Yosemite Moderates

Do not climb Serenity crack if you are a new leader. The first pitch involves insecure climbing on flaring pin scars with no solid pro for the first 30+ feet.

I suggest a detour of a couple days to Tollhouse Rock

Yosemite isn't a beginners area.

If you do go to the valley, I second staying away from Serentiy. That was a terrible suggestion.

Ryan Strickland wrote:I wouldn't be leading on gear if you can't build a gear anchor. Simple as that. Buy "Climbing Anchors" by John Long, as somebody else mentioned. It's a great book that you can always refer back to for years to come.

ha ha, john long, i heard that n00b decked at the gym and broke his ankle cuz he couldn't tie a knot!?!?!

try the cookie sheet. approach beta and topo here:
supertopo.com/climbing/thre…
all moderate bolted slab.

i agree with others in that if you can't or are still iffy about building gear anchors you should not be leading trad yet. that is just one disaster waiting to happen. when climbing on gear you should know all the ins and outs of what you can do with what you got should an unpleasant situation arrise. in a lot of instances that climbers are rescued they have the capacity to get themselves out of the situation they are in but can't because they do not possess enough knowledge despite carrying all the appropriate gear.

Before you go,
Take a class on building anchors, or
hire a climber/ friend who is competent to teach you to build anchors
hire a guide to teach you about anchors and multi-pitch climbs.
I was on YOSAR, carried out a few dead bodies, and you don't want to be one of them.

Hey, wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions! Ended up getting a buddy to climb with me and check out my anchors before we left. We ended up climbing serenity crack, royal arches, the Grack, after seven and six and some other not so classics. Thanks for the advice everyone, and we had a great time!