I usually don't mention that first free solo before I discovered people climbed with special shoes and ropes. (shudders) It was also in Austin near the Urban Assault Wall. Some 50ft. system of ledges up a corner to a loose scree top out with bushes and clawing for life. Did it alone and promptly lost the memory of doing it for years. PTSD?

If your climbing in the southeast ,say around Tennessee, try afterburner 5.5 at foster falls. It was my sons first lead and its pretty straight forward and well protected!

In Alabama, Sand Rock has a couple, one is kennel club 5.8 and My dog has fleas, both are on the Holiday Block, for those who don't know.

My first trad lead was Foreplay at Devil's Lake, in October of 1997. I definitely remember sewing it up, and actually smearing on one of the last moves (a heady thing to do on a first lead at the Lake, even if it was only a 5.4). Had a great time, and thinking about it, I really need to get back there and lead it again for old time's sake...

My first lead was Piece of Cake (5.6 or 7?) at Taylors Falls, MN sometime in the mid-seventies

Silver Spoon

Sometime during the spring of 1991.... ahh, to be young and dumb again.

Edit:: okay, okay - to be young again... (i got the other thing covered).

First lead was about 3 weeks ago, 5.6/5.7

My brother and I have just started getting more serious about climbing in the last month or two. Bought a rope a month ago, top roped for about a week and then he bought some quick draws and started leading sport climbs at a wall just down the road from my parents house (Jemez mtns in New Mexico).

I Led a 5.9 on sat and had no prob. and decided to try a .10d last night, needless to say this opened my eyes a bit. took my first fall of ~10-12 ft. it was nice to see that the gear all held and get the feeling of taking a decent sized fall, but I think I'll stick to the lower rated climbs for a bit, until my skills progress a bit more and I'm more comfortable with being above the rope.

1977. The Trough, a bolted 5.5. face climb at Big Rock, Lake Perris, near Riverside, California.

My first gear lead was either the Shadow or Hernia, both 5.8s at Suicide Rock in So Cal.

My first sport lead was .7 way cool junior in the south seas at Rushmore. Really super easy climb, but great for a first time lead.

My first real trad lead was a 5.8 in spearfish canyon called all strung out on crack. Unfortunately I feel the climb was ruined because somebody bolted a perfect crack, but none the less I went ahead and did a trad lead on it and it was a great lead. I haven't done much trad yet, but I've got a full rack and I'm working on it, but I want to be safe and I'm learning from my buddy Todd who is very experience in trad leading.

First lead was "Movin' to Montana" in Yosemite.
First trad lead was "Holdless Horror" on Dozier Dome in Tuolumne.
The very next day we did Cathedral Peak; I led six pitches, and by the time we topped out thunderstorms were moving in. When everything around me started buzzing (including my helmet), I performed the fastest rappel of my young climbing life and managed to get down safely. In all, the weekend was a very exciting introduction to trad climbing.

First sport lead was also Silver Spoon (5.6) in Garden of the Gods.

First trad lead was Jaws (5.6) at Elevenmile Canyon.

My first 2 leads were, on sandstone - the dreaded Calypso on Wind Tower (I think it wasn't as slippery in 1972) and on granite - East Slab on the Dome (runout on bad stopper placements).

1st Lead was 3rd Pitch of Cussin Crack (5.6) in 1971. Wearing Royal Robbin's shoes, actually they were boots, and they were not that good for free-climbing (unless you were Royal himself I guess). That was just the start of a long learning process!

I'm with Jim. I wore 'em up Mescalito in 1981, and the thought of free climbing anything in them...ugh. I aided up the Half Dollar chimney on another climb whose name I won't mention, because it didn't go as well...

Hell Shawn, Robbins first ascent of that (in '61) was probably in big boots!

Caramel Corner 5.4 at Castlewood Canyon 1986. If there were sport/bolted routes back then, I didn't know about them. First ice lead at Officers Gulch 1991. I didn't know anybody that climbed, so I would have to get neighbors, friends, my brother, anyone to belay and I supplied the gear (which wasn't much and pretty primitive).

I totally relate Shawn, that Yosemite granite seemed slippery as hell the first time I touched it, couldn't get my Robbins to stick for sh&*! I just have a warm spot in my heart for the old Blue Meanies.

"old Blue Meanies"... LOL. Love your pic of Tahquitz. Memories of the early adventures...

EDIT: PTW somehting or other...whatever teh kids say at teh top of the page.