Hey.

I'm climbing 5.9 sport and .7 trad. I'm looking to go to Eldo tomorrow but not sure what to hit up.

I have done extremely little climbing in eldo so I'm looking for something either 5.6 or 5.7 with good protection the whole way.

I'm ok with exposure as long as I can keep putting in gear.

Something with easy route finding would also be very appreciated since it will be an onsight.

Thanks so much.
John

Well, the over-traveled classic is Bastille Crack, but it's fairly long and sustained if 5.7 pushes you. And, the crux moves, about 30 feet up, can be well protected from reasonable position, but are also easy to bungle and pump while placing.

Wind Ridge on Wind Tower has one move of 7+ at the bottom, (can be circumvented) and is wonderful interesting 5.5. the rest of the way. It climbs more fun than 5.5

Calypso is kinda stiff for 5.6, and after the crux move around a roof, protection is hard to get for a bit.

Swanson Arete takes you high up Lumpe Tower, close to Yellow Spur, at teh modest grade of (old school) 5.5. But you have to approach via the first pitch of Rewritten (kinda scary, flaky protection) or Great Zot--solid 5.8 for a couple moves, but well protected. Also, you have to find your way down the East Slabs or do the rappels, but there will likely be others to point the way.

And, if you're up for an adventure, Gambit on Shirt Tail peak, has a short stretch of 5.8, but is mostly 6 and 7 on increasingly steep and exposed rock that takes you to an airy perch on the highest point in the canyon. If you do Gambit, carefully read the beta on this site about finding the rappels.

Oh...Rewritten. Wonderful climb...still gotta deal with the first pitch. I recommend Great Zot.

Have safe fun.

Calypso, super fun 5.6 with lots of pro except for the start.

Wade, after you move right under the roof, it didn't make you sweat a bit moving up and looking for gear?

At first, a dozen or more climbs popped into my head. Then, I remembered you said well protected the whole way. There are many pitches in that range that protect well. But, entire climbs are hard to find. Eldo seems to throw a little curve ball at you no matter what grade. Calypso 6, protects well except for the first 15 feet. West chimney 6 to Deadulus 5 protects pretty well or West chimney to Swanson Arete 5, but Swanson Arete doesn't have as much gear, Rewritten 7 has a runout first pitch although you can do the first pitch of Great Zot 8 instead which protects well. On the West Ridge there is Washington Irving 6, one pitch, Mescaline 7, one pitch and Verschneidung 7, 2 pitches. Bastille Crack, 4 pitches goes at 7, but many find it a bit harder because the first pitch is a bit polished. I'm sure many more suggestions will follow. Have fun. Be safe.

John if you need a partner for tomorrow mine bailed on me. I sent you a pm with my contact info

As previously mentioned, Calypso is run out a bit on the start, but the climbing is pretty easy. However, the crux move--the famous traverse--does not protect well, and if you peel at the top, you can take a nasty swing into the dihedral. There have been more than a few casualties on this route. That said, it IS fun, and it is worth climbing if you feel solid in Eldo 5.6 territory. But how could you know?

Hmm, I was about to think Icarus, 5.6, but then I remembered you said you wanted ample pro for the whole climb. Scratch Icarus then, the last pitch is 5.6 R...

Daedelus? 5.5 I think? I seem to remember that it protected pretty well. The exposure is great. The facey crack moves on the second-to-last pitch are interesting.

Rewritten is a f'n classic; one of my all-time favorites. However, the start is not trivial whether you do the Rewritten start (5.7, PG13--sparse, tricky pro) or the Great Zot start (5.8+, great pro, but the fun crux roof is not a gimme!)

You're just going to have to get used to protecting in Eldo. It can be a bit tricky. Sometimes you're going to have runouts, even on the well-protected routes. Other times you're going to wonder whether or not you should fall on that nut that you slotted behind the hollow-sounding rock you slotted it behind...

Cheers, good luck!