Starting to lead...looking for adivce, ect...

Cob rock, Castle rock, and The dome/elephant buttresses areas all have moderate (5.7-5.9) crack lines with bomber gear. Some of my first gear leads around Boulder were "The owl", 5.7 on the dome, and some short trad lines at Happy hour crag (Grins, 5.8, is fun). Don't do Gorilla's delight (Dome 9+) or Cosmosis (Bell Buttress,9+/10a) until you have some practice! "Cussin' Crack" on Castle rock (5.7 sandbag), is only 5.7, but you will most likely cuss during the crux.
Empor (5.7) and other 5.7 lines on Cob rock are really good with solid rock.
If you want to wank out, sport park has a 5.8 bolted crack (nice hands) that takes perfect gear.

I think learning placements in granite is much easier than just heading to Eldo piton scar action. Eldo is funky, and while there is good gear, it is way less obvious then finding gear in granite (which is also much stronger should the placement be shit).
Building TR's (with an experienced friend) with gear placements is a nice way to get used to weighting/building/equalizing anchors

Phoenix wrote: When you're ready to try a 10a, go get on Rosie Crucifixion, you may take the whipper, but it is on the most bomber stop the rotation of the earth (green) Camalot. Another idea it to have your partner critique your gear placements. Good luck and Climb safe!

Totally agree with Tevis. Granite is a lot more straight forward than the rock in Eldo. I would recommend some of the classic lines in Lumpy (Magical Chrome Plated, White Whale, etc) the straight forward nature of those lines, and great protection and moderate grade make for great lines to begin to feel comfortable not sewing up routes. You could add Cackle crack, and Yosemite crack to the list...a bit shorter and harder, but had a great (safe) fall on Yosemite on a Blue Camalot trying to layback the pull into the wider section. but watch out for the little pillar below.

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It looks like I have lots of homework to do now. If only the weather would coorperate...

I agree with the folks above. When I started trad climbing I spent weeks walking around at Vedauwoo placing my new set of nuts and ancient used set of hb flexi cams in cracks and constrictions of all sizes and shapes. Then I led loads of climbs under 5.8 before I even thought about getting on 5.9 and up. By the time I got on 5.9's I wasn't worried about my gear holding at all. Often times I trust my gear better than a bolt that somebody else put in. Especially the short petzl bolts from the early 90's.

Another idea is to go and spend a week or so at Indian Creek. Such a boost in confidence in trad leading by the end of the week!

I've taken some big falls on gear and it has always held. My biggest fall was on the runout eyebrows (kind of like upside down jugs) on Looking glass rock in North Carolina. Took a 40 footer onto a #1 camalot tucked in an eyebrow. Held just fine!

Another time I was taking pictures from above and I watched a friend hurriedly place a 3 tech friend while pumping out. He made a really bad placement and the moment he climbed above it half of the lobes came out of the crack. He then proceeded to fall on it, and to our shock it held.

Not saying to climb on bad gear, but I have seen some pretty bad placements hold a fall.

I also second the book the Rock Warriors Way!

Good luck and have fun!

What Rosie are you talking about? The falls are perfectly safe, for both parties. Just gotta remember to leave your micro nuts on the sling and use your big stoppers, the only thing you're gonna hit is air.
Anyhow, I second the recommendation to climb some easy aid pitches, get your partner to take you to Country Club Crack in BC and aid both pitches. That would be a great way to learn placing gear as well as trusting it. As well its always good practice to place gear while you're standing around on the ground, and play with said gear to see what you can and can not get away with.

If you fall on the bottom traverse of Rosie Crucifixion you'll be hanging way out in mid air, a friend of mine slipped off right at the end and after the ordeal of prusicking back up he was done for the day. I dunno man, it's a somewhat intimidating 10.

Never even tried to say it wasn't an intimidating climb, it took me 3 tries just to get the bolt clipped! But it is safe. If it were not safe I wouldn't be recommending it, please understand that I do not wish anyone harm. Just trying to sandbag the good lad into taking a whipper.
Cheers.