kid friendly approach

hello, I am some what new to climbing in Arizona. me and my family started climbing in Colorado. my question is, where is the most kid friendly approach in the central Arizona area. I have a 4 and 7 year old, who love climbing. thanks

mountainproject.com/v/south…
Maybe not the MOST kid friendly, but pretty crusier.
Another adult would probably be necessary to summit this. If my dad brought me up this when I was that age, I would have been pumped.

If you want to top rope something easy and have them slab climb - Girlie Man Boulders in the McDowell's is pretty easy to set up - Although not the diverse climbing - it will represent alot of the friction you will encounter in the region. If you want to hang dog on stuff - Maybe leading some routes out in Queen Creek and leaving them on TR is the best approach - The Mine has easy pieces (5.3-6) that can be set up. Then you can just belay all day...

Taylor Lais wrote:http://mountainproject.com/v/south-crack/106035000 Maybe not the MOST kid friendly, but pretty crusier. Another adult would probably be necessary to summit this. If my dad brought me up this when I was that age, I would have been pumped.

I cant say I would recommend this climb for any youngster. You said your new to
climbing so this climb will be a lower rating ... but still a trad climb.
Its not the kind of climb you would want to take an inexperienced person on if you
are not fully competent at the grade - Trad style.
Not to scare you off but Its trad climbing and should be respected as such.
Even in the easiest of ratings - there is danger.

I used to take my children (who are now 9 and 12) out to the Oak Flat Mine Area near and below Ride the Wild, etc.., in Lower Looner Land.

The area is relatively easy to hike into on a trail long enough for an adventure but short enough that they can make it on their own and have fun on a boulder or two on the way in/out.

Also, if there has been some moisture falling, the small stream has some great ponds, pools, and waterfalls and if lucky some ice to play with.

The open/wide area at the bottom of most of the climbs is stable and open enough for most kids and the small boulders are fun for them. It's also pretty easy to keep an eye on them too; no big dropoffs to worry about like at the Pond or even at Atlantis.

There are a lot of short easy walls that a toprope can be set up on for the younger ones and enough of the easier longer ones that they'll get a fill of climbing; just let creativity be your guide.

Overall, it has a good mix of things and we always enjoy it when we go there.

Hope it helps.

Fred

Go to Sheepshead and climb the slabs behind sweetrock. Easy and you can walk to the top to set up Top ropes.