nowhere 5.7
  • Something Interesting 5.8
  • Snooky's Return 5.8
  • Hawk 5.4+ [or 5.4Psycho?]
  • Middle Earth 5.7-
  • Arrow 5.8
  • Cascading Crystal Kaleidoscope 5.8
  • High Exposure 5.6+
  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  • Disneyland 5.6
  • Yellow Ridge 5.7

Red River Gorge

  • Kampsite 5.9
  • Face Up To That Crack 5.8-
  • Brother Stair 5.9
  • Lord of the Flies 5.9
  • Danger Mouse 5.8
  • Chem Stud 5.10a
  • Creature Feature 5.9

France

    [by place name]
  • Chateauvert
    • La Femme Fatale 5c
    • Koksinal 6a
  • Le Verdon
    • Les Dalles Grises 5c
    • Afin Que Nul Ne Meurt, 6a
  • Ailefroide
    • Orage d'Etoiles V+

Potrero Chico, Mexico

  • Joe's Garage 5.9
  • Babylon Sister 5.9+
  • Jungle Mountaineering 5.9
  • Mr. Patacki 5.9+
  • This Dog's Life 5.10a
  • Caguama Queen 5.9

Red Rocks

  • Dark Shadow 5.8 (2011)

Lovers Leap

  • Just Acquaintances 5.6 (2010)
  • Corrugation Corner 5.7 (2010)
  • Surrealistic Pillar 5.7 (2011)
  • Hogwild 5.7 (2011)
  • East Crag 5.8 (2011)

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