Hi - I just started trad climbing (think maybe three routes under my belt) -and just for fun was wondering what everyone's favorite beginner routes are? Easy routes (up to 5.8's) that take LOTS of gear!

where in the country are you looking for routes?

doesn't take a ton of gear, but the daddy, mummy, and prow in linville gorge are a really good intro to multipitch

I like and I'm still kind of young at it.

Shiprock, NC - Edge of a Dream 5.7 - Lost at Sea 5.8

Looking Glass Rock, NC - Anything on the Southside - The Nose 5.8

Tablerock, NC - Peek a Boo 5.5 i think nm gear but fun - North Ridge is good as well.

Zoo View at Moore's Wall- best 5.7+ in the universe IMHO. Also be sure to do Wailing Wall- ultra classic 5.6, and Almost Seven (aka Golden Earing)- great 5.7

Fruit Loops at Rumbling Bald is another awesome 5.7+

The Mummy and/or the Daddy at the Amphitheater in Linville Gorge- sick 5.6's- both are a wee bit heads up.

Once you do all these you should be ready to step it up a notch.

"27 years of Climbing"
Sport Route: 5.8+
The Gallery in RRG. One of the best moderates I've ever done.
The Red has cracks and sport of all levels.
Good luck, wish I had more for you.

Kevin - Looking for anywhere in the country - making my first year tick list :)

Chan and kwyatt - Fruit Loops and Peek a boo were my first two routes - super fun! So glad I let my friend lead P2 of Peek a Boo

Have you guys done any routes at the NRG?

Stone Mountain: U Slot 5.7, Block Route 5.8,
Looking Glass: The Nose 5.8, Sundial Crack 5.8, Second Coming 5.7, Short Man's Sorrow 5.6,
Rumbling Bald: Bear Hunt 5.7, The Gift 5.7, Gift Certificate 5.8, Bee Tree 5.5, Comatose 5.8, Granola 5.8+,
For what it's worth this is a list of my favorite moderates near WCU.

easily flakey 5.5? at NRG

there is almost always a line on the weekends for a reason. It is a blast and protects really well.

If you find yourself in the Gunks - Minty.

Best beta ever - Yes, you have to step out on the face. - Thanks Dolgio!

Son of EasyO. Done in one pitch and it could be one of my favorite routes ever. You may want to do a few other lines at the Gunks first to get used to the style of climbing but if you go make sure not to miss this gem.

"Stuart's Arete" in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. It's a 3 pitch 5.8 that will take alot of pro and the view at the top is pretty sweet.

Here is a link to a thread I had a while back... Very thorough list of recommended beginner trad leads in NRG at the bottom of the first page by Sam Stephens. Should be pretty helpful if you're heading to WV.

'standard rack' question

Pretty much anything at Moore's Wall. It's a fantastic place to learn how to climb (and my favorite area in the world, for real). And it's easily a day trip from Cary. Also recommend Cereal Butress at the Bald. Don't lay the cracks back like most people, but learn how to lock and jam. Then get to the Gorge. Ampitheater for the Mummy, the Daddy, and the Prow. White Lightening at Table Rock is a good test for a 5.8 climber (the first pitch corner is harder than the 2nd pitch roof). Maginot Line at Shortoff is excellent as well.

If you can deal with the steepness and sometimes funky gear at Moores, climb cracks at Cereal Butress, and handle the approach and exposure at the Ampitheater and Shortoff then you are well on your way to becoming a solid climber.

I'm jealous. Have fun!

Gamesmanship @ Poke-O-Moonshine in the Adirondacks
Pete's Farewell @ Pitchoff Chimney Cliff in the Adirondacks
Frog's Head @ the Gunks
Disneyland @ the Gunks
5 Gallon Buckets @ Smith Rock, OR
Funhouse @ Cathedral Ledge, NH
Clip-a-de-do-dah @ Rumney, NH

I would be interested in some guidance in this area as well, except for in western Colorado/eastern Utah.

Just did my first multi pitch a couple of months ago, and damn she,s a good one. Toll House Treverse Well protected, 3-4 pitches with some exciting cruxes, and not a busy route.

THT Submitted By: Brian Snider on Mar 27, 2011

Seneca Rocks treated me well with some good beginner routes. I loved Ecstasy Jr. 5.4(and Ecstasy, though considerably more difficult - 5.7). Green Wall was my first trad lead (5.7)and I scared the hell out of me the first time. Went back and did it again years later - still super fun. Lots of great routes in Seneca.

Call me overly cautious if you want, but I really have to wonder what people are thinking when they mention routes like Son of Easy O and Zoo View in the same breath with "beginner routes." The OP may be a high-grade sport climber, but leading on gear is a whole other ball game no matter how hard you climb. You really need to have all your systems dialed in before you get on most of the routes that have been mentioned, and having three trad leads under your belt isn't enough.

Those of us in Georgia are painfully aware of a young guy who was a 5.11-5.12 sport leader and paid the ultimate price on his first and only trad lead at Tallulah Gorge.

JL

I'll give you the stuff closest to you first. Moore's Wall is a great resource for the beginning trad leader. Zoo View and Wailing Wall are awesome, but also get on Air Show (5.8+) Sustained, but well protected at the cruxes. Shithook(5.8+) - Tricky nuts down low, but very fun. Stone Mountain probably doesn't fit your criteria for 'LOTS of gear' except for the Great Arch. Crowder's Mountain is better known for it's topropes and sport climbs, but it has a few worthy trad moderates. Caterpillar (5.7) is a really long chimney with good gear throughout. Ooga Chocka (5.8) is a gorgeous dihedral to a finger crack. Rumbling Bald is next closest. Lots of good lines at the Cereal Buttress, Obamanation (5.8+) is a newer line that has lots of gear. 5.8 Crack over at the Test Pilots area is a nice fist crack that eats large cams.

Twall Nutrasweet 5.7 single pitch great pro if you have lots of hand size pieces. T wall would be my first choice many moderate well protected single pitch. Plus its basically cracks which you will need to get mileage on if you're getting into trad


The Mummy 5.6 at Linville is great but does include a semi-hanging belay

Northridge is a great multipitch 5.5 at Linville is superb fun and well-protected

Little Corner 5.6 at Shortoff is three pitches with good pro throughout

I agree with Saxfiend to keep the grades light at first. Why not?

I agree with peter on nutrasweet.
would add roadside attraction 5.7 RRG

I'd just suggest a trip out to twall or the red. Both have incredible trad climbing and are generally easy to protect and lack the NC runout