First lead in general - Stichter Quits in JTree quite the pucker at the end My brother was belaying me and the rope got horribly tangled about 3 feet from the anchor (right on the dyke)

I had to stand there like 40 feet above the last bolt as he untangled the rope. It is amazing how 60 seconds can seem like forever when you are totally runout

Trad Lead, Leaping Leana in RHV JTree

Neither difficult, but great climbs for the grade!

My first trad lead was The Bomb (5.4), Wind Tower, in Eldorado Canyon. This is a nice, mellow climb with a tree anchor after the 1st pitch and bolts after the second. I DID only place one piece on the top pitch and got pretty spooked after getting 20 feet off route. You could hear my "F**K!" reverberating off of The Bastile. But after reversing the moves I was able to collect myself and blast to the top.
First sport lead was Shaking the Pope's Hand (5.7)on Mt.Boner in the Ironclads. This is a fantastic slab route with perfect clips.... Actually my picture icon is of this first lead....

My first trad lead was Breezy in Eldo. We accidentally soloed P1 trying to figure out the start (don't ask) and I lead P2.

Prior to that my first sport lead was Alexi's climb at Shelf which was allegedly bolted for a small child ;)

First sport lead was Lothlorien (5.7/8) in Boulder Canyon. Fortunately the ratings are soft there. First trad lead was West Crack (5.2) in Eldo - a classic beginner trad lead. First multipitch lead = First Flatiron. Dropped my ATC at the top of pitch one - Dumas. Fortunately I knew the Munter and my partner was very patient... Aaah, he still is patient with me.

I started leading within a couple of weeks after my first time ever rock climbing. How to become a leader? Fall in love with the sport of climbing before getting to know many experienced climbing partners, then try to convince some other newbie to go with you. "Don't worry, I'll lead this..." Ok, not recommended to learn to lead by force, but it works for some I guess.

First lead 'My Dog Has Fleas' 5.8 Sandrock, AL...nothing too great.

First TRAD lead, 'Nutrasweet' 5.7 at Tennessee Wall, TN...good stances, near certical, steady 5.7 climbing. Going to a new spot with the dude who got me into the BUSINESS this weekend.

Trad rules.

The Horseman, 5.5, the gunks. Steepest 5.5 I've ever been on.

took a 10-foot fall onto a purple trango low on the 1st pitch of handcracker direct in eldo yesterday.

it was my first lead fall on trad gear. sure got my heart racing!

felt pretty good actually to have a split second of total terror knowing that only a tiny cam, hand placed by me, was the only thing standing between me and the jagged rock pile below. so many things passed thru my mind in that moment- fuck i'm losing it! tiny cam! instant death! good placement? lobes touching? right expansion angles? partner paying attention? carnage! will it pull out? smash crash and burn! slam into rock! die!
and then, smooth sailing and a comfortable landing left me dangling and staring at the life-saving piece of gear that didn't budge a bit. nice catch by the partner as well.

1st lead fall on gear, i think i've earned the distinction of a trad climber!

Fruit Loops (5.7), rumbling bald NC. P1:Super clean layback crack with PERFECT pro up to a cool hanging belay in a cave. P2: body squeeze the chimney and exit left onto slabby runout to the top. Such a great day for being so hungover, I've never sweat Jagiermeister like that before, hopefully I never will again.

First sport lead was Silver Spoons at Garden of the God's at age 13. Great education in smearing! First trad lead was the final crack on Lotta Balls in Red Rock (Vegas).

my first lead was the second pitch of a two pitch climb called "batteries not included," on cliff drive in the upper peninsula of MI. it was only 5.6, and i thought it was the coolest thing ever...luckily i was oblivious to (1) how run-out the bolts were (what you'd call "traditionally bolted"); and (2) how horrible slab climbs are to fall on for the leader. but, i sent without batting an eye (probably because i was oblivious to the above points) and celebrated w/ a beer and burger at the michigan house.

for some reason, can't remember my first trad climb...i know i mock led a few times before actually leading off, just to get the feel for it (which worked really well because we'd rap to the base of the climb to start with anyway)

My first four leads were not very special. My 5th lead was High Exposure, on-sight. Enough said.

-chris

Slightly off-topic, but I saw this thread and thought, "Huh... I wonder if I can remember my first trad lead." As I pondered this and read through, I came across my own response, almost a year old--it was a little disconcerting! I guess "college life" has taken its toll on the old brain cell account.

"Betty" at the Gunks. A 2-pitch 5.3 masterpiece.

Potholes or Bob's Buttress Crack at the Garden of the Gods. But I feel that I was born as a leader when I climbed Overseer at Josh later that year.

Then born again on Sacherer Cracker in Yosemite; then again on Mr Natural; again on Five and Dime... feels like my first lead every time I push my limit and feel that mix of fear and conviction. There's nothing like standing at the base of a line that scares you, and setting off onto the first hold/jam/lock.

My first lead was Recompense, 5.9, at Cathedral Ledge. I was lucky enough to lead every pitch without any trouble because I had been doing a lot of top-roping at Wellesley Arches.

Second lead: The Book of Solemnity, 5.10a, Cathedral Ledge.

Third Lead: Cro Magnon, 5.10, Crow Hill.

Those first three leads set me on a thirty-year quest to do all of the classics that I could find.

Your first lead was Recompense? I can't imagine leading that crux pitch first time out.

My first rock lead (free), 'First Lead' at The City; first rock lead(aide), some shitty cliff outside Bellingham WA. My first ice lead, a serac on Mnt Baker.....all three came within a two week period. If you're going to pop the cherry, might as well do it right!

My first lead was a 5.5 at Seneca Rocks. I didn't really get the whole "placing gear" thing. So every so often I would yell down to my belayer and ask, "am I gonna hit the ground?" when the answer was "yes" i would place a piece of pro.

I'm pretty sure my first was the uber-classic 5 Gallon Buckets at Smith Rock.

My first sport lead was probably an easy 5.10 in Austin called Cactus Patch. It was the easiest climb we knew of at the time. We had tied runners for that one. My first trad lead was Sweat at Enchanted Rock then I did the 5.6 Cave Crack. I had pretty poor jamming technique for both, but at least my jams were solid! A little too solid, as in painfully overtorqued. I learned over the years to jam with less force and less pain.

Twin Oaks/Triple Bulges at the Gunks. 5.5, 2 pitch perfection.

First lead (ever): Killian's Dead, 5.6 trad, N. Table Mountain, 8/27/07.

First alpine lead: Pagoda's North Buttress, 5.7 trad, 6 pitches, 9/1/07.

First sport lead (ever): Pandora's Pebble Pinching Party Palace, 5.7, The Monastary, 10/13/07.

Guess I did it kinda backwards.

East Slab, The Dome, Boulder Canyon 1972