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Iamjus10
Trad climber
San Diego
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 10, 2018 - 09:26pm PT
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I recently wrote a blog post about my first lead. It was quite the experience for me. I'm sure plenty of people here have been on the same climb or, most likely, much more frightening climbs for their first. If so, how did that effect your climbing?
You can read about mine here if you want
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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Oct 10, 2018 - 09:44pm PT
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The 5.8 finish looked scary so I went the 5.9 way.
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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Oct 10, 2018 - 09:44pm PT
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Yeah I remember it. Didn't think much of it at the time. I had some gear with some idea of how to use it. I bought it using my paper route money. I placed a few pieces early that might seem to catch me and my partner was paying attention. It turned into a layback and I just lay backed to the top not placing any gear and beach whaled it on top. I was 13 yrs old. No mentors. In hind sight I should have just free soloed it. Probably safer. This is 30 yrs ago so I'm now old at 44. LOL
S...
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Oct 10, 2018 - 09:57pm PT
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Horseman at the Gunks. My mentor lead me up Three Pines for my first ever climb. After we walked off and had lunch he said "Okay, so now it's your turn to lead."
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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Oct 10, 2018 - 09:59pm PT
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^^^^Classic
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Iamjus10
Trad climber
San Diego
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 10, 2018 - 10:03pm PT
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Jesus Skywalker, good to see that you're still alive. Haha
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Iamjus10
Trad climber
San Diego
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 10, 2018 - 10:06pm PT
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The 5.8 finish looked scary so I went the 5.9 way.
I didn't even know there was a 5.9 way. But I agree, the 5.8 finish looked scary. Haha
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Oct 10, 2018 - 10:07pm PT
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Remembering a first lead is like the first time with a girl. No one forgets it unless they are stoned/drunked out.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Oct 10, 2018 - 10:10pm PT
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^^ there you go bringing politics into it..:-)
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Oct 10, 2018 - 10:15pm PT
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^^
Kavanaugh was not there....
I swear!
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john hansen
climber
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Oct 10, 2018 - 10:31pm PT
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Dinkum at Consumne's , I think my friend was trying to kill me..
Post piton, pre cam's. just a little 25 foot pitch, but it showed me I could do it.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Oct 11, 2018 - 03:34am PT
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I dinked around with a few really easy thing that kind of blend together but I certainly remember my first real lead of center Crack as well as my first multi pitch ice lead...
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Oct 11, 2018 - 05:42am PT
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'Betty' in the Gunks. Did not have a guidebook. First time in the Gunks. Walked along the carriage road gawking at the cliffs. Saw that wide crack and decided to climb it. Tied in with a 120' Goldline. Of course a bowline on a coil as all good mountaineers do. Carried a few stoppers, a few pins (!) and a hammer, and a dozen steel oval biners from our trusty Army Navy Store.
Wiggled up the crack a ways and was about to pound in a pin when I noticed a ring pin already there. I yelled down to my belayer, 12' away standing on the ground with the rope just running through his hands, "SOMEONE HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE!"
Could have died so easily that day. The adventure includes a second off-route pith and rap on a doubled rope that ended up 10' short of the belay ledge and a subsequent jump to said ledge, 60' off the ground.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Oct 11, 2018 - 05:48am PT
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No, I don't remember my 1st lead. It was 50+ years ago.
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Todd Eastman
Social climber
Putney, VT
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Oct 11, 2018 - 06:15am PT
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I do...
Grandpa Nelson’s Turkey, a pinnacle at Nelson’s Rocks, WVA in 1973.
Lots of toproping at Carderock and seconding my dad in the years before.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Oct 11, 2018 - 06:40am PT
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It was in 1966 fresh out of the army. I led everything I climbed for the first year or two. My army buddy who was my early climbing partner had a mild case of acrophobia and wouldn't lead.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Oct 11, 2018 - 06:42am PT
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The second pitch, the lieback, on Fingertip Traverse at Tahquitz. I was too stupid to know I should be scared. Set up a nice belay at the bucket just before the traverse. RJ was impressed that I used stoppers.
While belaying RJ across the traverse, a dude shows up below me. He said was lost and 35' above his last piece. He wasn't happy. I threw him a bight of rope. Just then, over on El Camino Real, there was a big commotion, some guy was taking a big whipper on that dihedral.
I was thinking, "WTF have I gotten myself into?"
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Iamjus10
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 11, 2018 - 07:59am PT
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I was thinking, "WTF have I gotten myself into?"
Yup.. That about explains it. I couldn't imagine my first lead being on gear, or with a static line held by a buddy, that's gnarly. Times have gotten a little less gnarly in the climbing scene for sure. haha
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Oct 11, 2018 - 08:16am PT
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You get more extra points if the bolt wasn't in on Double Cross.
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