Beginner trad cracks around Leavenworth/Vantage etc.

Looking for suggestions of trad only, or almost entirely trad, crack routes that would be good for practicing jamming and placing gear. I am trad-competent but not crack-confident. Anything around the central Cascades area is a good suggestion. 

Thanks! 

Royal Columns at Tieton has a great concentration of trad crack climbs.  

Head to Index, Tumwater Canyon,Castle Rock in the Canyon, Icicle Creek, Snow Creek Wall.  Use MP or get the guide books and start at 5.? and start climbing. Lots of single pitch climbs to do.  And some great multi pitch.  Do it by stars, ratings or simply left to right or right to left.  I’ve more often than not gotten to a crag and said “let’s do that” because it simply looked cool.  Have fun and place lots of gear(helps the confidence level).

Jake907 wrote:

Royal Columns at Tieton has a great concentration of trad crack climbs.  

Never heard of this crag, thanks for sharing. Keenly following this topic as someone also trying to learn this. 

Jake907 wrote:

Royal Columns at Tieton has a great concentration of trad crack climbs.  

100% this. Royal Columns is the best concentration of moderate cracks in Washington.  Good grade spread from 5.5 to 5.10.

After a few trips, once you've done everything at Royals Columns, you'll have all the skills you need to go a mile up the road and climb the great 5.10s at The Bend.

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Once summer sets in properly, make sure to plan a Squamish trip. The Smoke Bluffs are the best beginner crack climber learning area in North America. 

I'll chime in and echo it; royal columns are legit. Fantastic place to learn crack, especially if you're used to granite slabs at all. 

There are a couple decent and easy cracks around Smith rock if you're there for sport with your wankers, I mean buddies, and wanna get a pitch or two in. There's also hella crack in the gorges around there. Also nearby is trout creek, once you get your technique dialed.

Have fun! It feels weird at first, but cracks are some of the most secure and naunced features to climb.

Dude this thread is getting me so psyched!

I found that Vantage had some OK stuff, but it's a 'little weird' as Rusty would say. The same features that make all the jugs also makes the wider/easier cracks randomly flare so gear might not be so simple.

Tieton sounds rad.

If you do go to 11worth, sounds like mountaineers dome would be perfect for you. 

Thanks, everyone! These are great suggestions so far :) 

Another fun little crag at leavenworth is crag du jour. Also pearly gates.

In Leavenworth you’ve got 

8 mile (classic crack, twin and another 5.9)

Trundle dome and surf city (flake fest, pay dirt) 

Ski tracks crack has a couple in the area

Alphabet rock (dogleg, meat grinder)

Castle rock has a bunch

Pearly gates

Royal columns at Tieton is good for moderates tightly spaced together.

Hi Emma   

Saign nailed it, Trundle Dome, Alphabet Rock, and Ski Tracks are all great for the grades. Some of my favorites are Spaghetti Sauce and The Arch, at the base of Icicle Buttress, Canary on Castle Rock. O-Crack in the O-zone (Jacob has been there). These should all be solid in the 5.8-5.9 grade. There is a ton on single pitch in the area that doesn't get much love; if it has at least two stars then I personally think it's worth it! Plus you'll hardly ever see anyone out there. 

IMO the trad grade in the area takes a big leap once you journey into the 10a, and especially 10b range. Stuff seems to just really ramp up. 

I'll second Mountaineers Dome area for learning trad at around 5.4. Just down stream about two blocks,  below Contractor Rock (bolted easy stuff) is Gibson's Crack...about 5.5? You can get to the top of Mountaineers and Gibsons if you want to have a slack top rope while you lead. Castle Rock has Midway and Saber for a total of six pitches under 5.4. Moving up a grade you have Midway Direct and Winter Solstice, three pitches each, and both rated 5.6-ish. Those last two have delicate climbing on pitch two. They occasionally look blank from below, but the holds and pro are always there with amazing exposure of the highway and river below.

Ski Tracks has the best crack in Leavenworth for learning on.  Short approach and new anchors!

Givler’s crack and classic crack in Leavenworth. Also second the previously mentioned royal columns. 

Went to check out Castle Rock for the first time last weekend after reading this thread. Great time. And since we were only doing single pitches we avoid the cluster on Midway. Will have to come back to send the Nose.