Nearby places to South Bay to practice placing gear?
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I am a beginner trad leader and I want to get more practice placing gear - I'm still on the "try all the sizes I got" strategy when I'm leading :P. I'm wondering if folks here have recommendations on where I could go to do that. |
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closest place that could work is Indian Joe Caves |
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I don't believe you are supposed to place gear at Castle Rock (actually illegal?) as the sandstone is soft and you will permanently damage the rock there. (Perhaps I am wrong and someone can correct me?) |
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^^^ I've never heard this. I've been , and seen, trad climbing at CRSP for years... |
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Eh, I may be wrong then... I swear I saw it somewhere. |
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I would not recommend trying to learn to place gear at Beaver St. |
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Haha, the quitting job & travel & climb life might not be too far in the future. |
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If you were to find yourself a bit north: Indian Rock, Morter Rock, or Grizzly Peak Boulders in Berkeley? I've also built trad anchors atop the rock at Remillard Park. |
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Also, I've taken gear and plugged it into cracks at PGSF. Perhaps PG Sunnyvale would be amenable. Don't let them think that there's any "teaching" going on, though. They don't take kindly to non-staff doing any "instruction" in the gym. |
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Kent Richards wrote:Also, I've taken gear and plugged it into cracks at PGSF. Perhaps PG Sunnyvale would be amenable. Don't let them think that there's any "teaching" going on, though. They don't take kindly to non-staff doing any "instruction" in the gym.Yeah don't do that at PGSF, or any of the PG's. You'll be told not... And isn't there trad-able stuff at Mt. Diablo? |
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NorCalNomad wrote: Yeah don't do that at PGSF, or any of the PG's. You'll be told not... And isn't there trad-able stuff at Mt. Diablo?Told not to plug gear into the crack while standing on the floor? They didn't tell me not to do that, they told me not to "instruct" my friend on placing gear. Unsure about trad at Mt. Diablo... To be clear, the OP is asking about placing gear from the ground, not asking about leading (or mock leading) trad routes. At Mt. Diablo, are there ground-level cracks for practicing placements? |
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A weekend trip to the Valley or Tahoe would likely be more instructive than placing gear in the marginal rock all over the immediate bay area IMO. |
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Pinnacles? |