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Suggestions for beginner trad climber with light rack.

Original Post
Charles Jonas · · Alpine, WY · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 102

Hey guys,
I'm planning a climbing trip for the week of thanksgiving with my girlfriend. I would love to check out the Moab area for at least a couple days (maybe the whole time if I can find stuff to climb). I only have a double rack and am not comfortable trad leading anything much harder than 10a at the moment.

Will we be able to find things to climb? Any specific route selections?

PS> will be in a 2wd van. I know that might limit us from some of the more adventurous climbs :(

fossana · · leeds, ut · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 13,318
  • Potash Road routes (e.g. Bad Moki Roof)
  • Stolen Chimney on Ancient Art (sunny and popular)
  • One of the Castleton routes, like K-I or N Chimney, depending on your tolerance of crowds and cold with the latter.

Lastly, you could pair up with someone at the Creek to combine racks.
Abram Herman · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined May 2009 · Points: 20

We did a Moab trip when I was first starting to climb, years ago, and at the time we thoroughly enjoyed Owl Rock in Arches NP: mountainproject.com/v/owl-r…

There's tons of other stuff you'll be able to do, also—have fun!

Chris Schmidt · · Fruita, CO · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0

You can climb almost anything around Moab with doubles I'm assuming that means .3-3 with a couple micros and maybe a 4 and 5?

Wall Street has some fun moderates (warm up on 30 seconds over potash, then do Nervous and Suburbia and Lucy in the Sky with Potash right next to it), Ice cream parlor has some as well, and you could easily do Stolen Chimney on Ancient Art as well as Kor-Ingalls if you have a couple small cams and a #4.

You could also easily find some people in IC and get on some top ropes and do amazing routes that you wouldn't want to lead / don't have the gear for.

PM me if you want some more advice/beta I lead at the same level and have done most of the 9's and easy 10's in the area.

Ryan Watts · · Bishop, CA · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 25

+1 for castleton I did north chimney with a double rack and some big hexes since supertopo recommended triples which I didn't have. Ended up placing the hexes first to "save cams" and always finished with cams to spare. Just bring double 1,2,3 and you'll be good.

You do kind of need at least one big cam for the second pitch though, like a #5 or so.

Never did Kor-Ingalla but think you'd be find with doubles there as well.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern Utah Deserts
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