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Best climbs for parties of 3?

Original Post
Mikey Seaman · · Boise, ID · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

We are flying to Vegas and we might be a party of 3. Are there any long sport routes that would accommodate us? We are contemplating cragging at st. George's or going to Zion, or just sticking to red rocks. I figure bolted routes will be better for the 3 of us, as far as moving quickly, but we'll have our trad gear and can lead 5.10. Sport we can go high into 11s, maybe more. The plan is actually for 2 of us to trad climb in RR but id like to climb with another buddy too, so I am open to suggestions. I've never been but my one buddy loves to crag at st. George. We are all pretty familiar with RR, and could crag there, too, of course. Thanks for your suggestions

Rob WardenSpaceLizard · · las Vegans, the cosmic void · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 130

I would avoid Zion...the routes can be done in parties of three with no problem but the style and type of climbing may prove taxing if you have un-familar followers. its also relatively gear intensive. the SPort cragging around ST Gorge is good. but I think Red Rocks is the place for you guys. max fun min effort

Dow Williams · · St. George, Utah; Canmore, AB · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 240

Rob is giving you good advice Mike. Red Rock is the place to climb as a team of 3 with varied experience. Less sustained pitches with friendly belay stances-ledges. I live in St. George, it is good stuff, but if you are flying into Vegas and want to just crag, might as well hang out at RR...the food and drink will be a hell of a lot better. You don't need to hang out with the crowds at Calico either, plenty of great hideaways to work on single pitches, both gear and sport if you are willing to hike a little. The list below takes you from north to south and shows cragging walls as well as routes.
Red Rock Climbing
If you do come to St. George, the Underworld is my favorite, but I am a trad climber.
St. George Climbing
The Headache (5.10-) would be your first stop in Zion to see if all three climbers are compatible with Zion crack...gets more interesting from there....great stuff and back to good food and drink...St. George is a "food (and bar) desert".
Zion Free Climbs

Andrew Mertens · · Fort Collins · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 136

Unimpeachable groping is a fun 10b multipitch sport climb in red rocks. I think we linked pitches so we had 2 semi-hanging belays and 2 ledge belays. Semi-hanging belays are a pain with two followers, but because the pitches are fully bolted, they go quickly.

Eagle Dance and Levitation 29 are also mostly bolted, with some trad up to 5.8-5.9, but they both have the same semi-hanging belay problem and are popular, so you could slow down other parties.

I've done a lot of the easier trad classics with a party of 3, and they work fine. Climbing with 2 followers isn't much slower or harder than climbing with one after some practice if you use a double rope system, avoid rope tangles, and don't switch up the leader much.

sarcasm · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 445

Red Rock would be awesome.
We've had fun doing groups of three on moderate trad climbs. Climb on half ropes and use a ATC guide, or Petzl Reverso in order to belay up both followers simultaneously. We've been nearly as fast as parties of two doing it that way.
Have fun!
(**jealous**)

Mikey Seaman · · Boise, ID · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

Thanks for the responses. We are both trad climbers, of the mind that sport climbing is neither, and our buddy is a rope gun sport climber and boulderer. Red Rocks seems the best fit, as we are all 3 pretty well familiar; Zion only one of us has been. We'd like to maximize our climbing time, obviously, so I'm wondering if relatively casual sport cragging somewhere is a better use of time/pain threshold than long approaches with trad racks, and smashing out toes into prince of d all day. I usually don't clip bolts, but I've probably clipped the most in RR of anywhere I've been, and there's obviously plenty of good stuff. Thanks for the links and posts; I welcome any more.

Sorry to hear St. George's is a food and bar desert - the only thing we really need are some burritos and some beer. I'm planning on eating the 3 meals a day.

And while you here, I am trying to sell my haul bag and it would be easiest to sell locally if any Vegas guys want it. It's a BD Zion in great shape.

Donovan Allen · · Soft Lake City · Joined May 2012 · Points: 356

Prophecy wall in st George? Past lives, roofs of Jericho. If its warm enough in mesquite -lime kiln canyon

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
Mikey Seaman · · Boise, ID · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

Sorry, earlier I meant to say that we are both "rad" climbers, nt trad climbers.

Also, regarding Maurice Chaunders, if any of you desert climbers come across this man, know that he is a man I hold in high regard; a man of the utmost. I sold him an orange fat cam that I bought in J Tree and the entire transaction went smoothly, from start to finish.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern Utah Deserts
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