I've climbed sport at the new before but haven't climbed trad there. Im heading down there for a 3 day weekend on veterans day and am hoping to jump on some trad lines.

I was looking for some suggestions on good .11 trad routes to head up, and possibly some soft .12's. Uber trad classics of any grade are welcome as well.

Also, what are the thoughts on offset cams/nuts at the new?

Thanks!

First, I have never come across and occasion to use offset cams or nuts at the New. The cracks tend to be less pinscar-ish than a lot of granite.

Anyway, my favorite 11s and 12s at the NRG (most of them are the five star lines in the book anyway), in order of awesomeness.

Chasin' the Wind, 11b fingers. This is the must-do. Seriously, do it NOW! Amazing movement, position, and pro.

Leave it to Jesus (11c fingers).

Agent Orange, 11+. More of a thuggy, enduro jam-fest.

Stuck in Another Dimension, 11b (squeeze chimney to techy corner to amazing roof.

Linear Encounters (11a), this climb has everything; ringlocks, hands, fingers, and even a face crux up high.

Marionette (11c), all the business is down low, but turning a roof on a perfect fingerlock is always fun.

Steve Martin's Face (11c) Face-trad. Bolt protects the crux. Easy to set a TR from the classic 5.10 "Rod Serling crack."


Entry-Level 12s:
Big Top, 12a
Replicant, 11+/12a tech-corner
Fingercrack in White Corner, 12a

I'll second many of the suggestions by camhead
I'll add:
Welcome to Beauty (11b)

Not as classic but worth doing if you are at Bridge
Handsome and Well Hung is decent (11-)
Englishmans Crack is decent (11-)

Fern Buttress:
Pleasure and Pain (11b) was pretty good, but kind of scary
Sometimes a Great Notion (11a) pretty good (near Orchard Wall with tons of Classic 10s)

Off the Beaten Path at Kaymoor:
The Shining (11a)

BTW - Finger Crack in White Corner was my first 12a gear line, well protected, and more endurancy than bouldery

Edit to add: also near leave it to jesus is:
zygomatic (11c)
diving swan (11a)
raging waters (soft 11a)

near linear encounters:
melifluous (11a)

I never used offset anything at the new...fell hundreds of times on gear there and never had any gear pull out.

All of Camhead's suggestions are good. A few others that you might want to go check out are:

Bridge Buttress:
Touch of Tango 11c
International Incident 11d/12a PG

Junkyard:
Andropov's Cold 11c

Lower Meadow:
Trojans 11d

Endless:
Melifulous 11a
Remission 11a (I think)
Celibate Mallard 10c
Underserved/Mig Squadron 10c/d

Fern Buttress
Workmans Crack 11a
Toss That Beat in the Garbage Can 10d

Beauty:
Welcome to Beauty 11a

Bubba City:
King Swing 11a

A seemingly overlooked classic (4 out of 4 stars in the current guide) I'd highly recommend is Recondite (11b) at Endless.

Don't forget Indian Summer (10c) at Summersville...might be a little easier than most of what you're looking for, but it's one of the best cracks at the NRG and is not to be missed

haha mine too. it feels hard for 10c imho

Leave it to Jesus (11c/d) at Endless may be the best single pitch trad climb I've ever done. Anywhere. If you're climbing the grade, it is a MUST do.

Definitely some fantastic pitches mentioned so far. Hell of a list. I really miss climbing out there.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I cant wait to get one some of them.

Check out the Spectre on Idol Point. 11c trad route that has some well spaced bolts added to it (by the FA Doug Reed).

you can lead it with just draws but most people bring a few cams along to place between bolts.

it is a tall pitch and packs a pump.

BEAUTY MOUNTAIN my friend. Best climbing you'll ever do. Warm up on the 10's at Burning Buttress and then prepare for ecstasy.

The Will to Power - 11c
Chasin' the Wind - 11b
Welcome to Beauty - 11b
Transcendence - 11d (FA trad but some moron bolted it)
"Sons of Thunder" (both of them) - 11c and 11d(?)


Beauty has got to be one of the best areas on the planet. SO MANY classic gear lines at just about every grade. A lot of excellent hard sport mixed in as well. If I could make a deal with God that I could climb there every weekend with good weather, I'd give up climbing everywhere else. Except for Moore's Wall :)

mountainproject.com/scripts/Search.php?searchType=routeFinde>>>

The beckoning Is a fine line and rocket to my brain is very doable for the grade.