Gunks Climbers Please: best place to teach a kid to rappel

Just a friendly question asking for some info on a good place to teach a novice to rappel at the Gunks. I'm not familiar with the bolted rap descents (yes that means I'm old and generally prefer to walk off).

12 YO kid just starting out (i.e., just did EZ O, 3 pines)

Ideally:
Not in the way of popular climbs
Slabby - no large overhangs
Decent ledge to start
Easy to get to (5.3/4)

Thanks!
Stow

Wouldn't rappelling actually be easier on you physically?

While walking into the Trapps, after the stairs/bridge and shortly after the large intersection with the billboard and large bolders, there's some small cliffs and slabs on the left with an easy 30 second walkup. You could build an anchor and practice up there (the slabs above are referred to as the 'practice slabs' and are often used by guides). This guarantees you are out of everyone's way since there's no routes there.

Frogs head has a bolted rap line that are good to learn on no roofs pretty straight forward black fly has a huge pitch pine that if you sling up high above the branch makes it easy to load the rap and also black fly has a rally easy walk up. You can also rap easy keyhole. The way I taught my gf was I extended her rappel and put and auto block set her up and then rapped down first and have her a firemans from the bottom.

Most of the established (bolted) raps on the Trapps are atop busy routes and/or harder than 5.3 to get to. Your best bet might be to go to the Dickie Barre cliff at Peterskill. The Clamshell Wall there (photo of this in the area description here at mp.com) has several bolted anchors up top and is reached via an easy walk up. The right-most set of bolts are set on a short wall above the top of the routes there and would make an ideal spot to do some rappel training. After that, find the other set of "rap bolts" near the left end of this same face. They're on a lower terrace, about 20' lower than the top of the face; a short walk around will get you there. This is a similarly easy rap to start (bolts are up high) but there's a large overhang to negotiate at the bottom. A 60m rope is needed for this one.

Thanks everyone for the responses! Very helpful.

May sound silly, but, I often teach people to rappel on the scree fields leading up to the climb. I set an anchor on a tree and have them walk down the field. Once they can do that comfortably I put them on a climb. Son of Easy O anchor has a small ledge. You can get up there by climbing Easy O (both pitches). That said Son Of Easy O is a very popular climb.

How about Laurel? Chain anchors big ledge. Alas, there is a bee's nest on the ledge...might be gone now.

How about Rhododendren? Chain anchors big ledge.
Horseman? If you have a 70 you rap off some rings/slings to the ground. Fun overhang (Maybe more advanced than what you are looking for).

P2 of Betty.
P2 and P3 of RMC

gblauer wrote:May sound silly, but, I often teach people to rappel on the scree fields leading up to the climb. I set an anchor on a tree and have them walk down the field. Once they can do that comfortably I put them on a climb. Son of Easy O anchor has a small ledge. You can get up there by climbing Easy O (both pitches). That said Son Of Easy O is a very popular climb. How about Laurel? Chain anchors big ledge. Alas, there is a bee's nest on the ledge...might be gone now. How about Rhododendren? Chain anchors big ledge. Horseman? If you have a 70 you rap off some rings/slings to the ground. Fun overhang (Maybe more advanced than what you are looking for). P2 of Betty. P2 and P3 of RMC

agree with RMC, but the pitch 1 rap on betty is a good bit dicier than I'd want a new 12 year old on (I assume why you mentioned only p2). If you just did p1 of Easy O and rapped from those chains you wouldn't be in anyone's way for a serious amount of time.

I think the best solution is just to head to peterskill. plenty of walk-up bolt anchors and a good day of easy single-pitch with plenty of personal space for rapping.

Rob Davis wrote: agree with RMC, but the pitch 1 rap on betty is a good bit dicier than I'd want a new 12 year old on (I assume why you mentioned only p2). If you just did p1 of Easy O and rapped from those chains you wouldn't be in anyone's way for a serious amount of time. I think the best solution is just to head to peterskill. plenty of walk-up bolt anchors and a good day of easy single-pitch with plenty of personal space for rapping.

agreed with the peters kill suggestion. Floops and psycho crack right both have bolted anchors with rap rings and solid ledges to stand on before going over the edge with the anchors above you.