Breaking into 5.6 trad in the front range.

percious wrote:Lookout Mountain crag has a couple of easier climbs that make good leads. The 5.8 crack is probably more like eldo 5.6 and eats nuts. It's worth an after-work session. Zero approach.

I'd heed the advice of those suggesting more mileage on easier routes. The Flatirons have a ton of easier stuff. It tends to be runout though so that might help or hurt, depends on what's causing the anxiety.

The suggestions of New Era and Army Route are not ones I would agree with. Both have some harder than 5.6 climbing on loose rock and some runouts, not new leader friendly at all.

Look around the S. Platte. There are a handful of good easy crack climbs that take gear all the way up. Staircase in 11mile comes to mind (not sure if it's open yet) Turkey comes to mind for lots of easy access to super well protected, easier mileage. It's a little harder than what you were asking for, though not much. It may actually help her to take a small fall on good gear. It may remove some of the anxiety about falling and allow her to push herself physically. Turkey is one of the few places that I would suggest this because it's steep and clean enough that even easier climbs have pretty clean falls. I'm sure there's other areas in CO where this is true.

Awesome thanks for all the responses!

Also, even though they're a bit "up there" she could take some leads on Swanson's Arete and Icarus. Etc.

Here are a handful of my favorites . . .
Swanson Arête (eldo)
Schooldaze (11m)
Jaws (11 m)
Guide route (11m)
The Staircase (11 m)
Batman & Robin (lumpy)
White Whale (lumpy)

All amazing! Enjoy.

Magical Chrome at Lumpy... First two pitches are 5.6ish, then an easy 5.5 pitch, followed by another 5.6 pitch. The fifth and final pitch has one move on it that is a bit tricky considering the 5.7 rating... but you could always lead the final pitch. It also protects really well...

Oh, and check out Neptune's list... a great list of climbs sorted by difficulty:
neptunemountaineering.com/a…

Lumpy!!!
Try Kor Flake 5.7 super fun. One of my first leads. I second Chrome Plated.....

Turkey Perch.!!!
Many easy ones. And she can do some laps on them first to get the feel for them before leading.

Single Pitchers
BoCan, The Dome - East Slab
BoCan, Boulderado - Jam It (bypass to the right), Idle Hands, Ho Hum
N. Table Mtn - Killian's Dead & J.A. Adams Apple, Big Dihedral (a tick harder at 5.8)
Lookout Mtn - 5.6 dihedral and 5.8 hand crack (easier than the rating, and you set a sling from the bolts down to crux 1' from the top)
Vedauwoo - cornelius, bill steal, maiden
Lily Lake - Coloradity

I put the cracks at Elevenmile well below some of the other ones mentioned for quality and ease of leading at that grade. I think the lines in Eldo are far superior as are the cracks of Cobb Rock. Get her a copy of Serious Play and do the routes in that around the Front Range. I found it just fantastic for working the trad grades around here.

Left Book at Lumpy has lots of great climbs with good pro (mostly):
Dog
Cottontail
White Whale
Manifest Destiny
Zindango