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best area at Rumney

Original Post
patrick donahue · · Bend, OR · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 493

so im heading up to Rumney this weekend with a friend who is new to leading and climbs up to 5.9 pretty solid. what would be the best area at rumney to take him to for leading anything areound 5.8 and under? what are some good climbs i should have him try?

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090
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The Meadows and the Parking Lot walls have a lot of sub 5.9 climbs. Being close to the cars and in the grade, they tend to be very crowded. Some (mostly on the left side of the Meadows aka Shreddows)are basically steep cheese grater slabs, that don't appeal to me so much, but plenty of people enjoy them. I like the ones more to the right further to the right and into the Parking Lot wall. Get there as early as possible and then move on as the crowds approach if they bother you.
Shealyn's Way 5.7 and Chloe's Breakfast Special 5.8 are two good, long and and fairly steep heavily bolted routes right near each other at the Parking Lot Wall with a 5.9 between them. I like Curly for Presidentfor a 5.8+ there a lot too.

If you head up to the Armed and Dangerous area (left side of the Main Cliff), there are some nice 5.7 and 8s with nearby harder routes if you are a mixed ability party. Move left towards Venus Wall and you will pass some more good moderates as easy as 5.4. From there it is easy to keep taking the trail west and up to the upper Darth Vader or Bonsai if things are going easily and they want to try a steep 9 or easy 10.

Another tour could be the Jimmy Cliff and Triple Corners, passing below Waimea on the walk, to get some inspiration to work to climb harder later

edit: to change Dead Sea Equestrian to Curly for Pres.
nrd · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

the parking lot wall was where I first learned to lead:
mountainproject.com/v/the-p…

it has a lot of climbs for a beginner, but it is often very crowded

ErikaE · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 5

If you don't mind the hike, Jimmy Cliff has a really nice 5.8+, Junco. A friend of mine who is learning to lead hiked it the last time we were up there. If memory serves, there's an easy 5.7 climb nearby too.

Have fun!

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090

Junco is really nice, but maybe not the easiest 5.8 for a new leader. At the top, make sure to not allow the rope to get caught in the crack. You usually notice it after climbing above the bolt above the crack so can't flip it out without down climbing. It is a pain, but I couldn't figure how to bolt it so it wouldn't happen sometimes when I retroed it, withought having really close bolts or none there. If you pay attention and I think use a short draw it will keep it out.

GnarthVader · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 105

I agree that Junco is a) a great route and b) might not be best for a new leader. I found it to be interesting and not so straight forward, which is what made it fun and challenging. The 5.7 nearby is probably The Nut Hatch. It is just to the left of Junco in a chimney. Both are fun, but Junco is a much better route.

S. Neoh · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 35

IMHO, Hippos on Parade at The Meadows and Metamorphosis at A&D Wall (as long as he is comfortable with the runout to the 1st bolt) fit your bill. I also heard that Curly For President at The Parking Lot Wall is excellent but, sadly, I've never been on it. [Update 07/20: Did Curly for President this past weekend; good but not the best 8+ at Rumney to me.]

How about stepping it up a bit and try Obiwan and Yoda?

Another possibility fo 5.9 is War and Peace at Bonsai but please stick clip the 1st bolt just to be safe.

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090

Oops, I meant Curly for Pres too Soon, not Dead Sea. It is a nice long sport pitch and the steeper pocketed finish was a very pleasant surprise when I first did it. How did Shimmie find that before I did, and right by the road?

Obiwan actually has a spot when you have pulled out of the steep where if you blew your clip you might hit the deck. We were going to test it with a watermellon in a harness, but never got around to it.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
M Sprague wrote:Oops, I meant Curly for Pres too Soon, not Dead Sea. It is a nice long sport pitch and the steeper pocketed finish was a very pleasant surprise when I first did it. How did Shimmie find that before I did, and right by the road? Obiwan actually has a spot when you have pulled out of the steep where if you blew your clip you might hit the deck. We were going to test it with a watermellon in a harness, but never got around to it.
No need to test... I've seen the final result.
Brandon Willsie · · Exeter, RI · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 20

Junco is totally worth doing and the consensus amongst circle of climbing buddies is that it's the best 5.8 at Rumney. For my money though Curly for President should take that prize. Also as has been mentioned before Parking Lot Wall and Meadows have a great concentration of 5.8 and under.

If you're going to hike up to Jimmy Cliff (and the hike through Darth Vader and Waimea is worth the time to see some purty steep stone) then you might head over to the left to warm up on some easier stuff like Piece of Cake (5.5) Things You Should Have Learned in Kindergarten (5.6) and Teachers Pet (5.7+) before moving to the right hand side and hitting up The Nuthatch (5.7) and The Junco (5.8).

The left side also has a cool 5.9 (Things I Never Learned) where the crux comes within the first 2 bolts so definitely stick clip if 5.9 is your limit and you love your ankles.

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
Morgan Patterson wrote: No need to test... I've seen the final result.
Thanks for sharing the results with all of us.

Not!
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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