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IsayAutumn
Apr 27, 2009, 7:51 PM
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Hello. I have the pleasure of taking two complete n00bs to the New over Memorial Day weekend. Mostly we are going for the camping and rafting, but they have convinced me to take them climbing for a day (or less). I will be going to NRG for the first time this weekend, so I will not have had much prior experience there when I bring my friends over the holiday weekend. Can someone recommend a good area to bring beginners and set up top ropes?
Also, will these easy areas be swamped over Memorial Day weekend?
Thanks in advance.
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markc
Apr 27, 2009, 8:16 PM
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Others are more local, and can provide better beta. Always count on Memorial Day weekend to be overrun, and TR-friendly crags even more so. A couple destinations where topropes are fairly easily rigged are Junkyard Wall and the Bridge Area. Otherwise, having a member of the party that leads is very helpful.
One benefit to a crowded weekend is you might find someone to belay you rather than having one n00b belay and the other backing him up. I can't guarantee you'll come back alive from the rafting or climbing, but most do.
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IsayAutumn
Apr 27, 2009, 8:20 PM
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markc wrote: Others are more local, and can provide better beta. Always count on Memorial Day weekend to be overrun, and TR-friendly crags even more so. A couple destinations where topropes are fairly easily rigged are Junkyard Wall and the Bridge Area. Otherwise, having a member of the party that leads is very helpful. One benefit to a crowded weekend is you might find someone to belay you rather than having one n00b belay and the other backing him up. I can't guarantee you'll come back alive from the rafting or climbing, but most do.
Thanks! I was planning on leading routes and then setting up a TR on quick draws from the top of the routes. I just wasn't sure (a) if there are areas where beginners would stand a chance of getting up climbs (I'm talking 5.6-5.8 range) and (b) if those areas, assuming they exist, would be completely swamped over a holiday weekend.
I can, of course, check the routes database and do a bit of research. And I will do that. But sometimes it is hard to get an idea from a route description if the route is good for a TR setup, or if there are others around that are climbable by n00bs also. Thanks for your help.
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markc
Apr 27, 2009, 8:34 PM
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If you're leading and rigging topropes, that changes things. You can also consider Bubba City and Summersville. Both have pretty good concentrations of easier and moderate sport routes. There may be some sections along Endless, as well. It's been a while since I've been, and locals can give a better perspective.
I think the Steve Cater guide has a table that shows the concentration of grades at different crags. It may be worth at least thumbing through, even if you have another guide. I have the old Thompson guide, which lacks Summersville and newer route information from Bubba City. Dr. Topo has an online Summersville guide. The small Bubba City guide may be a worthwhile score.
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chezdillon
Apr 27, 2009, 8:45 PM
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Another option is the boulder to the right of the Super Mario Boulder at Beauty. It has 3-4 routes in the 5.6-5.8 range that have fixed anchors for top-roping. Definitely not NRG classics, but pretty likely to be open on a busy weekend.
Super easy walk in and a pretty nice staging area for hanging out between climbs. You can access the top to set up your ropes by scrambling up the ramp left of the boulder and jumping the gap between the cliff top and the boulder.
- Jeff
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rockandlice
Apr 28, 2009, 2:48 PM
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One thing that may be notable here is that the anchors for many of the moderates at Sandstonia (Popular Bubba Crag) are set back a bit atop ledges which creates bad drag for TR'ing. Also, that area will be swamped for sure. Summersville will also be a zoo most likely. Oh, and of course bridge and junkyard will be crawling with people. That beauty suggestion may not be too bad, although I've never bothered to even take a look at the climbs mentioned. Beauty often times sees less traffic.
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charley
Apr 28, 2009, 6:46 PM
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Walk through junkyard to dog wall. It is just far enough out of the way it may not be so crowded. Poodle with a mowhawk is 5.1 my ass.
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