New River Gorge Easy trad lead recommendations

Hi,

I'm a newer leader (maybe 7 trad leads under my belt), and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on some easy leads at the New River Gorge. I have been reading descriptions on this website, but a lot of the easier routes don't have many comments on them so it's making it difficult to figure out what would actually be straightforward for a novice leader. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Thanks for looking at the routes before posting on here! :)

Which routes in particular? All you're going to get is a list from others. Ask about specific routes and we can fill you in.

I don't know how comfortable you are on 5.8s yet but Fantasy is a must do! It protects well and is low angled enough where you can get some good rests to figure out gear. It also has bolted anchors so you don't have to worry about building one yourself. I also really like New Yosemite. Good for practicing crack technique. If you want to work it before leading it you can access it from the top and set up a TR.

Thanks for the recommendations! I have only done up to 5.7, but if I could top rope to practice the lead that would be something to consider. I will definitely take a look. You wouldn't happen to know what gear is necessary to build a top rope anchor would you?

Skip new river for now, drive a bit futher or don't drive as far and....go to the gunks

Junkyard Wall has a few easy trad leads and most of it can be top roped, anchors accessible from the top. I did New Yosemite last month, I absolutely loved it, but it can be an intimidating lead if it's your first 5.8.

There aren't a lot of truly easy routes at the NRG. You'd probably be better off at Seneca, as long as you're comfortable with multi-pitch. Gunsight Notch and Conn's West (especially with the direct finish) are both pretty great. Plus, if you dial in your trad game at Seneca, grades elsewhere are going to feel nice and cushy!

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I think I will stick with top roping some of the cracks this time at Junkyard wall. Does anyone know anything about Star Trek wall?

I'll be heading to Seneca in a couple weeks - my options are dictated by my partners preferences! I will look at those routes.

Seneca will have a lot to do in your range. It's a great place.

Would highly recommend going to Junkyard so you have access to top-rope anchors to practice first. You could get a few 5.5-5.9 trad leads in to teach you more about the stone and area.

I've heard Star Trek wall is a good idea for beginning trad as well with top-rope access.

While Star Trek may seem enticing, it's actually not very beginner friendly. You have to climb an approach "pitch" and then set up the climbs from a narrow ledge. There's waaaay too much logistics involved for a few 30 ft climbs.

Beginners Only, Easily Flaky, Sand in my Crack were some of my recent first trad leads at the New. I did visit the Star Trek wall too - it offers some easy trad climbs but with the multipitch logistics Andrew G mentioned.

TR setups at the Junkyard and the Bridge area are easy to setup for mock trad leads or working the route prior to leading

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate the tips. Good to know about Star Trek wall, I'll probably steer clear for now.

Check out the unnamed 5.6 just to climbers left of hippie dreams, orange Oswald wall, Summersville lake. Straightforward climbing. Lots of opportunities for protection. Once climbed, you can easily traverse to the bolted anchors of hippie dreams or to left to fabulous groupies.

Truancy and Tobasco Fart (sorry for the embarrassing name, but it is what it is) at the Lower Meadow are fun 7s, and Fritz Crack, also at the Lower Meadow, is a nice 8 with a somewhat burly but well-protected crux.

Seneca has many more trad routes that are great for newer leaders. I'd be happy to follow up if that may be of interest.

Lower Meadow has a nice wall, just before you get to Toxic Hueco, that has a stack of easy trad leads. I did one of the 5.8s this past Sunday and it was very enjoyable. From what I recall, there were 5 or so routes at 5.9 or under on the wall and they all looked like they protect fine. The routes don't look to be listed on MP, but the guidebook has them.

Nick Nystrom wrote:Truancy and Tobasco Fart (sorry for the embarrassing name, but it is what it is) at the Lower Meadow are fun 7s, and Fritz Crack, also at the Lower Meadow, is a nice 8 with a somewhat burly but well-protected crux. Seneca has many more trad routes that are great for newer leaders. I'd be happy to follow up if that may be of interest.

Hi! Thanks for these. I'm going to be going to Seneca in a few weeks, and would love to know any recommendations you have.

Nathan, Joe thanks for your suggestions! I think all these suggestions are going to fill up my summer st the New.

Nick's profile picture is a picture of Ecstasy and is one of Seneca's classic 5.7s. Other classic 5.7s include West Pole, Solar, and Pleasant Overhangs. There are a lot of classics on either side of 5.7 to choose from also.

Go to Seneca Rocks - many more easy to moderate trad routes to learn on. New River has great climbing but not all that many easy to moderate trad routes.

I'm going to throw in a note of caution if you're traveling there for the first time. I'll start by saying that Seneca is truly an amazing destination and many of my best days have been had there.
However,

It is a complex place to climb.
The layout of the crag is very 3D. It is a fin of rock oriented roughly north/south. North peak and south peak each have an east and west face. Just navigating to the base of whatever climb you choose may be more time consuming than you anticipate, so plan accordingly.

Although some of the easier routes do have bolted anchors at the top of the first pitch, many do not. This means you'll need to do a second pitch or more to reach a rappel route. If you are a brand new trad leader, I'm guessing you have little if any experience in multi pitch climbing. (If this is erroneous, I apologize).

Lastly, the grades at Seneca are just different than at other crags in wv. I'd recommend starting a full two grades easier than what you're used to to acquaint yourself with the rock and nature of the grading.

I'll make a brief plug for the two excellent guiding services at the base of Seneca rocks. A half day with either of them will buy you an excellent orientation to the crag and some excellent instruction in trad and multi pitch climbing

Happy climbing.

Websites for the guiding services if you're interested.

senecarocks.com

climbseneca.com/srcs_mobile/