First sport leads in boulder, co area

Hey Boulder area MPers,
Where did you put up your first sport leads? I've got a couple friends who are trying to break into their first leads after lots of TR and following. This morning I led and left draws on incline club (5.8) for my partner but the mild runout wasn't to his liking despite rehearsing the climb first on TR.

Any suggestions would be helpful. I'm looking for something easy (5.5-5.7) and well bolted.

Hey Nick,

Hope all is well. Check out "Animation aka Jaycene's Dance" at Animal World, 5.8 There is a little bit of a run out between some of the bolts but the climbing is very easy in those sections.

my first sport lead was Disinclination. a little runout but really easy climbing. also check out frictionary and the climb next to it at sport park.

"Stone Cold Moderate" at High Wire Crag in CCC is the easiest (rated) sports climb I know of @ 5.7. Its got an interesting start that might be intimidating for a new leader, but as I recall the first clip is pretty easy to get and a fall there isn't going to be a big deal. After that its easy breezy fun!

Not exactly Boulder, but the Ironclads have alot of single pitch sport / easy trad in the 5.6+ range.

David A wrote:Hey Nick, Hope all is well. Check out "Animation aka Jaycene's Dance" at Animal World, 5.8 There is a little bit of a run out between some of the bolts but the climbing is very easy in those sections.

That was my first outdoor lead! Blew my mind at the time, still a great route with the crux right at the airy top.

Anyways David, I've been doing a bit trad leading lately if you'd like to join me. I'm into doing all the classic eldo 5.7's. I wouldn't mind following you on something harder as well.

A couple of fairly soft 5.7s include Watermark's ?Lothlorien? and Road to Isengard in Boulder Canyon. There are quite a few gently rated climbs in BC for the new leader. Frictionary in Sport Park is probably 5.6 and would be a gentle intro, too.

Go up to bihedral. Everything is super protected and easy for the grade.

Watermark and Solaris have great beginning leads! My first lead was Contact at Solaris which has a super easy 5.6-7 climb in the beginning followed by a 5.9 second pitch which is nice and airy but well bolted and pretty fun. Plus you get a great view at the end!

Animation at Animal World is also awesome (as mentioned earlier)! It is great sustained climbing that is pretty well bolted!

Hope you find what you're looking for! First lead climb is always memorable!

maybe try "geek in the creek" (5.8) at the visor, sport park. one of my buddies snagged this as his first lead several years ago. seemed fairly easy at the grade. to be nice, you could hang the draws, which would make clipping the anchors much, much easier.

Nick Ortiz wrote: That was my first outdoor lead! Blew my mind at the time, still a great route with the crux right at the airy top. Anyways David, I've been doing a bit trad leading lately if you'd like to join me. I'm into doing all the classic eldo 5.7's. I wouldn't mind following you on something harder as well.

No problemo, I'll be back in town (with an Eldo pass!) sometime mid next week.

I took my friend Carol to Solaris with the thinking that the 5.6 on the end would be a good first lead. Errrrrrr....no. It is a ledge-fall fest full of dirt, lichens, and other weirdness that no first time leader should have to deal with.

Know a great first lead? On Elevenmile Dome is a sport route to the direct left of Moby Grape. It must be somewhere in the 5.6 range itself, is well bolted, clean, and provides a great experience for the first time leader. Carol did great on it after toproping to preview it.

I kind of remember the 7's at Watermark being sparsely bolted. I wouldn't have recommended them for a good beginner lead.

The 8's on the left side of Canal zone in clear creek would be good beginner leads. Not too far from boulder either. I still haven't done the left-most 8 at canal zone, but the second from the left seemed easier than 8 and nicely bolted.

The 9 on the chicken wall at sport park would make an excellent first lead if they're fine with that grade.

Bring a stick clip for whatever you do.