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Best Face-Trad areas

Original Post
Billy K · · Miami Beach · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 195

After a trip to the New, I'm stoked on face-trad, as in, sporty climbs that are gear protected. Splitter cracks have gotten a bit old at this point.

Where's the best face-trad area you've been to or know of?

I'll start it off:

NRG, Gunks, NC areas...???

Ben V · · Central Maine · Joined Nov 2016 · Points: 1,459

Following. +1 for the Gunks. 

Doug S · · W Pa · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 55

Seneca rocks, if you're in the area. Take care to test the rock quality of your holds and placements. Excessive rain and erosion have caused some rockfalls lately.
+1 NRG

Marc H · · Longmont, CO · Joined May 2007 · Points: 265

Eldo.

Pnelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 635

Just echoing Gunks and NRG.  Even the cracks here are basically face climbs!

seamus mcshane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2013 · Points: 210

T-Wall
City of Rocks
Red Rock

Will Maness · · Terrebonne, OR · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 115

Moore’s Wall, NC!

David K · · The Road, Sometimes Chattan… · Joined Jan 2017 · Points: 423

Really I think the Gunks are just the best for this. At T-wall, NRG, or Red Rocks (the other mentioned placed I've been), the face trad is a side dish, but at the Gunks it's the main course.

Choss Wrangler · · Elkview, WV · Joined Feb 2018 · Points: 65
B K wrote: After a trip to the New, I'm stoked on face-trad, as in, sporty climbs that are gear protected. Splitter cracks have gotten a bit old at this point.

Where's the best face-trad area you've been to or know of?

I'll start it off:

NRG, Gunks, NC areas...???

Out of curiosity, what face trad climbs did you get on at the New?

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 342

Weeping Wall and Sunshine Face at Suicide Rock.  All bolt protected but believe me it’s trad. 

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

Eldorado Canyon in Boulder, CO

The Needles in Custer State Park, SD

Many of the routes in Red Rocks, NV

Cron · · Maine / NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 60

Whitehorse Ledge, NH

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

Pembroke.

(And much other U.K. trad)

And while we’re looking international, Arapiles.

nbrown · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 7,718

The whole state of NC is pretty much traditional face climbing. Much of it has bolts (specifically on the WNC granite domes) but the place is as trad as it gets. I live very near Eldo nowadays but I'd take NC rock over it any day.

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526
B K wrote: Hmm I always figured the Needles were cracky. I'll have to check it out!

Like all rock, there are cracks as well.  But might you be thinking of the Needles in  California?

Emil Briggs · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 125
nbrown wrote: The whole state of NC is pretty much traditional face climbing. Much of it has bolts (specifically on the WNC granite domes) but the place is as trad as it gets. I live very near Eldo nowadays but I'd take NC rock over it any day.

But not NC weather Nathan!

M Santisi · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 1,879

One of my favorite 10s at the Gunks and totally underrated.  Many people don’t even realize there is a climb there.  Great face climbing and a little spicy.

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106738801/still-crazy-after-all-these-years

nbrown · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 7,718
Emil Briggs wrote:

But not NC weather Nathan!

Yeah, that pretty much sucks!

Sam Skovgaard · · Port Angeles, WA · Joined Oct 2017 · Points: 208

Mount Lemmon in Tucson has a lot of face climbing trad routes.  758 trad routes listed on MP and you could probably count the number of true splitter cracks on one hand.

Buck Rio · · MN · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 16
B K wrote: Hmm I always figured the Needles were cracky. I'll have to check it out!

Needles in SD are not very crack-y, which leads to a great deal of "spice" and or mixed routes. To be sure, there are some pure crack climbs (Kamps Crack), but most are a combo of face with some cracks available for pro.

Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

The Waterfall, AZ.  

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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