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zeke_sf
Dec 24, 2008, 3:04 AM
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Tenaya Peak is okay. Although, it's a lot longer than a pitch. You could belay each pitch or simul-climb. It only has one real move on it you'd maybe not want to simul-climb on for your first lead.
I've never done Knapsack Crack. Good luck!
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asellers98
Dec 25, 2008, 9:33 AM
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In reply to: Anyone remember their first trad lead and how you physically/mentally prepped for it?
In reply to: Any special practice techniques you went through beforehand?
In reply to: What characteristics of that first route made it good/bad first trad route?
In reply to: What aspects of trad leading became crystal clear to you once upon finishing that first lead (after the victory song and dance-heh)?
1. PRACTICE SPORT LEADING after you can climb 5.9.
2. READ AND WATCH as much as possible.
3. FOLLOW before taking the plunge so you know how it goes.
4. DO YOUR FIRST LEAD on something super easy with no questions.
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currupt4130
Dec 25, 2008, 5:00 PM
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My first trad lead was a 5.7 out at Bozoo in WV. It's a route we always warm up on and I'd done at least a dozen times on TR up to that point. The first time I did it, I just said to hell with it, grabbed my buddy's gear and went up. Placed what I thought was good, came down, let him TR it to check me out, and got the OK.
Before that I had spent a lot of time talking with him about and it and bugging him about it. I think he finally just got sick of me asking questions. I was always grabbing his gear and placing it while on the ground and just fiddling around with it. The knowledge you learn on the ground is priceless, but the extra little things you learn on route are even more so. IE, when to run it out, when to save your slings, etc.
(This post was edited by currupt4130 on Dec 25, 2008, 5:03 PM)
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mar_leclerc
Dec 25, 2008, 8:25 PM
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My first trad lead was a 5.7 on crap rock in the alpine. I had 6 pins and a couple carabiners plus I was wearing boots.... I managed to live through that so I got a set of stoppers and tried to lead a 5.9+. I fell of 2/3 of the way up but a #5 BD stopper caught me before I hit the ground. I nailed it my 2nd try...
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suilenroc
Dec 25, 2008, 10:16 PM
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My first Trad lead was a 5.5 called Tree Crack at Post Falls in Idaho or Washington (not sure)... Sure enough, first piece of pro was crap, second was a dead tree root that i girth hitched, got off route, finished the route with only two pieces of shit pro... 35 ft groundfall potential by the time i clipped the chains! -- I don't climb like this anymore... 
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caliclimbergrl
Dec 31, 2008, 11:17 AM
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I haven't read any other replies yet so sorry if this gets repetitive.
My first trad lead was a very short climb called Sally Five Fingers (5.8) in Squamish. Looking back, it was probably NOT a good one to get my first lead on. There was a 5.6 right nearby that I was thinking of leading, but my friends convinced me that this climb was easier. And looking back, the moves might have been a bit easier for the most part, but it was a little bit harder to find good gear placements than the 5.6 (which was a perfect continuous hand-sized splitter crack) and there was a tricky section at the top that was kind of scary for me. It was all face climbing and the crack ended a few feet before the climb so it was face climbing with no gear. I've lead it a few times since then (I spend a lot of time in Squamish) and it's a cake-walk now. But on that first lead, I was pretty scared at the top!!
It sounds like you're doing everything right when it comes to preparing to lead and that's exactly what I did. Play with lots of gear so that you're comfortable with it. Get your friends to look at your placements on the ground and evaluate them and tell you what's good and bad about them. And I would say don't do a real lead until all of your gear placements from the ground would hold a fall (in the opinion of your experienced friends). Do a lot of cleaning so that you're used to stopping and fiddling with gear and clipping and and unclipping it from your harness. Get very familiar with the gear so that you're reaching for a piece that actually fits where you're thinking of putting it and so that you know where your gear is on the rack or harness when you're reaching for it. Get familiar with the style of climbing, and know what's challenging about it. For example, if you're going to lead a splitter crack, gear will be pretty straight-forward -- it all goes in the crack! But you'll need to have good crack technique. If you're doing a climb at Red Rocks, The Gunks, or some of the easier stuff at J-Tree, it might be more of a face climb which is more what you'd be used to if you've been doing a lot of sport climbing or gym climbing. But finding places to put gear can be trickier since you'll be looking for pockets or horizontal cracks and you might not be able to see where your next piece of gear is until you climb up to it (which still freaks me out sometimes since I'm more used to cracks). Some people say you should do a mock lead before you do a real lead, but I think if you're really comfortable with your ability to place gear, that's un-necessary.
And if you're worried about route finding (join the club, this is probably one of my weakest points!!), pick a climb that has a very obvious line. A crack would be a good option (assuming you're comfortable with crack technique). Something else you might want to think about is hanging on gear. Of course you want to get that first lead clean! But before that when you're right near the ground, you might want to have someone belay you and just put in a piece and have them take and weight it and hang. I think that's a good idea for two reasons. The most obvious being it'll help you to trust that your gear will hold so falling is just like falling on a bolt mentally. Second, if you do really start to freak out when leading trad (hey, happens to the best of us) you can just plug in some gear, take a good look at it to make sure it's solid, and the take and hang on it. Of course, it's better not to do that, but sometimes you just need a minute to re-collect. There are those that say to push it and fall if it comes to that rather than hang on gear. And I think they have a point (and I probably hang on my gear too much since I REALLY don't want to fall after breaking my ankle in a nasty lead fall a year ago)-- but there is a happy medium and hanging on gear is a good way to become comfortable with the idea of falling on it in my humble opinion. I didn't get really comfortable trusting my gear until I'd done a few aid climbs, so that's where that mentality comes from.
As for what you can do now, climb in the gym to stay in shape. Do some yoga. It'll give you strength, flexibility, and a way to calm your mind when you're physically working. And read The Rock Warrior's Way (at least once -- I've read it at least 3 times!!). Borrow your friends gear and play with it, become familiar with it, talk to people about what gear they like and why. Read guide books, think about what routes you want to do. And then prey for an early start to climbing. I just got back from a trip to Joshua Tree and now I'm ready for summer!! To bad it's really just the beginning of snowboarding season here!! :(
Good luck!
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clausti
Jan 11, 2009, 11:34 PM
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my first trad lead was a 5.9 hand crack called "happy hands" at the new river gorge in WV. the name says it all- pretty even the whole way up, takes excellent gear and gives you great jams. totally vertical.
i had been sport climbing for a few years already, and was very solid on 5.9 terrain. I had followed/cleaned a few trad pitches, but honestly, it was a hand crack in bullet-hard sandstone so the gear was not rocket science.
we were out climbing at Beauty Mountain, and some of the guys I was with did a climb near it that I followed. then I decided that I really wanted to climb Happy Hands, but nobody else did, so I was like "Find, I'll lead it." Three said "um, you really shouldn't try a 5.9 for your first trad lead," and one said, "Here is my trad rack, let me know if you have questions on what to take."  It went smooth as butter, and since then I have reprised my love of hand cracks many times.
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ladyscarlett
Mar 25, 2009, 11:14 PM
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Apologies for bringing this back from the graveyard so to speak. I'm sure no one will read this, but I feel I must come full circle.
I DID IT!!!
My first trad lead!!
First lead is....5.4-5.5 single pitch (short) climb in Joshua Tree - The Bong. Was a little nervous starting out...spent waaaay to much time under the "roof" lollygagging for a solid stance to protect the move over the roof. Had a little mini freak out and was almost considering not being able to finish the climb, but my buddies had my back and helped me keep my cool. It had beautiful cracks that were a joy to work with and what felt like good places for pro. SO AWESOME!!
Second lead was a 5.3 on a rock with a bunch of other 5.3's and a 5.7 I think. Easier climbing on a whole, but felt there were fewer spots for pro. Had a long (too long) moment of fiddling for a placement, looked up at the next few moves to the top and realized - I can safely top out, so to hell with this! I'm topping out and setting the anchor.
More, more more!! Yosemite/Sierra Trad... here I come!!!
Huzzah!!
ls
ps thanks for all the support!
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AntinJ
Mar 25, 2009, 11:22 PM
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Congrats LS! - awesome right?
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k.l.k
Mar 25, 2009, 11:48 PM
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congrats-- enjoy jtree. just remember that the rock is choss and the ground is always close, so keep your leading there to stuff that's way under yr limit until you've got more mileage.
bong's nice for a first go, 'cuz it gives you a summit.
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chopperjohn
Mar 26, 2009, 12:02 AM
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5.7 "the caterpillar" 80 foot chimney. Just went for it and fell at the crux and got all jacked up. Then I went on to kick its ass. i now do this route weekly to show it I'm the boss. I still use my original stopper that got stuck in there 2 years ago.
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jdill
Mar 26, 2009, 12:02 AM
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My first trad lead was the mummy(5.5) on the mummy buttress in the amphitheater at linville gorge, NC. I was young and dumb. I didnt study the route and got way of route. So it ended up being more of a 5.8 which for me was kinda scary for my first trad lead. To make things worse i missed the ledge and the anchor bolts. So, I built a gear anchor and prepared for my partner to clean the first pitch. About a 1/4 of the way up he got really sketched out and wouldnt move. So instead of bailing he had scenders with him and decide to send the rope with some long runners for etriers. So I yelled down hold on let me put some more pro in this anchor system. That did not help his confidence. Needless to say he jugged the first pitch on my first ever gear anchor set up and we finished the last 2 pitches without a problem.
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jdill
Mar 26, 2009, 12:07 AM
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chopperjohn wrote: 5.7 "the caterpillar" 80 foot chimney. Just went for it and fell at the crux and got all jacked up. Then I went on to kick its ass. i now do this route weekly to show it I'm the boss. I still use my original stopper that got stuck in there 2 years ago.
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Alphaboth
Mar 26, 2009, 12:31 AM
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I just took my buddy outside for the first time and put him on a 10c. He took a good 20 foot whipper his on his first lead and by the end of the week was onsighting 11a.
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k.l.k
Mar 26, 2009, 12:35 AM
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Alphaboth wrote: I just took my buddy outside for the first time and put him on a 10c. He took a good 20 foot whipper his on his first lead and by the end of the week was onsighting 11a.
Really? On-sighting 11a his first week?
Bullshit. Unless it's a bolted slab or someone put his pro in for him or he practiced setting his pro on rap. Or unless you've posted to the wrong thread and meant to talk about your buddy's first sport climb.
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chopperjohn
Mar 26, 2009, 12:47 AM
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its about 21 feet up just below the little roof on the left in the 1/4 inch bottle neck crack. its a #6 stopper with about 3 inches of cable visible. That bitch is stuck as fuck. I climbed it about 2 weeks ago and it was there. you would have to work your ass off to get it out.
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milesenoell
Mar 26, 2009, 1:15 AM
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I don't know if this is the right place a for a comment like this, but it does apply to first leads. When I started leading the first place I went was a sport crag that made me feel like it was super safe to push my limits. After a handful of successful leads, each one edging closer to the level I'd TR at, I thought "wow that climb over there looks really cool, and I've never climbed an R rated climb before". I climbed it clean and got to go home stoked on my improvement rather than to the ER to contemplate my hubris, but I regularly think about how when you find yourself pushing beyond your limits is not the best time to assess real danger. Sure, I had climbed higher grades, but you can still make a mistake even on a climb that's well within your skill level. R and X climbs are a very different beast than just pushing the numbers.
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Alphaboth
Mar 26, 2009, 2:12 AM
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yeah u caught me he was clipping bolts, but still it's pretty impressive, and no not a slab, overhanging pockets and crimps in RRG.
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ShibbyShane
Mar 29, 2009, 5:40 AM
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Haha, The Bong was my first trad lead as well. That was in mid January. Can't really say that was a fun climb, but got the first lead out of the way. Proceeded to build a super manky anchor at the top, due to forgetting how to properly use a cordelette. I've learned quite a bit since then and done several more leads.
I'm looking forward to Lover's Leap drying out so I can do some sweet moderate multi-pitch trad climbs!
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rschap
Mar 29, 2009, 3:37 PM
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White Lightning in J-Try. I got crap from some climbers next to us for pulling on a nub outside the crack to get through the crux, they kept calling me sporty.
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I_do
Mar 29, 2009, 11:06 PM
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rschap wrote: White Lightning in J-Try. I got crap from some climbers next to us for pulling on a nub outside the crack to get through the crux, they kept calling me sporty.
Yeah some of these crack climbs make for nice hard face climbs if you're no good at crack climbing at all. I keep finding the cracks to small for handjams, to big for ringlocks and end up with big fingersize crack's that I just can't get to work... I guess I'm gonna have to do some laps on easy cracks and just figure out what works.
On topic my first trad lead has yet to come, I just learned how to built an anchor this weekend and did a couple of laps on the same climb which I wouldn't mind leading next time I'm at frog. It all depends on my leaders though...
So hopefully I can post about my first trad lead in this forum pretty soon. I'm very new to trad (I'm from europe where we don't do a lot of trad other then on really easy terrain as part of alpine stuff) but feel it would give me a lot more options on mixed and alpine style multipitches which is the thing I love to do most.
Sorry for the brainfart above I just kept rambling, I'll stop now.
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jfitzpat
Apr 8, 2009, 5:24 PM
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I think that my first trad lead was Left Ski Track at Lilly Rock. There are a bunch of finishes for the last pitch, but off the top of my head I think it is 5.7 or 5.8 the way I did it.
Advice? 1. Follow an experienced leader awhile, and ask questions. 2. Sew it up.
Sport climbing builds a different mentality about falling and what to expect from a single 'piece'. Sewing things up will help you get faster and more efficient at making placements and help keep you from getting in as much hot water while you learn. It is almost inevitable that you are going to misjudge directly of pull, crank a move, and hear a bunch of your pieces rattle down the rope.
Bonus advice, 3. One good way to learn the gear is to aid climb on toprope. Learning what you can trust to stand on will give you a new perspective on what you can fall on.
4. Get a good stance and place gear at your waist. I see a lot of wicked strong sport climbers planted against the wall trying to place gear as high as they can reach. This is exhausting, and you are really just stuffing and hoping. working at your waist is easier and you can see what you are doing.
Granted, everyone ends up straining to reach as high as they can to clip that-oh-so-welcome-bolt, while their backside puckers down to the size of a purely theoretical particle at some point, but this should be the exception, not the norm.
Be safe, have fun!
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zeke_sf
Apr 8, 2009, 5:35 PM
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rschap wrote: White Lightning in J-Try. I got crap from some climbers next to us for pulling on a nub outside the crack to get through the crux, they kept calling me sporty.
That's a semi-exciting crux for a 5.7. Moreso than 2x+, in my opinion. Good job being "sporty", since a decent face climber partner backed off of it, precipitating my lead of the route. I decided to take the right exit (5.8/9?) instead of going left at the top. Fun climbing there but I managed to construct a zig-zagging rope drag machine right there. It was atrocious.
I must admit, it is funny when you see heinous crimps all chalked up next to a hand crack though.
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puckeatr31
Apr 17, 2009, 2:18 PM
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I have been doing th egym thing for a couple years with some outdoor stuff sporadically thrown in, but recently had my first trad day. My first and only trad lead was at J-Tree on 5.6 with TR back up. Although well below my sport level, it kicked my but and was the most difficult climbing I have done. Forgot everything I had learned about placing my feet, getting settled, maintaining my balance, and trusting my feet. Luckily, was with a very good mentor who offered encouragement and advice. Looking forward to more!
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ladyscarlett
Apr 17, 2009, 10:27 PM
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puckeatr31 wrote: I have been doing th egym thing for a couple years with some outdoor stuff sporadically thrown in, but recently had my first trad day. My first and only trad lead was at J-Tree on 5.6 with TR back up. Although well below my sport level, it kicked my but and was the most difficult climbing I have done. Forgot everything I had learned about placing my feet, getting settled, maintaining my balance, and trusting my feet. Luckily, was with a very good mentor who offered encouragement and advice. Looking forward to more!
I'm not trying to belittle your your awesome accomplishment, but does a trad lead with a TR back up technically count as a true lead? Somehow the term mock lead comes to mind, but I'm not sure. It's definitely a huge step forward from sport climbing, but do you think it will be different when there's no TR backup? Do you think it would have been different without a TR backup?
I ask because I've been told that this was how I should have started, but want to see a variety of experiences.
Congrats and keep it up!
ls
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