Looking for Mount Yonah Beta

I wanted to know if there is a trail to the top of the Lowers for setting up top rope anchors or do you need to climb via Trad or Sport to get to the top? Never been but planning on taking the family next week so I appreciate any info on the place.

If I'm thinking of the correct spot, there is a scramble up on climber's left. The ledge across the top can be accessed via the Yonah standard army steel cable and old hardware. Just use some caution as you move around up top and good judgment about what to clip to and you should be good to go.

Derek has it right. If you are comfortable with leading sport routes in the 5.5 range, or rappelling off the top to set a top rope, the multipitch section on the left of the main wall would probably make for a better introduction to climbing. The routes are longer, the rock is cleaner, and it is much more scenic.

I concur with the Zach M, go to the main wall and start on the left hand side up some very easy 5.5 sport leads to huge anchors and a cable that you can tie the family into. I went there for the first time with my family of four as well, and this is the best intro. Lowers is not a great place to start. If you are not comfortable with rapping off the top, just bring your hiking shoes and hike back down. Don’t go there in the heat of the day, the wall is 100% exposed to the sun, climb late afternoon or very early morning in the summer. On the 5.5's, there are a couple of moves at the bottom that might challenge a first time climber, but the rest is very easy. The second pitch from the anchors is practically a class 4 scramble. However, your family will have a great time – have fun and be safe!

PS- if you do rap off the top, please use a double rope rap, or if you do a multi-pitch rap using a single rope, please knot the end of your rope so no one raps off the end.

Yes. There is a trail (or more a scramble) to the top of the lowers to setup top rope. The climbs are all short, easy and the rock is not that great. However, if you are taking some non-climbers for mellow trip, it's good. I took a bunch of noobs there once and they loved it. I would imagine the lowers would be in the shade too. Watch out for poison ivy. I hear is it everywhere on Yonah in the summer. I have only been in the fall or winter.

Thanks for the info guys. Any other climbs in the area you would recommend for top ropeing?

I may be wrong but I think some of the information you are getting is for the main face not the lowers. On the main face there are some easy bolted 5.5 leads and you can rappell from the top but plan on making it a double. A 70 meter will not reach the bottom. The lowers you can easily walk,scramble on the far left side without having to lead anything at all.

On the lowers everything starting on the left over to the big spray painted #5 is probably in the 5.5-5.7 range. I would recommend extending your anchor because you will chew up a rope. The main face has some good top ropes climbs about half way down the face. You can access the anchors by climbing the cable. This is a little confusing for a first timer because there is a separate cable system used to help you up to the climbs. If you use the cable to hang a top rope make sure you anchor yourself into the cable. The first part is a little tricky and the traverse can be wet. PM me if want to climb Yonah sometime and i will show you around.