Help Devils lake trad climbers

Looking for easy first trad climbs at the lake. Climbs with a decent amount of protection options and have pg falls. We have been practicing with top rope back up out the with placing and cleaning and falling on gear and now it's time to just leave from the ground up. I'll take whatever you guys throw out there big or small but I'd rather be a 5.7 or lower we recently climbed the bone(5.5) but the wasp nest in the middle v made for a horrible rope drag going left and on the face to get over em. Was not digging that with that little shelf it puts you on by that ole piton

Queen's Throne and Cleo's needle are both great first leads...well protected 5.4s. Lost Face is a really nice lead. Brinton's Crack protects well and is classic but is super psychological/exposed/scary for the grade.

false alarm jam, double overhang, and coatamundi are all good leads in a close area on the east bluff.

Awesome I appreciate it guys!

Is there a particular guiding company to recommend for learning more hands on about trad climbing? I wanted to sign up for the Crag Classic class but it filled so fast!

Joe Z. wrote:Is there a particular guiding company to recommend for learning more hands on about trad climbing? I wanted to sign up for the Crag Classic class but it filled so fast!

Devil's Lake Climbing Guides

But I'm admittedly biased.

CRAG-list-KILLA wrote:Looking for easy first trad climbs at the lake. Climbs with a decent amount of protection options and have pg falls. We have been practicing with top rope back up out the with placing and cleaning and falling on gear and now it's time to just leave from the ground up. I'll take whatever you guys throw out there big or small but I'd rather be a 5.7 or lower we recently climbed the bone(5.5) but the wasp nest in the middle v made for a horrible rope drag going left and on the face to get over em. Was not digging that with that little shelf it puts you on by that ole piton

Start on things that feel VERY easy. For about your first ten leads (or so), you shouldn't even have to consider the movement part of the climbing - only the protection system you're building. You should be comfortable soloing the terrain your first leads take place on, because until you know that you're building solid safety systems; soloing may be what you are effectively doing.

Have an experienced climber second your leads and check your system. When that person and you feel comfortable with your skills, you start to up the grade. There's no rush.

Yeah, it's definitely a head point project for early leaders but not that bad if you just go for it on the traverse. I actually had more trouble on the obligate hand jam 2nd crux because I led it on a humid morning in early August, lol.

James M Schroeder wrote: Devil's Lake Climbing Guides But I'm admittedly biased.

Seconded, and I'm not biased. :)

I agree with those who said that your first leads should feel VERY easy. My first lead was Turks Tooth, 5.2.

Assuming that your comfort zone includes 5.6, then I'd recommend these as good leads on which to work out your systems:

Foreplay, 5.5
Queen's Throne, 5.4 --only if you have some mid-sized cams
Sunken Pillar, 5.5
Everleigh Club Crack, light-duty 5.6

The 5.2 on Devil's Doorway leads to a nice summit. It's very short though.

Seth Jones wrote: Jay, you've been climbing with those springy things too long! I sewed it up on 1 set of nuts and 1 set of hexes as my second lead.

Really? That's bold!

My first lead there was the back side of the leaning tower (5.2) - it's just a series of steps you can't fall on that you can focus placing gear with both hands at every step and set an easy anchor at the top. There are great gear placements all over it.

Foreplay is good too, that was an early lead for me along with queens throne.

Don't do Cleo's needle as a first lead. The top is like 4 square feet with a single bolt, you have to sling the block, and space/rope management is going to be hard there your first time. Pick something straight forward, not something bound to be a cluster at the top.

The Bone 5.5 is a good one to try as a first lead.

mountainproject.com/v/the-b…

Seth Jones wrote:The hand jam is definitely the physical crux but at least its well protected and you won't pendulum if you fall there. The idea of falling on a traverse doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies haha.

Ha, my first trad fall was on a traverse (not at DL). It's actually not as bad as you think as long as you've extended your gear, as you're usually not too far ABOVE your gear and don't fall as far down. That said, I wouldn't want to fall on that...the landing if your gear goes is NOT pleasant.

Thanks guys really appreciate it!

Bill McKirgan wrote:The Bone 5.5 is a good one to try as a first lead. mountainproject.com/v/the-b…

Nice lead, but maybe not the best 'first' lead. It is very exposed up there, and kind of scary for sure when you havent' led much. I know it wsa not in my first 10 leads when I began,,,needed a big of courage before going for that big a route. Those short 30-40 ft routes with nice landings over on East Ramparts are a great start.

^^Guys, he already led the Bone.

Oh, stay the hell away from the Pedestal. It's a 2 pitch 5.4 found right off the CCC trail on East Bluff and therefore very tempting for new leaders, but it's a vicious sandbag...unless you're into traversing on good hands but god-awful feet (basically campusing) above your one piece of decent gear 20' off the deck...

Lol I like it!! And the bone was lead on placed gear on a top rope backup and sport climbed freely if you will I agree scary with having to make a detour around that wasp nest making for awful rope drag. Let's just say I'm putting raid in my climbing pack for next trip but I will try and get on a few of the routes you guys suggested!!!

Jay Knower wrote:I agree with those who said that your first leads should feel VERY easy. My first lead was Turks Tooth, 5.2. Assuming that your comfort zone includes 5.6, then I'd recommend these as good leads on which to work out your systems: Foreplay, 5.5 Queen's Throne, 5.4 --only if you have some mid-sized cams Sunken Pillar, 5.5 Everleigh Club Crack, light-duty 5.6

Swartling calls ECC a 5.8, probably the only really soft grading you'll see in that book. Haven't bought your book yet (next time I'm in Baraboo), but you think it's a 5.6? I'd say the crux move is at least a 5.7, but 5.8 is almost certainly high, especially when you compare it with the line to its left.

More suggestions: Turks Tooth, Upper Weissner Crack, Easy Overhang, Queens Throne, The Horse, Foreplay

Both cracks in the box canyon are 5.4 and the alcove above allows for a straightforward bomber anchor. Second to Sunken Pillar, Queens Throne, Cleo's, and Foreplay.