Your first multi-pitch climb? What and where?

I enjoy the variety of individuals on this forum and Id like to know more about some of you (I find humans fascinating and I love the mountains/climbing!). Im also a history "buff" and like to know your experience(s).

what route and where was your first multi-pitch? did you lead any? if not what was your first multi-pitch climb that you lead on (even if one pitch)?

who`d you climb with? why were you there (dragged by family, club outing, because you wouldnt have been anywhere else in the world at that moment, etc)?

Mine was a 2 pitch (can be done in one easily BUT it is a guidebook 2 pitcher) 5.3 named Witches Brew at Chickies Rock, Lancaster, PA. My second puked for +/-15 minutes at belay because he was terribly hung over. Good times.

Thanks all.

Caver's Route

Did it with the girlfriend at the time, on the morning after a March snowfall. It was... a character-building experience. Was able to place about one piece of gear per pitch!

cjdrover said: It was... a character-building experience.

I love it! what a great description, I totally understand that. nothing more is needed.

thats cool D Buffum that you had a more experienced person (I assume) show you whats up. sweet dude.

Popped my cherry on a 5.6 in NC. It rained between pitches. I got off route. Rope drag was horrendous. Lost communication with my second. My first multi-pitch lead was interesting too.

mountainproject.com/v/how-i…

EDIT:
Text from the link:

Just got back from Linville/Table Rock and did Cave Route as my first multi-pitch ever(to lead or follow). The first two pitches went no problem. Then it started raining on us for about 20 mins (didn't know about the gully to walk down). Decided trying to rap down pitch two was more sketchy than climbing. So we continued up - except we started into My Route P1 instead of P3 of Cave Route.

I didn't adequately extend a couple placements and had such terrible rope drag (having to pull slack before every move)I decided to build an anchor at the first bolt (75 feet above the belay ledge). Brought up my second and continued up. I passed the bolted anchors that were previously out of sight and got to the roofish section. Wasn't sure where to go. Pulled the roof twice but didn't see any obvious gear. Thinking it was Cave Route and a 5.6, decided that wasn't the route.

I sank a nut and cam and moved out waay right through a god awful slabby section with no hands until I got to a crack system. Continued up and left. Had no slings at this point. Placed a cam to protect the 30+ footer onto low angle, leg breaking rock if I slipped. Climbed up and left and saw a bolt. Clipped the bolt directly with a biner (still no slings). Pulled slack and climbed back down and removed the lower cam that was creating huge drag.

Climbed back up, and then above the bolt. Found a great platform and built an anchor. I then proceeded to try and pull up the slack. Rope drag was again terrible, and I wore four rope burns into my hands trying to bring tension. Used a prusik and the reverso even....but still a struggle. At this point my second has been ought of shouting distance for some time. I had been able to get most of the slack out but the rope was pretty kinked up and she didn't know if she was on belay. After MUCH yelling (30 minutes+) she finally heard 'climb on'. She moved up and we were finally at the top. We had to belly crawl through briars to gain a clearing and the trail back down. It was a hell of a day.

Does anyone know the name of the section/route that goes to the right at the start of P2 of My Route? That slab section was much more than I had bargained for.

I learned MANY lessons that day - almost too numerous to list. Just thought I'd share the story.

Wow didn't know there was climbing near Lancaster. Spent some time there chasing a girl.
My first multipitch route was Nutcracker in Yosemite around 92 ish. I had spent a week climbing with a buddy who lived in LA at J-Tree. On my way back to the South I thought I'd check out the Valley, hike around, see the sights. I camped in Camp 4. The first morning a kid from San Francisco walked by jingling all his gear looking for a partner. Despite my terror and objections he convinced me to take a look at the route. The first pitch looked do-able so I told him I'd give it a go. He led all the pitches. I was super scared. He was super chill. I flipped shit when he slung that little tree on pitch ? and called on belay. I asked him to please back that shit up. I even thought at one point he was going to bail on me and somehow take my rope I was so out of my head. Took me a while to absorb the experience.
I am so thankful for this kid - he really gave me the kick in my ass I needed at the time.

siberia lets hear about your first lead then, lets "talk story"!

John your account is awesome. I dont know you or that route so its cool to read your story and imagine it.

you still multipitch climbing after that?

The Trough at Big Rock, on my second day of climbing: mountainproject.com/v/the-t…

I was only 13, so at first it was a little intimidating but then the coolness of hanging out at the belay, high off the ground, really got me. Over thirty years later, I've never been the same since.

Portent, a 5.6 route in Pinnacles National Monument. I'd just bought gear (not really needed, but used on the route), and was looking to get higher off the deck than our local sport crags (i.e. more than 60 feet).

I cruised the first pitch and brought a (strong sport climbing/bouldering) buddy up. We quickly realized that while we had similar experience, only I had some idea what to do when the climb didn't end with lowering off. He lead the second "pitch", and due to some miscommunication, belayed me up using a clove hitch. Suffice it to say I learned a lot in 100 feet.

Oh, and this happened shortly after backing off another 5.6 in front of Jim Donini and family. His first piece was above where I backed off terrified and looking for gear.

Fatdad whod you climb with? was day 1 just top roping, etc?

pat: i also have embarrased (maybe not embarass but wasnt a stud for sure) myself in front of a legend. 2 weekends ago i made a complete ass in front of Dick Williams at the Gunks. he laughed but a "youre a dumbass" laugh.

Regular route on Fairview Dome with 2 experienced friends, led the 3rd pitch and some easy stuff up high. Then the next day we went down to the Valley and did Royal Arches. Pretty good first multipitch weekend!

greg stellar first trip dude! how long ago and how old were you?

People's Choice in CCC for sport. The middle pitch was my first outdoor lead -- 2007

1st Flatiron's Direct Route for trad; also my first simul-climb -- 2008

The Stoned Master wrote: Mine was a 2 pitch (can be done in one easily BUT it is a guidebook 2 pitcher) 5.3 named Witches Brew at Chickies Rock, Lancaster, PA.

Seriously? That chossy overgrown crack? I never even considered climbing that thing much less leading it.

My first multi pitch follow was Gelsa at the Gunks.
My first multi pitch lead was The Nose at Looking Glass.

Both classics!

Jon you climbing alot of multipitch now a days? if so where do you frequent or prefer?

The Stoned Master wrote:Fatdad whod you climb with? was day 1 just top roping, etc? pat: i also have embarrased (maybe not embarass but wasnt a stud for sure) myself in front of a legend. 2 weekends ago i made a complete ass in front of Dick Williams at the Gunks. he laughed but a "youre a dumbass" laugh.

It was part of a class of about 4 people with two instructors (Pat Draganov (I think) and I forget the other). I think one person lead and brought two up and then another teacher led and brought up the other two. Definitely taxing my memory here.

It's been long enough ago now that I can't remember for certain. The earliest multi-pitch I can remember doing is Prune at Seneca, some time in the mid-1990s when it still had pins.

I can remember being scared out of my mind, feeling in over my head, and being stoked once we reached the South Summit in one piece, albeit with lots of bleeding knuckes and hands.

I climbed it with my best friend and first climbing partner Bob Jachens. I climbed it again with him in the early 2000s, and haven't been back to it since. Since that time, I've climbed a lot of easier routes, harder routes, longer routes, shorter routes, and certainly many more committing lines, but I suspect this one would still give me the jitters were we to go rope up on it again.

Peter: Prune nice man! thats a no joke first multipitch lead. classic seneca, one of my favorite places to be fore sure.

Prune hasnt changed much but is more polished im sure now!

mountainproject.com/v/giant…

Giant's Staircase on French's Dome. This is where I learned about using long runners to mitigate rope drag. after the traverse on the second pitch and heading up I kept yelling at my partner to give slack thinking he was short ropeing. Little did i know he had enough slack out that i may as well be soloing the route.

What do they say about good judgement comes from surviving stupidity, or something like that. Now I run this route whenever I want to give a partner an easy multi-pitch experience, or just go hang at the top and enjoy the view of Mt. Hood.

jeb

'95 and 24...but more to the point (I think at least), I'd been climbing for about 7 months and leading trad for about 6 months, my guess is I'd probably done at least a couple dozen leads at that point.

First one was Conn's East at Seneca. An experienced partner led all the pitches, and there were three of us. That second pitch is very short but really cool, the way it bulges out and suddenly gives you a feeling of dizzying exposure. Makes for a neat photo opportunity as well!

My first multipitch lead (and trad lead) was Marshall's Madness--I did the first pitch, sweating and pumping and feet skittering, but I somehow pulled through it (all 35 feet of it!). Then my partner linked up the second pitch of Marshall's into Crack of Dawn. I remember beaming with pride when he gave me full credit for helping us get to the top of the route.

I do love Seneca!