Grand Ledge 

It would be great if anyone with beta could start posting route descriptions. I'd be very interested to see what this place is all about.

What G.L. is all about? Soft rock, regulations, short routes and crowds.
I was told all about it in the early 90's once by someone who enthusiastically encouraged me to try it out. In the end, I went with my girlfriend and both of us decided that the guy who so encouraged us to go there with his praise-laiden descriptions should actually check the place out for himself some time...

Tony-

Awesome job on that uncharacteristically pissed off rant! I've heard rumors that agree with your statements above.

Cheers,
James

Grand Ledge isn't much, I sure wouldn't call it a destination, but it is virtually the only climbing available to Michigan climbers. Because of this, it is crucial that local rules are respected in order to prevent excessive erosion and to maintain good relations with the city.

No lead climbing
No rappelling
Use carpet to pad the edge under your ropes
Do not top out
Tread lightly when setting up TRs and around vegetation on routes

There are a limited number of routes at the Ledges and sharing ropes is the norm. It's a good idea to peek around at the top before you hike down and make sure you are comfortable with getting on someone else's setup. If you see something dangerous, tell the owner of the rope. There are lots of beginners here and I have seen some incredibly bad setups, but a little friendly advice has almost always been well received.

edit:the old website is down but the guide has been updated and redone and can be downloaded for free at Fixed Pin Publishing's website

i 2nd the sketchy setups. i went there once with my then girlfriend and was amazed at what people would entrust their bones to. sketchy! no lead climbing? is that because of rock quality or just some BS put up by the locals?

World class, absolutely not, I would never go out of my way, but if you are near by it really is worth checking out. There is a lot of shit but a few gems mostly of mid-tougher grades. There should be at least one knowledgeable good climber around at any one time who would be happy to give a tour of the best stuff be sure to ask about The Trick (v2), Enigma (v6), Despondency (5.11), Resistance (5.13), Inappropriate Behavior (5.12-), and Raged Edge (5.12). It's easy to be negative about Grand Ledge, but put your ego aside and have a bit of fun.

Grand ledge is really a special place. It is a good spot to see the impact climbers can have- both positive and negative.

many michigan climbers have stopped going to the ledges because of the negative impact- but there are a few short quality routes there.

- please please pad your anchors to reduce erosion and impact on the sandstone.

Here are a few guide books I was able to find online.

www.higround.com/www.higround.com/Grand_Ledge_files/guideboo>>>

glc.cheapholds.com/Docs/GL_Guide.pdf

Hope this helps!

Fixed Pin Publishing just revamped the old guide originally done by me and now offers a comprehensive, color guide with photo overlays for free to people to download off of their website

Hope you guys enjoy it and let us know what you think of it.

Grand Ledge, MI cover Submitted By: Jason Haas on Aug 9, 2010

Update on the above directions: Note the park is called "Oak Park", not Lily Park

Directions from I96 East Bound: Going east from
Grand Rapids take the Grand Ledge exit Wright Rd
(Route 100). Take this south for about 4 miles,
merge turn right onto N Bridge St. Take a right on
W. Front Street just before the bridge(at the Lickity Split). Go all the way until it dead ends at Oak Park

Great place. First time was this past Mem. Day weekend. Met nice folks who are very open to rope sharing. Sweet climbs and only had time to do about 1/10th of them! Will look to come back soon.

Jason- Like your guidebook ALOT!

To All Chicago Area Climbers:

I am looking for partners to go to GL and other locations(Jackson Falls, DL, The Red, etc) with.

I have an Airplane and can fly us there. There is an airport right in GL they will take us to the climb for a day trip. It is just a little over an hour flight to GL. Please send me a PM if you want more details and the cost of sharing the flight expenses. Hope to meet a few of you soon. I can fit up to 4 climbers with me in the Cherokee 6(with room for gear). :)

After reading the location info and earlier comments from several years back, I do remember why I've never made the drive out to see this place. Agree it is NOT a destination climbing location. Too short of routes is one reason.

Woodchuck: Depends on your goals. It is a great place for the start of the season, it is REAL rock, great sandstone, not crowded, right on the river(great for kayaking too), camping close by, met some very nice climbers, and more.

Some of you folks are just a bit too ELITE and should not knock this sweet climbing area unless you HAVE come out to see it. The climbs are challenging though not tall- Kinda sounds like a local climbing gym that YOU and I frequent. I challenge you to try "Doug's roof" sometime!

It is nice for a day or 2 of climbing. I was pumped after 2 days, early season.

As a visiting climber, I find it funny to see some criticize Grand Ledge for what it clearly isn't. It's a picturesque, Huck Finn locale with some short overhanging climbs you can cop a wicked forearm pump on. Doug's Roof would easily be a world class climb anywhere... well, if it were 70 feet longer and bolted, but still, if I find myself in Michigan in the summertime again, I'll definitely include some more sessions here on the sandbagged sandstone. So, to you Central Michiganders whose lot in life leaves you stranded in the largely flat lands trapped between the options of cornfields, an epic climbing commute, and the toprope haven that is the Grand Ledge, I salute you.

hey guys. i might be relocating to saginaw. checking out what's around. are there any trad places in central MI?