traditional climbing

Anyone out there looking to do some trad climbing with a newbie? I will follow and clean. I'm not expecting to lead. I am mainly interested in learning proper placement of pro, etc. I can confidently climb 5.8 sport routes and would love to get on some easy trad routes. I am always stoked to climb and would bring a positive attitude for sure!

Ryan, where are you willing to climb? How far is too far a drive?

I am willing to drive anywhere within reason. What areas are you thinking?

Ryan Loiselle wrote:I am willing to drive anywhere within reason. What areas are you thinking?

Adirondacks until sometime September/October, then Gunks after until it snows. I'm able and willing to head East though, I've yet to climb anything at Canon or Cathedral. Rumney is kinda climbed out for me until I start climbing at a higher level. Farley is great but I don't know it well enough yet to just drive out [and there's no guide book].

You may luck out and find experienced climbers closer to home but I'm always willing to lead and teach. :)

I am available any Saturday or Sunday for the rest of the season, excluding this weekend (already made plans)...let me know when and where and I will confirm with you. I'd love to go anywhere really. I know a guy that knows Farley well. Maybe I could arrange for us all to go so he could show you around too. My goal is to eventually get on Whitney Gilman Ridge....but, I know I gotta get on some easier stuff first, for the experience.

Interested in going to Whitehorse at all any weekend in August?

What are some routes in the Adirondacks that we could get on?

I've been itching to get up to Whitehorse this season. Let me know when you'd like to go and I'm there.

DylanL - Have you lead any of the routes there before? Do you have trad climbing gear?

Ryan Loiselle wrote:What are some routes in the Adirondacks that we could get on?

Pretty much anything 5.8 or easier. Very few exceptions. I would be more interested to hear what catches your eye in the guide.

The Gunks... 5.7 or easier, and not even all the 5.7s lol [I'd lead a few 5.8s long before a couple Gunks 5.7s - grading is wacky down there]

My past few years have had some ups and downs, mostly downs due to shoulder surgery in each shoulder. Now I'm through that, thankfully. Going to knock off some 5.8s this year in the ADKs I've only TR'd, followed, or haven't led yet (Hesitation, Upper Washbowl on Giant would be one - perhaps the Prelude to Overture linkup).

There's a lot of high quality 5.4 - 5.6 at the Gunks, and 5.6-5.7 in the ADKs. We would start on those together just so you get use to the rock/style of climbing, and practice removing gear. Then move up as you feel ready. This will get me some time to get my climbing back in full swing too, have had limited days this year.

I already informally had plans this weekend as well. One day next weekend gets spoiled due to a concert (expensive tickets = going). Maybe if the weather cooperates we can meet at Farley or somewhere central to us on next Sunday. I may know enough to get a day in at Farley, even if I just led some of the routes I only followed on my previous trip. Great climbing there.

Kevin - I checked out a few routes on Mountain Project for the ADKs and everything sounds good. There are a lot of areas to pick from. Do you have any favorite areas, so I can narrow down my searching?

I'd be interested in driving out to New York for a weekend and hitting the Gunks one day for sure. Keep me posted on that one.

It sounds like this is a good opportunity for me to get started. Let me know about Farley, for that Sunday. As of right now, I have no plans for that day, so that would work out good.

Kevin Heckeler wrote: Pretty much anything 5.8 or easier. Very few exceptions. I would be more interested to hear what catches your eye in the guide. The Gunks... 5.7 or easier, and not even all the 5.7s lol [I'd lead a few 5.8s long before a couple Gunks 5.7s - grading is wacky down there] My past few years have had some ups and downs, mostly downs due to shoulder surgery in each shoulder. Now I'm through that, thankfully. Going to knock off some 5.8s this year in the ADKs I've only TR'd, followed, or haven't led yet (Hesitation, Upper Washbowl on Giant would be one - perhaps the Prelude to Overture linkup). There's a lot of high quality 5.4 - 5.6 at the Gunks, and 5.6-5.7 in the ADKs. We would start on those together just so you get use to the rock/style of climbing, and practice removing gear. Then move up as you feel ready. This will get me some time to get my climbing back in full swing too, have had limited days this year. I already informally had plans this weekend as well. One day next weekend gets spoiled due to a concert (expensive tickets = going). Maybe if the weather cooperates we can meet at Farley or somewhere central to us on next Sunday. I may know enough to get a day in at Farley, even if I just led some of the routes I only followed on my previous trip. Great climbing there.

this is a cool thread and at some point I'll probably be posting something similar :)

@kevin Heckler - I was wondering what your opinion on route grading ADK vs Gunks is? I have climbed a bit in the Gunks but never in the ADK but I have hiked extensively in the ADK...so I know the area reasonably well. Regular Route, Empress, Catharsis, and Diagonal were climbs that immediately stuck out to me. @Ryan keep those in mind :)

thanks neils!

Ryan Loiselle wrote:Kevin - I checked out a few routes on Mountain Project for the ADKs and everything sounds good. There are a lot of areas to pick from. Do you have any favorite areas, so I can narrow down my searching? I'd be interested in driving out to New York for a weekend and hitting the Gunks one day for sure. Keep me posted on that one. It sounds like this is a good opportunity for me to get started. Let me know about Farley, for that Sunday. As of right now, I have no plans for that day, so that would work out good.

It's looking like Farley Sunday Aug 7 is a go. Weather permitting of course. I'll PM you my info.

I climb a lot at Crane Mt, but there's a lot of quality stuff near Chapel Pond. There's also Barkeater cliff a bit further down Route 73. As you said, there's a lot of options for moderates.

neils wrote:Regular Route, Empress, Catharsis, and Diagonal were climbs that immediately stuck out to me. @Ryan keep those in mind :)

The last pitch of Catharsis is a bit sandbagged and runout. Thankfully I followed on it, and have zero desire to ever go back and lead it (at least not until I feel much more confident climbing 5.6-5.7 PG/R slab).

The difficulty in the Gunks overall is a tad harder, but that's a wide generalization as it varies climb to climb, crag to crag, style to style. A true Gunkie (Gunks-only) climber would have a hard time jumping on some of the cracks in the ADKs as it's not something you see much of in the Gunks. Good crack technique is definitely its own skill. Additionally the ADKs have a bit of everything, so if someone wanted to be a well rounded climber there's a quantity of almost every style imaginable somewhere in the park.

Kevin Heckeler wrote: The last pitch of Catharsis is a bit sandbagged and runout. Thankfully I followed on it, and have zero desire to ever go back and lead it (at least not until I feel much more confident climbing 5.6-5.7 PG/R slab). The difficulty in the Gunks overall is a tad harder, but that's a wide generalization as it varies climb to climb, crag to crag, style to style. A true Gunkie (Gunks-only) climber would have a hard time jumping on some of the cracks in the ADKs as it's not something you see much of in the Gunks. Good crack technique is definitely its own skill. The ADKs have a bit of everything.

thanks - definitely looking to get on some stuff up there - I love that area - I am going to be in Keene for a few days next week and hope to be able to do at least 1 day of TR - thinking Beer Walls, Creature Wall, Owls Head.

Sorry to hijack this thread - I'll go away now :)

Kevin - sounds good for August 7th. Hopefully weather permits!

I think that the actuall finish to catharsis is at least 50 to 75 ft left of where most people climb, there is a flake/crack there that takes gear and is much closer to the grade, or at least thsts how I would finish up if I was leading.

I'm mostly busy for the rest of August. A few climbing plans and working a bunch before a short trip out west.
I plan on working a little and climbing A LOT through the fall. I live in MA and usually default to North Conway. I pretty familiar with Cathedral and Whitehorse and I'm happy to teach you what I know. Send me a message and we can definitely work something out. Have you climbed anything at Cathedral/Whitehorse?

Hey Ryan I am down to jump on something. I am busy mostly til fall but I am willing to take you out and teach you a few things come sept. I have only been leading trad for two years but as you will soon see it becomes an obsession, so I feel confident in taking you out and teaching you the basics. I too was taught by someone I met through a similar post, so it's only right to pay it forward. Carter ledge was my first trad climb. Although a very easy climb, it is a great one to just see some placements and learn the systems in a nice scenic environment.

neils wrote: thanks - definitely looking to get on some stuff up there - I love that area - I am going to be in Keene for a few days next week and hope to be able to do at least 1 day of TR - thinking Beer Walls, Creature Wall, Owls Head. Sorry to hijack this thread - I'll go away now :)

Enjoy! Owl's head requires some extra static line to reach the trees for anchors (left side of cliff). Creature Wall and Beer Walls can be busy, kinda hit/miss on whether you will get on the route(s) you want. Jewel's and Gems is also close and if you're careful you can setup top ropes on many of the routes there (I say careful because access to the cliff edge at the top isn't straight forward).

june m wrote:I think that the actuall finish to catharsis is at least 50 to 75 ft left of where most people climb, there is a flake/crack there that takes gear and is much closer to the grade, or at least thsts how I would finish up if I was leading.

Yes.. You walk over about 60-75 feet from the big tree belay to a flake, up the flake that arches to the left, climb over the lip and slab routes to the finish. Probably the hardest but best protected pitch of the whole thing.

The second pitch is the one to watch out for. No gear but 5.4 so follower could swing. Not to mention the micro cam anchor